Friday, June 29, 2012

NFC Cometh? 1M Android NFC Devices Shipping Each Week, And Prototypes Show iPhone 5 Is Next

nfc_android_320x320Google I/O is in full swing, and news has been pouring out at a fairly steady pace: Tony Stark Sergey finally demoed Google Glass, Google Drive passed 10 million users and is available on iOS, and we all got a look at Jelly Bean -- to name a few. Yet, overshadowed and buried in lengthy liveblogs is one piece of news that deserves some more attention -- and it's all about NFC. During yeserday's keynote, Hugo Barra, the director of Android product management, revealed that Google is now shipping 1 million NFC-enabled Android devices every week. That's pretty significant.

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Thursday, June 28, 2012

Video: Moms dare to bare post-pregnancy bellies

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If the auto is certainly inadequately ruined within an car accident ...

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Recent PDA Cell Phone Reviews | Internet Contents

A PDA cell phone or Smartphone offers ease of use and powerful features and capabilities for the business, or casual consumer. The PC-like functionality of PDA phones enables users to access and create email, documents, and the Internet all in one compact device. This past year has seen an explosion of innovative Smartphones from various manufactures, with distinct capabilities and operating platforms.

HTC launched a new Windows Mobile Smartphone, the HD2, which is a successor to the original HTC Touch HD. This phone features one of the largest PDA screens, measuring 4.3 inches. It is also the first Windows phone to implement a capacitive touch screen, similar to the iPhone display, which is used for fingertip control. The HD2 boasts a 5.0 megapixel camera with flash, a GPS receiver, and a standard 3.5mm headset jack.

BlackBerry also provided an update to their existing product line, updating the Bold 9000 to the new Bold2. This phone features better wireless access than the current BlackBerry, with better utilization of 3G coverage. The Bold2 switches out the familiar trackball with a Trackpad, which should be more responsive and sturdier. Like other BlackBerry phones, the Bold2 provides reliable and powerful messaging capabilities and boasts a vibrant color display.

The Samsung Moment is the company?s first Android device. The Android operating system runs on an 800 MHz processor, which makes the Moment impressively responsive. Some highlights of the phone are the exceptional call quality and gorgeous color display. For users who are invested in Google applications, the Moment allows for quick access to their Google calendar, email, and contacts.

Nokia presented a new phone, the Nokia N900, which is the first device to run Maemo, a Linux based operating system. The phone is noted for its smooth animations, easy setup, and crisp screen fonts. Another exceptional feature is the keyboard which is user friendly and less cramped than previous Nokia Smartphones.

The Motorola Droid is another cell phone which is based on the Android OS and sets the standard for other phones which utilize this operating system. The Droid is the thinnest phone with a QWERTY keyboard and the display is comparatively large at 3.7 inches. The design is markedly different from other PDAs and has an attractive angular feel. The mobile office applications are stable and highly functional, which allows users to work on files on the go. Also, the phone works well with multiple applications open at once, which is a huge benefit to heavy PDA users.

PDA cell phones are gaining more and more attention in the mobile market. Even casual cell phone users are purchasing Smartphones to help organize their busy personal and business lives.

Recent PDA Cell Phone Reviews

Tabitha enjoys writing about a number of different subjects. You can read her newest articles about cheap cellular phones and discover where to get some great cellular phone deals at http://www.cheap-cellphone-service.com

Content About : Recent PDA Cell Phone Reviews Article

-- Download Recent PDA Cell Phone Reviews as PDF --


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Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Can Customer Service Roles Be Staffed By Computers?

Thanks to incredible advances in technology, customer service has changed greatly over the last 25 years.? In the not-too-distant past, every aspect of our interaction with a company and its services was handled through 1 on 1 human interaction.? But nowadays ? whether we?re Googling for kitchen faucet repair instructions, searching for directions on our GPS navigation system, or asking Siri for directions to the nearest seafood restaurant ? we?re relying more and more on technology to guide us through our daily lives.? Technological progress has greatly reduced the need for us to have other people solve our basic problems.

In customer service, the search for low-cost solutions has led companies to replace human interaction whenever and wherever possible. ?Without a doubt, many CEOs would be ecstatic if there were a way to cut support expenses completely by eliminating the large customer support staff necessary in any moderately sized company.? Presently however, high-tech customer support solutions can only replace humans for less-complex issues.? For example, customers can be shown a list of potential solutions to their problem before being permitted to send off a request or question to technical support staff.? On the phone, automated phone screening systems may be used to direct customers to pre-recorded answers to common queries.? However, humans are still needed when a customer has a unique or complex question, when a customer wants further explanation, or even if they simply want to hear a friendly human voice address their problem.

While we?re not at the stage where customer service reps can be replaced by artificial intelligence, are we potentially facing a future where call center outsourcing and face to face customer service is obsolete ? replaced instead with a bank of highly intelligent computers?

To answer that question, we need to briefly examine the historical role of technology in customer service.? Much of the self-serve customer service platforms we now take for granted were once positions filled by a trained, human representative.? For instance, prior to the invention of the ATM and before online banking, something as simple as a cash withdrawal or a bill payment had to be done face to face at a local bank.? Before the internet, airplane bookings had to be done in person or over the phone and then manually logged by human staff.

As technology advanced and computers and software became widely available and relatively inexpensive, businesses quickly realized that many processes once served by call centers and local brick and mortar locations could be replaced by systems staffed not with humans, but with a customer friendly self-serve software platform.? Not only did companies benefit from the scalability and cost-effectiveness of these systems, customers greatly appreciated their efficiency and accuracy.? There are countless examples of innovations that have gradually phased out the need for human service in all aspects of industry, commerce, and day to day living.? All of this seems to suggest the possibility that one day, many of the human-to-human interaction we assume is necessary will be phased out in the name of progress.

While technological innovation will continue to offer new automated solutions to old customer service problems, we?re still far from the day when customer service staff will be replaced by avatars.?

As technology advances, businesses will continue to demand low-cost, scalable customer support solutions.? And just as surely, customer acceptance for automated solutions to their service needs will increase as the speed and accuracy of alternative customer service solutions continue to progress.

Despite all the technological progress, at the end of the day, customer service is about providing the customer with what they want.? Will there be a day where artificial intelligence can answer our questions as effectively as a human?? Do we face a future where friendly robot waiters take our orders and pushy robot salespeople make us uncomfortable?? Perhaps one day.? But as long as there are customers looking for a friendly, helpful voice to answer their questions, 1 on 1 human interaction will continue to have an important role in customer service.? Until technology finds a way to replace the customer demand for personalized assistance, humans will continue to have a role in customer service ? even as the scope of that role continues to be enveloped by technology.

?

Can Customer Service Roles Be Staffed By Computers? by David Veibl. David is writing about customer service for Capita Customer Management. Capita Group specializing in business process outsourcing and?technical support outsourcing in the UK.

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Monday, June 25, 2012

Gazans celebrate Brotherhood victory in Egypt

[ [ [['Connery is an experienced stuntman', 2]], 'http://yhoo.it/KeQd0p', '[Slideshow: See photos taken on the way down]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['Connery is an experienced stuntman', 7]], ' http://yhoo.it/KpUoHO', '[Slideshow: Death-defying daredevils]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['know that we have confidence in', 3]], 'http://yhoo.it/LqYjAX ', '[Related: The Secret Service guide to Cartagena]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['We picked up this other dog and', 5]], 'http://yhoo.it/JUSxvi', '[Related: 8 common dog fears, how to calm them]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['accused of running a fake hepatitis B', 5]], 'http://bit.ly/JnoJYN', '[Related: Did WH share raid details with filmmakers?]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['accused of running a fake hepatitis B', 3]], 'http://bit.ly/KoKiqJ', '[Factbox: AQAP, al-Qaeda in Yemen]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have my contacts on or glasses', 3]], 'http://abcn.ws/KTE5AZ', '[Related: Should the murder charge be dropped?]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have made this nation great as Sarah Palin', 5]], 'http://yhoo.it/JD7nlD', '[Related: Bristol Palin reality show debuts June 19]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['have made this nation great as Sarah Palin', 1]], 'http://bit.ly/JRPFRO', '[Related: McCain adviser who vetted Palin weighs in on VP race]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['A JetBlue flight from New York to Las Vegas', 3]], 'http://yhoo.it/GV9zpj', '[Related: View photos of the JetBlue plane in Amarillo]', ' ', '630', ' ', ' ', ], [ [['the 28-year-old neighborhood watchman who shot and killed', 15]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/white-house-stays-out-of-teen-s-killing-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/cv/ip/ap/default/120411/martinzimmermen.jpg', '630', ' ', 'AP', ], [ [['He was in shock and still strapped to his seat', 6]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/navy-jet-crashes-in-virginia-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/cv/ip/ap/default/120406/jet_ap.jpg', '630', ' ', 'AP', ], [ [['xxxxxxxxxxxx', 11]], 'http://news.yahoo.com/photos/russian-grannies-win-bid-to-sing-at-eurovision-1331223625-slideshow/', 'Click image to see more photos', 'http://l.yimg.com/a/p/us/news/editorial/1/56/156d92f2760dcd3e75bcd649a8b85fcf.jpeg', '500', ' ', 'AP', ] ]

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Database shows Florida has pledged nearly $155M since Gov. Rick Scott took office to create jobs

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Sunday, June 24, 2012

Community Manager, Diablo III at Blizzard (Irvine, California, United States)

The Blizzard Entertainment?s community & eSports department is seeking a manager to provide leadership and direction to the Diablo?III community team.

This role will lead the editorial direction of content to be published through the Diablo?III blogs, forums and social media outlets, and will oversee the design and execution of all of Blizzard Entertainment?s community engagement programs for the franchise. ?This position will also directly manage our relationship with our North American community partners, such as fan sites, external forums, and social media destinations for our brands, as well as volunteer networks. ?The Diablo?III community manager will work in close partnership with the senior manager, global community and eSports to interface with our global offices, streamline content pipelines and localization processes, and develop our community engagement plans globally.

The ideal candidate is an independent, self-motivated leader with a proven track record of vast scale community management and social web engagement in the entertainment industry, proactively identifying key strategies, anticipating business needs, and implementing solutions across the organization. This person must have strong personnel management and motivational skills, and must be able to work within budget while still building the best possible relationship between Blizzard Entertainment and its communities.

The Diablo?III community manager reports into the director, global community & eSports.


Responsibilities

  • Manage the Diablo?III community team.
  • Provide editorial direction, planning and guidance to our Diablo 3 community publishing efforts.
  • Lead the development of the Diablo?III global community engagement programs, and oversee their global execution.
  • Lead the execution of all Diablo III North America community engagement programs.
  • Represent the voice of our players in all internal conversations to guarantee they are heard and they?re playing an active role in Blizzard Entertainment?s decision making processes for the franchise.
  • Constantly stimulate the conversation across all departments regarding Blizzard Entertainment?s community strategy, and the development of a clear and healthy relationship with our Diablo III community.
  • Build consensus and visibility in the editorial process and in the program design process for key stakeholders across the organization and globally.
  • Proactively seek and maintain a close partnership and synched up efforts with the other components of Blizzard Entertainment?s publishing and engagement efforts, such as public relations (PR), marketing, production, web, and customer support.
  • Meet and exceed agreed upon key performance indicators for each program.
  • Oversee the maintenance of Diablo III?s community networks, and lead the design of the appropriate reward systems that drive them.
  • Develop and distribute management level reports in support of business reviews.
  • Act as public facing representative of Blizzard Entertainment in online channels, and at community events.

Requirements

  • A minimum of 5 years? experience in personnel management?and?managing a major gaming, entertainment, or technology blog / web publishing outlet
  • A minimum of 5 years? brand community management
  • Bachelor's degree in journalism, marketing, or equivalent work experience
  • Vast experience in social web outreach
  • Excellent written communication
  • Strategic thinker with strong leadership, management, and communication skills
  • Possess excellent interpersonal and diplomatic skills, while maintaining an ability to always stay focused on the work at hand
  • Strong communication and presentation skills, with the ability to work with other members across the organization
  • Extremely detail-oriented and driven to consistently meet deadlines
  • Able to organize thoughts and make decisions under time constraints and a full work load
  • Able to interface effectively with both gamers and business people
  • A passionate video gamer with ample experience of Diablo?III and its community
  • Able to travel, including occasional international travel

Pluses

  • Existing strong personal network within Blizzard Entertainment?s brand communities
  • Video production experience

?

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Justin Bieber: Mocked by David Letterman!


Hey, David Letterman: pick on someone your own age!

The Late Show host welcomed Justin Bieber to his program last night and gave the 18-year a very hard time about his tattoos, considering Justin just got a fresh one that reads "Believe" across his left arm.

"Don't go nuts," Letterman advised, regarding Bieber's influx of ink. "Because more and more you see like the mural ... like the Sistine Chapel, it's too much."

It's okay, Justin replied, he's "not going for the Sixteenth Chapel look."

Ouch. Major history faux pas! Watch the exchange now and Letterman's mockery of Canadian high school in response to Bieber's flub:

Sorry Justin isn't an art history buff, David Letterman! The guy is spending too much time helping the dreams of cancer patients come true, alright!

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Saturday, June 23, 2012

Unconventional Plans; Rangel's Wrangle (WSJ)

Share With Friends: Share on FacebookTweet ThisPost to Google-BuzzSend on GmailPost to Linked-InSubscribe to This Feed | Rss To Twitter | Politics - Top Stories News, RSS and RSS Feed via Feedzilla.

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Saturday Morning Breakfast & Baseball: Pine Tar, Song Covers, An On-Air Stroke (?), Name-Calling, and Ranting

By now, you've all likely heard about the Joel Peralta saga. Peralta joins the Washington Nationals in 2010 as an unspectacular reliever. He turns in the best season of his career, as he has a 2.02 ERA and his peripheral stats mostly back up his success. He somehow gets designated for assignment anyway, and latches on with the Rays, where he's mostly continued his run of being an above-average reliever. All of a sudden, thanks to interleague we see the Rays and Nationals square up, and what happens right as Peralta enters Tuesday's game? Nationals manager Davey Johnson goes straight to the umpires and says, "Hey, umm, I have this idea that you may want to check Peralta's glove out there."

Lo and behold, there's pine tar in the glove, Peralta gets suspended 8 games, and Rays manager Joe Maddon gets into a catfight with Davey Johnson through the media. What's especially interesting about this entire thing is that according to former pitcher Dirk Hayhurst, this is not an isolated incident. Hayhurst mentions both in his blog and in his book Out Of My League that it's common for pitchers to doctor up the baseball, though his blog post was written as a response to Jose Valverde possibly spitting on a baseball a couple weeks ago rather than Peralta's misfortune.

Also, there are some people speculating that Peralta was caught because he started using pine tar in 2010 when he joined the Nationals, thus how he turned himself from an average middle reliever into a solid set-up man. Also, the Nationals chose to keep the information secret until it would benefit them the most, namely when they would have to face Peralta in a close game, such as what happened Tuesday.

What have I learned through this whole thing? Pitchers cheat way more than we think, and MLB has ridiculous suspension rules (8 games for doctoring a baseball, 5 for throwing at a hitter on purpose, and none for having a DUI).

  • On a lighter note, Bronson Arroyo and Aroldis Chapman visited Lindsay Guentzel and the MLB Fan Cave earlier this week, and they teamed up to sing a baseball-themed version of Adam Sandler's "Red Hooded Sweatshirt." I had no idea what Chapman's role was in the song (Scatting? Saying funny nonsense things to make us laugh?) so I had to go and listen to the original on YouTube to understand the point of the "Dip-dip-dip." On a related note, if you're ever near me and you hear me randomly say "Dip-dip-dip," well, now you know why.
  • Sometimes we joke about either Dick Bremer and/or Bert Blyleven being drunk on the air, but Rangers play-by-play announcer Dave Barnett said something on the air that was truly absurd. You can listen to the exchange from Monday's Rangers/Padres game courtesy of Deadspin, but here's the whole thing that Barnett said...

The go-ahead run is at fifth on what [Mike] Adams is insisting on calling it a botched robbery. What actually happened was his henchman took piece literally out of...

...and then his microphone was turned off. This episode is being attributed to the migraines that Barnett regularly has, but this is the first time I've ever heard a migraine being responsible for a person spouting off gibberish (Maybe that's why Aroldis Chapman was saying "Dip-dip-dip"!). There hasn't been any updates on Barnett since then, but I have a feeling that it was more likely he had a stroke on the air. He missed both Tuesday and Wednesday's games for a medical evaluation and the Rangers were off Thursday, so as now (Friday morning) he has not returned to the broadcasting booth.

  • Frank Francisco may have said a little too much when he told the New York Post, "I can't wait to face those chickens." By chickens, he means the Yankees. Francisco then added that he wanted to strike out the side in one of the games, as he's done it against the Yankees once before. Plus, unlike Torii Hunter, his story of the past is actually true, as he once struck out Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, and Jason Giambi in one inning back in 2004. Hearing Francisco make that chicken quote reminds me of Pedro Martinez, who also in 2004 said, "What can I say? Just tip my hat and call the Yankees my daddy." Granted, Pedro's comments were in response to the Bronx Bombers owning him, unlike Francisco's comment.
  • You'd think that basically cleaning house by replacing manager Terry Francona with Bobby Valentine and general manager Theo Epstein with Ben Cherington would have eliminated the drama in Boston, but to David Ortiz, it's clear that this was not the case. Even after playing well, the Boston media has seemed more interested in discussing various dramas circling the Red Sox, which led Big Papi to give us the following sound bite about playing in Boston:

It's becoming the [bleep]hole it used to be. Look around, bro. Look around. Playing here used to be so much fun.

Yikes. Is this going to stop the media, though? I doubt it. After all, it's their job to get page views, and getting juicy tidbits about the team is likely going to get more readers than sticking to game recaps and player profiles. I kind of agree with Bobby Valentine that it's possible that Ortiz is trying to take some of the heat off other players, but I do wonder one thing: What were the issues in Boston's past that Papi is citing?

Brian Duensing makes his starting debut later today. Someday, the Twins will have a role for Duensing and they will stick with it for an entire season. This year, and the previous three years, is not that year.

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Friday, June 22, 2012

Mount Rainier ranger falls 3,700 feet to death

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Live Stream: Microsoft?s Windows Phone 8 Unveiling

Today Wired is attending Microsoft’s Windows Phone Summit to learn what’s next for the company’s mobile operating system. We’re expecting Microsoft to announce a number of upgrades to its Windows Phone OS, including potentially unveiling its next major iteration, Windows Phone 8 Apollo. Upgrade incompatibilities for older Windows Phone devices is one question that’s arisen, [...]

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World's most amazing fountains

Sylvia Trifonova

With 6,600 lights, 25 projectors and nearly 1,500 individual fountains, the Dubai Fountain on the 30-acre Burj Dubai Lake amounts to the largest synchronized music and light show in the world.

By Kristin Conard, Travel + Leisure

You don?t need to be a high roller to enjoy one of Las Vegas? most sought-after shows: the dancing waters of the Fountains of Bellagio. Thousands are drawn here daily by the same free spectacle of music and light that made the gang from "Ocean?s Eleven"?pause.?


Slideshow: See where to find the world's amazing fountains

Creating something to make travelers reflect amid the neon flash of the Vegas strip was in fact the goal: ?You have to continue to challenge people?s minds and emotions with the unexpected and with something that?s new,? says Mark Fuller, CEO of WET Design. The company debuted the Bellagio Fountains in 1998, and they?ve since become a benchmark for innovative fountains worldwide.

From function to fantasy, fountains have evolved from sources of drinking water to works of art that manipulate the most basic of life forces ? water and gravity ? to emotionally moving results. Fountains are often found in public spaces that travelers naturally seek out; they make beautiful photo-ops and, with a coin?s toss, may even improve your luck.

Not only do fountains put on a show, but they also encourage others to perform, such as street musicians or that guy proposing by Rome?s 18th-century Trevi Fountain. A pope commissioned the Trevi Fountain as a statement of power and artistic and engineering know-how ? motivations for many of the most amazing fountains, from the Grand Cascade built for Peter the Great at his summer palace to newcomer Dubai Fountain, which broke records when it opened with 6,000 lights in 2008.

In Chicago, which counts Buckingham Fountain as one of its most famous landmarks, Millennium Park?s Crown Fountain brought the concept into the 21st century. Two 50-foot black glass towers on either side of a reflecting pool project images from a thousand Chicago citizens, creating the illusion of water pouring from their mouths ? a modern take on the spouting gargoyles and other creatures of traditional fountains.

The possibilities of playing with water are nearly endless. Yet even when fountains employ high-tech features like the cascade of water that forms words and pictures in a South Korean department store, their allure remains fundamental.

?They motivate people to connect with their inner selves,? says Fuller. ?It?s not like standing in front of a big video screen. It?s very rudimentary: we?re born from water; it?s the beauty of that natural element.?

More from Travel + Leisure

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Nokia to bring range of new and updated apps to existing Lumia lineup

Nokia to bring range of new and updated apps to existing Lumia lineup

That Nokia would be joining Microsoft on this day of Windows Phone 8 revelations is no surprise -- the companies long ago inked their blood pact on the back of Mango. Now, at today's summit in San Francisco, Espoo's Kevin Shields just announced a slew of new and updated apps to currently available Lumia handsets starting next week. Spreading the love to Mango and above, existing users will be treated to a new DLNA app dubbed PlayTo that allows for video, music and photo sharing wirelessly, Nokia Counter to monitor and manage data usage, My Commute which utilizes Drive to compute travel time and arrange routing and a 3.0 update to Nokia Music.

And, given that this is the company behind PureView, current Lumia devices running Windows Phone will receive an imaging facelift of sorts, augmenting the baked-in optics via Camera Extras. This suite of apps will effectively upgrade the core photo-taking experience with the addition of a self-timer, action shots, panorama and a Smart Group Shot setting (likely built upon Scalado software). So, while your eagerness to adopt that cyan Lumia 900 may not pay off with an upgrade to WP 8, at the very least Nokia is adopting a policy of no Lumia user left (that far) behind.

To check out the latest updates from Microsoft's Windows Phone event, visit our liveblog!

Nokia to bring range of new and updated apps to existing Lumia lineup originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 20 Jun 2012 13:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ScienceDaily: Biochemistry News

ScienceDaily: Biochemistry Newshttp://www.sciencedaily.com/news/matter_energy/biochemistry/ Read the latest research in biochemistry -- protein structure and function, RNA and DNA, enzymes and biosynthesis and more biochemistry news.en-usThu, 21 Jun 2012 17:19:06 EDTThu, 21 Jun 2012 17:19:06 EDT60ScienceDaily: Biochemistry Newshttp://www.sciencedaily.com/images/logosmall.gifhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/news/matter_energy/biochemistry/ For more science articles, visit ScienceDaily.Oxygen 'sensor' may shut down DNA transcriptionhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120619092935.htm A key component found in an ancient anaerobic microorganism may serve as a sensor to detect potentially fatal oxygen, researchers have found. This helps researchers learn more about the function of these components, called iron-sulfur clusters, which occur in different parts of cells in all living creatures.Tue, 19 Jun 2012 09:29:29 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120619092935.htmChemists use nanopores to detect DNA damagehttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120618153427.htm Scientists are racing to sequence DNA faster and cheaper than ever by passing strands of the genetic material through molecule-sized pores. Now, scientists have adapted this ?nanopore? method to find DNA damage that can lead to mutations and disease.Mon, 18 Jun 2012 15:34:34 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120618153427.htmCarbon is key for getting algae to pump out more oilhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120618111830.htm Overturning two long-held misconceptions about oil production in algae, scientists show that ramping up the microbes' overall metabolism by feeding them more carbon increases oil production as the organisms continue to grow. The findings may point to new ways to turn photosynthetic green algae into tiny "green factories" for producing raw materials for alternative fuels.Mon, 18 Jun 2012 11:18:18 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120618111830.htmIonic liquid improves speed and efficiency of hydrogen-producing catalysthttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120616145535.htm The design of a nature-inspired material that can make energy-storing hydrogen gas has gone holistic. Usually, tweaking the design of this particular catalyst -- a work in progress for cheaper, better fuel cells -- results in either faster or more energy efficient production but not both. Now, researchers have found a condition that creates hydrogen faster without a loss in efficiency.Sat, 16 Jun 2012 14:55:55 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120616145535.htmNanoparticles hold promise to improve blood cancer treatmenthttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120615204741.htm Researchers have engineered nanoparticles that show great promise for the treatment of multiple myeloma (MM), an incurable cancer of the plasma cells in bone marrow.Fri, 15 Jun 2012 20:47:47 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120615204741.htmImproving high-tech medical scannershttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120613153331.htm A powerful color-based imaging technique is making the jump from remote sensing to the operating room. Scientists are working to ensure it performs as well when spotting cancer cells in the body as it does with oil spills in the ocean.Wed, 13 Jun 2012 15:33:33 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120613153331.htmScientists synthesize first genetically evolved semiconductor materialhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120613133341.htm In the not-too-distant future, scientists may be able to use DNA to grow their own specialized materials, thanks to the concept of directed evolution. Scientists have, for the first time, used genetic engineering and molecular evolution to develop the enzymatic synthesis of a semiconductor.Wed, 13 Jun 2012 13:33:33 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120613133341.htmNew energy source for future medical implants: Sugarhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120613133150.htm An implantable fuel cell could power neural prosthetics that help patients regain control of limbs. Engineers have developed a fuel cell that runs on the same sugar that powers human cells: glucose. This glucose fuel cell could be used to drive highly efficient brain implants of the future, which could help paralyzed patients move their arms and legs again.Wed, 13 Jun 2012 13:31:31 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120613133150.htmLittle mighty creature of the ocean inspires strong new material for medical implants and armourhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120613102130.htm A scientist may be onto an ocean of discovery because of his research into a little sea creature called the mantis shrimp. The research is likely to lead to making ceramics -- today's preferred material for medical implants and military body armour -- many times stronger. The mantis shrimp's can shatter aquarium glass and crab shells alike.Wed, 13 Jun 2012 10:21:21 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120613102130.htmProtein residues kiss, don't tell: Genomes reveal contacts, scientists refine methods for protein-folding predictionhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120612145139.htm Researchers have created a computational tool to help predict how proteins fold by finding amino acid pairs that are distant in sequence but change together. Protein interactions offer clues to the treatment of disease, including cancer.Tue, 12 Jun 2012 14:51:51 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120612145139.htmPotential carbon capture role for new CO2-absorbing materialhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120612101458.htm A novel porous material that has unique carbon dioxide retention properties has just been developed.Tue, 12 Jun 2012 10:14:14 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120612101458.htmWorkings behind promising inexpensive catalyst revealedhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120611193636.htm A newly developed carbon nanotube material could help lower the cost of fuel cells, catalytic converters and similar energy-related technologies by delivering a substitute for expensive platinum catalysts.Mon, 11 Jun 2012 19:36:36 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120611193636.htmNanoparticles in polluted air, smoke & nanotechnology products have serious impact on healthhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120611105311.htm New groundbreaking research has found that exposure to nanoparticles can have a serious impact on health, linking it to rheumatoid arthritis and the development of other serious autoimmune diseases. The findings have health and safety implications for the manufacture, use and ultimate disposal of nanotechnology products and materials. They also identified new cellular targets for the development of potential drug therapies in combating the development of autoimmune diseases.Mon, 11 Jun 2012 10:53:53 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120611105311.htmA SMART(er) way to track influenzahttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120611092345.htm Researchers have created a reliable and fast flu-detection test that can be carried in a first-aid kit. The novel prototype device isolates influenza RNA using a combination of magnetics and microfluidics, then amplifies and detects probes bound to the RNA. The technology could lead to real-time tracking of influenza.Mon, 11 Jun 2012 09:23:23 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120611092345.htmResearchers watch tiny living machines self-assemblehttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120610151304.htm Enabling bioengineers to design new molecular machines for nanotechnology applications is one of the possible outcomes of a new study. Scientists have developed a new approach to visualize how proteins assemble, which may also significantly aid our understanding of diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, which are caused by errors in assembly.Sun, 10 Jun 2012 15:13:13 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120610151304.htmPhotosynthesis: A new way of looking at photosystem IIhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120606155808.htm Using ultrafast, intensely bright pulses of X-rays scientists have obtained the first ever images at room temperature of photosystem II, a protein complex critical for photosynthesis and future artificial photosynthetic systems.Wed, 06 Jun 2012 15:58:58 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120606155808.htm1 million billion billion billion billion billion billion: Number of undiscovered drugshttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120606132316.htm A new voyage into "chemical space" ? occupied not by stars and planets but substances that could become useful in everyday life ? has concluded that scientists have synthesized barely one tenth of one percent of potential medicines. The report estimates that the actual number of these so-called "small molecules" could be one novemdecillion (that's one with 60 zeroes), more than some estimates of the number of stars in the universe.Wed, 06 Jun 2012 13:23:23 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120606132316.htmHalogen bonding helps design new drugshttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120605121639.htm Halogens particularly chlorine, bromine, and iodine ? have a unique quality which allows them to positively influence the interaction between molecules. This ?halogen bonding? has been employed in the area of materials science for some time, but is only now finding applications in the life sciences.Tue, 05 Jun 2012 12:16:16 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120605121639.htmFaster, more sensitive photodetector created by tricking graphenehttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120605102842.htm Researchers have developed a highly sensitive detector of infrared light that can be used in applications ranging from detection of chemical and biochemical weapons from a distance and better airport body scanners to chemical analysis in the laboratory and studying the structure of the universe through new telescopes.Tue, 05 Jun 2012 10:28:28 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120605102842.htmFilming life in the fast lanehttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120604092858.htm A new microscope enabled scientists to film a fruit fly embryo, in 3D, from when it was about two-and-a-half hours old until it walked away from the microscope as a larva.Mon, 04 Jun 2012 09:28:28 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120604092858.htmExpanding the genetic alphabet may be easier than previously thoughthttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120603191722.htm A new study suggests that the replication process for DNA -- the genetic instructions for living organisms that is composed of four bases (C, G, A and T) -- is more open to unnatural letters than had previously been thought. An expanded "DNA alphabet" could carry more information than natural DNA, potentially coding for a much wider range of molecules and enabling a variety of powerful applications, from precise molecular probes and nanomachines to useful new life forms.Sun, 03 Jun 2012 19:17:17 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120603191722.htmNanotechnology breakthrough could dramatically improve medical testshttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120531165752.htm A laboratory test used to detect disease and perform biological research could be made more than 3 million times more sensitive, according to researchers who combined standard biological tools with a breakthrough in nanotechnology.Thu, 31 May 2012 16:57:57 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120531165752.htmX-ray laser probes biomolecules to individual atomshttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120531145728.htm Scientists have demonstrated how the world's most powerful X-ray laser can assist in cracking the structures of biomolecules, and in the processes helped to pioneer critical new investigative avenues in biology.Thu, 31 May 2012 14:57:57 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120531145728.htmBuilding molecular 'cages' to fight diseasehttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120531145720.htm Biochemists have designed specialized proteins that assemble themselves to form tiny molecular cages hundreds of times smaller than a single cell. The creation of these miniature structures may be the first step toward developing new methods of drug delivery or even designing artificial vaccines.Thu, 31 May 2012 14:57:57 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120531145720.htmFree-electron lasers reveal detailed architecture of proteinshttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120531145630.htm Ultrashort flashes of X-radiation allow atomic structures of macromolecules to be obtained even from tiny protein crystals.Thu, 31 May 2012 14:56:56 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120531145630.htmRewriting DNA to understand what it sayshttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120531102207.htm Our ability to "read" DNA has made tremendous progress in the past few decades, but the ability to understand and alter the genetic code, that is, to "rewrite" the DNA-encoded instructions, has lagged behind. A new study advances our understanding of the genetic code: It proposes a way of effectively introducing numerous carefully planned DNA segments into genomes of living cells and of testing the effects of these changes. New technology speeds up DNA "rewriting" and measures the effects of the changes in living cells.Thu, 31 May 2012 10:22:22 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120531102207.htmNanodevice manufacturing strategy using DNA 'Building blocks'http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120530152203.htm Researchers have developed a method for building complex nanostructures out of interlocking DNA "building blocks" that can be programmed to assemble themselves into precisely designed shapes. With further development, the technology could one day enable the creation of new nanoscale devices that deliver drugs directly to disease sites.Wed, 30 May 2012 15:22:22 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120530152203.htmBioChip may make diagnosis of leukemia and HIV faster, cheaperhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120530104034.htm Inexpensive, portable devices that can rapidly screen cells for leukemia or HIV may soon be possible thanks to a chip that can produce three-dimensional focusing of a stream of cells, according to researchers.Wed, 30 May 2012 10:40:40 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120530104034.htmCellular computers? Scientists train cells to perform boolean functionshttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120530100041.htm Scientists have engineered cells that behave like AND and OR Boolean logic gates, producing an output based on one or more unique inputs. This feat could eventually help researchers create computers that use cells as tiny circuits.Wed, 30 May 2012 10:00:00 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120530100041.htmIon-based electronic chip to control muscles: Entirely new circuit technology based on ions and moleculeshttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120529113543.htm An integrated chemical chip has just been developed. An advantage of chemical circuits is that the charge carrier consists of chemical substances with various functions. This means that we now have new opportunities to control and regulate the signal paths of cells in the human body. The chemical chip can control the delivery of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. This enables chemical control of muscles, which are activated when they come into contact with acetylcholine.Tue, 29 May 2012 11:35:35 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120529113543.htmMethod for building artificial tissue devisedhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120528154859.htm Physicists have developed a method that models biological cell-to-cell adhesion that could also have industrial applications.Mon, 28 May 2012 15:48:48 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120528154859.htmSmallest possible five-ringed structure made: 'Olympicene' molecule built using clever synthetic organic chemistryhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120528100253.htm Scientists have created and imaged the smallest possible five-ringed structure -- about 100,000 times thinner than a human hair. Dubbed 'olympicene', the single molecule was brought to life in a picture thanks to a combination of clever synthetic chemistry and state-of-the-art imaging techniques.Mon, 28 May 2012 10:02:02 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120528100253.htm'Unzipped' carbon nanotubes could help energize fuel cells and batterieshttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120527153818.htm Multi-walled carbon nanotubes riddled with defects and impurities on the outside could replace some of the expensive platinum catalysts used in fuel cells and metal-air batteries, according to scientists.Sun, 27 May 2012 15:38:38 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120527153818.htmSuper-sensitive tests could detect diseases earlierhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120527153718.htm Scientists have developed an ultra-sensitive test that should enable them to detect signs of a disease in its earliest stages.Sun, 27 May 2012 15:37:37 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120527153718.htmCell?s transport pods look like a molecular version of robots from Transformershttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120525103614.htm Images of the cell's transport pods have revealed a molecular version of the robots from Transformers. Previously, scientists had been able to create and determine the structure of 'cages' formed by parts of the protein coats that encase other types of vesicles, but this study was the first to obtain high-resolution images of complete vesicles, budded from a membrane.Fri, 25 May 2012 10:36:36 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120525103614.htmDiscarded data may hold the key to a sharper view of moleculeshttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120524143527.htm There's nothing like a new pair of eyeglasses to bring fine details into sharp relief. For scientists who study the large molecules of life from proteins to DNA, the equivalent of new lenses have come in the form of an advanced method for analyzing data from X-ray crystallography experiments.Thu, 24 May 2012 14:35:35 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120524143527.htmNewly modified nanoparticle opens window on future gene editing technologieshttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120524123232.htm Researchers are using nanoparticles to simultaneously deliver proteins and DNA into plant cells. The technology could allow more sophisticated and targeted editing of plant genomes. And that could help researchers develop crops that adapt to changing climates and resist pests.Thu, 24 May 2012 12:32:32 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120524123232.htmUnusual quantum effect discovered in earliest stages of photosynthesishttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120524092932.htm Quantum physics and plant biology seem like two branches of science that could not be more different, but surprisingly they may in fact be intimately tied. Scientists have discovered an unusual quantum effect in the earliest stages of photosynthesis.Thu, 24 May 2012 09:29:29 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120524092932.htmBig step toward quantum computing: Efficient and tunable interface for quantum networkshttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120523135527.htm Quantum computers may someday revolutionize the information world. But in order for quantum computers at distant locations to communicate with one another, they have to be linked together in a network. While several building blocks for a quantum computer have already been successfully tested in the laboratory, a network requires one additonal component: A reliable interface between computers and information channels. Austrian physicists now report the construction of an efficient and tunable interface for quantum networks.Wed, 23 May 2012 13:55:55 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120523135527.htmRapid DNA sequencing may soon be routine part of each patient's medical recordhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120522152655.htm Rapid DNA sequencing may soon become a routine part of each individual's medical record, providing enormous information previously sequestered in the human genome's 3 billion nucleotide bases. Recent advances in sequencing technology using a tiny orifice known as a nanopore are covered in a new a article.Tue, 22 May 2012 15:26:26 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120522152655.htmMethod to strengthen proteins with polymershttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120521164104.htm Scientists have synthesized polymers to attach to proteins in order to stabilize them during shipping, storage and other activities. The study findings suggest that these polymers could be useful in stabilizing protein formulations.Mon, 21 May 2012 16:41:41 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120521164104.htmTotally RAD: Bioengineers create rewritable digital data storage in DNAhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120521163751.htm Scientists have devised a method for repeatedly encoding, storing and erasing digital data within the DNA of living cells. In practical terms, they have devised the genetic equivalent of a binary digit -- a "bit" in data parlance.Mon, 21 May 2012 16:37:37 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120521163751.htmDon't like blood tests? New microscope uses rainbow of light to image the flow of individual blood cellshttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120521115654.htm Blood tests convey vital medical information, but the sight of a needle often causes anxiety and results take time. A new device however, can reveal much the same information as a traditional blood test in real-time, simply by shining a light through the skin. This portable optical instrument is able to provide high-resolution images of blood coursing through veins without the need for harsh fluorescent dyes.Mon, 21 May 2012 11:56:56 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120521115654.htmZooming in on bacterial weapons in 3-D: Structure of bacterial injection needles deciphered at atomic resolutionhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120521103808.htm The plague, bacterial dysentery, and cholera have one thing in common: These dangerous diseases are caused by bacteria which infect their host using a sophisticated injection apparatus. Through needle-like structures, they release molecular agents into their host cell, thereby evading the immune response. Researchers have now elucidated the structure of such a needle at atomic resolution. Their findings might contribute to drug tailoring and the development of strategies which specifically prevent the infection process.Mon, 21 May 2012 10:38:38 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120521103808.htmEngineers use droplet microfluidics to create glucose-sensing microbeadshttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120518132657.htm Tiny beads may act as minimally invasive glucose sensors for a variety of applications in cell culture systems and tissue engineering.Fri, 18 May 2012 13:26:26 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120518132657.htmChemists merge experimentation with theory in understanding of water moleculehttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120518081147.htm Using newly developed imaging technology, chemists have confirmed years of theoretical assumptions about water molecules, the most abundant and one of the most frequently studied substances on Earth.Fri, 18 May 2012 08:11:11 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120518081147.htmDiamond used to produce graphene quantum dots and nano-ribbons of controlled structurehttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120517193141.htm Researchers have come closer to solving an old challenge of producing graphene quantum dots of controlled shape and size at large densities, which could revolutionize electronics and optoelectronics.Thu, 17 May 2012 19:31:31 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120517193141.htmIn chemical reactions, water adds speed without heathttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120517143506.htm Scientists have discovered how adding trace amounts of water can tremendously speed up chemical reactions -? such as hydrogenation and hydrogenolysis ?- in which hydrogen is one of the reactants, or starting materials.Thu, 17 May 2012 14:35:35 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120517143506.htmPlant protein discovery could boost bioeconomyhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120514104848.htm Three proteins have been found to be involved in the accumulation of fatty acids in plants. The discovery could help plant scientists boost seed oil production in crops. And that could boost the production of biorenewable fuels and chemicals.Mon, 14 May 2012 10:48:48 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120514104848.htmPhotonics: New approach to generating terahertz radiation will lead to new imaging and sensing applicationshttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120510095622.htm A new approach to generating terahertz radiation will lead to new imaging and sensing applications. The low energy of the radiation means that it can pass through materials that are otherwise opaque, opening up uses in imaging and sensing ? for example, in new security scanners. In practice, however, applications have been difficult to implement.Thu, 10 May 2012 09:56:56 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120510095622.htmIt's a trap: New lab technique captures microRNA targetshttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120509135959.htm To better understand how microRNAs -- small pieces of genetic material -- influence human health and disease, scientists first need to know which microRNAs act upon which genes. To do this scientists developed miR-TRAP, a new easy-to-use method to directly identify microRNA targets in cells.Wed, 09 May 2012 13:59:59 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120509135959.htmQuantum dots brighten the future of lightinghttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120508173349.htm Researchers have boosted the efficiency of a novel source of white light called quantum dots more than tenfold, making them of potential interest for commercial applications.Tue, 08 May 2012 17:33:33 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120508173349.htmMolecular container gives drug dropouts a second chancehttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120508152129.htm Chemists have designed a molecular container that can hold drug molecules and increase their solubility, in one case up to nearly 3,000 times.Tue, 08 May 2012 15:21:21 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120508152129.htmUltrasound idea: Prototype bioreactor evaluates engineered tissue while creating ithttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120503194229.htm Researchers have developed a prototype bioreactor that both stimulates and evaluates tissue as it grows, mimicking natural processes while eliminating the need to stop periodically to cut up samples for analysis.Thu, 03 May 2012 19:42:42 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120503194229.htmNew technique generates predictable complex, wavy shapes: May explain brain folds and be useful for drug deliveryhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120503120130.htm A new technique predictably generates complex, wavy shapes and may help improve drug delivery and explain natural patterns from brain folds to bell peppers.Thu, 03 May 2012 12:01:01 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120503120130.htmAt smallest scale, liquid crystal behavior portends new materialshttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120502132953.htm Liquid crystals, the state of matter that makes possible the flat screen technology now commonly used in televisions and computers, may have some new technological tricks in store.Wed, 02 May 2012 13:29:29 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120502132953.htmElectronic nanotube nose out in fronthttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120502112910.htm A new nanotube super sensor is able to detect subtle differences with a single sniff. For example, the chemical dimethylsulfone is associated with skin cancer. The human nose cannot detect this volatile but it could be detected with the new sensor at concentrations as low as 25 parts per billion.Wed, 02 May 2012 11:29:29 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120502112910.htmBiomimetic polymer synthesis enhances structure controlhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120502091839.htm A new biomimetic approach to synthesising polymers will offer unprecedented control over the final polymer structure and yield advances in nanomedicine, researchers say.Wed, 02 May 2012 09:18:18 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120502091839.htmHigh-powered microscopes reveal inner workings of sex cellshttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120501085502.htm Scientists using high-powered microscopes have made a stunning observation of the architecture within a cell ? and identified for the first time how the architecture changes during the formation of gametes, also known as sex cells, in order to successfully complete? the process.Tue, 01 May 2012 08:55:55 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120501085502.htmHigh-strength silk scaffolds improve bone repairhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120430151752.htm Biomedical engineers have demonstrated the first all-polymeric bone scaffold that is fully biodegradable and offers significant mechanical support during repair. The technique uses silk fibers to reinforce a silk matrix. Adding microfibers to the scaffolds enhances bone formation and mechanical properties. It could improve repair after accident or disease.Mon, 30 Apr 2012 15:17:17 EDThttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120430151752.htm

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Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Oil price rises on hopes Fed will boost US economy

(06-19) 08:22 PDT New York (AP) --

The price of oil is rising on hopes that the Federal Reserve will announce new measures to stimulate the U.S. economy.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude rose 82 cents to $84.09 per barrel while Brent crude added 39 cents to $96.44.

The Fed holds a two-day meeting that ends Wednesday, and in the past has taken action to encourage Americans to spend and borrow. Many analysts think the struggles of the U.S. economy and Europe's debt crisis will compel the Fed to say or unveil something to try to boost confidence.

Any sign that the Fed is willing to take action could lift oil prices, which have fallen sharply the past six weeks over fears that growth in the global economy will stall.

Meanwhile, U.S. gasoline prices fell below $3.50 per gallon for the first time since Feb. 10.

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Turtles fossilised in sex embrace

Turtles killed as they were having sex and then fossilised in position have been described by scientists.

The remains of the 47-million-year old animals were unearthed in the famous Messel Pit near Darmstadt, Germany.

They were found as male-female pairs. In two cases, the males even had their tails tucked under their partners' as would be expected from the coital position.

Details are carried in the Royal Society journal Biology Letters.

Researchers think the turtles had initiated sex in the surface waters of the lake that once existed on the site, and were then overcome as they sank through deeper layers made toxic by the release of volcanic gases.

The animals, still in embrace, were then buried in the lakebed sediments and locked away in geological time.

"We see this in some volcanic lakes in East African today," explained Dr Walter Joyce of the University of T?bingen.

"Every few hundred years, these lakes can have a sudden outburst of carbon dioxide, like the opening of a champagne bottle, and it will poison everything around them."

The turtles described in Biology Letters are of the extinct species Allaeochelys crassesculpta.

They are about 20cm in length; the females are slightly bigger than the males.

Their nearest living relatives are probably the pig-nosed turtle (Carettochelys insculpta), a much bigger species that swims in waters around Australia and Papua New Guinea.

A. crassesculpta is just one of thousands of exquisitely preserved fossil creatures pulled from Messel Pit, which has Unesco World Heritage status because of its palaeontological significance.

Nine pairs of turtles have been unearthed at the site over the past 30 years.

In most of the couples, the individuals were discovered in contact with other. For the pairs that were not, the individuals were no more than 30cm apart.

"People had long speculated they might have died while mating, but that's quite different from actually showing it," said Dr Joyce.

"We've demonstrated quite clearly that each pair is a male and a female, and not, for example, just two males that might have died in combat.

"This fact combined with the observation that their back ends are always orientated toward one another, and the two pairs with tails in the position of mating - that's a smoking gun in our view."

It is said to be the only example in the fossil record of vertebrates being preserved in the act of having sex.

For invertebrates, there are numerous examples in the scientific literature of copulating insects being caught in amber, or fossilised tree resin.

Jonathan.Amos-INTERNET@bbc.co.uk and follow me on Twitter

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Is the Antique Business, Dying, Dead, Wounded Or Just Hybernating ...

If you are a small business owner of a antique business, you have probably heard the ?death knoll claims?, been deluged with discouragement from the ?gloom and doom?crowd and look frequently out your window to see if ?the funeral procession? is passing by?I am here to tell you that while antiques as well as all discretionary retail businesses are challenged?they are not dead and won?t be any time soon!

Almost every day I hear the constant comment from some customers and a lot of discouraged dealers saying that the antique is industry is dead, dying or disappearing. There rationale is:

1. The existing customer isn?t buying.

2. The existing customer has bought all they intend to.

3. The younger customer isn?t interested.

4. Everyone that might be buying is buying online.

I would like to give you ?tough and committed? antique dealers who have store fronts some counter intuitive insight and contrarian opinion about the ?state of things in the antique industry?.

For years the antique industry (like many other industries in America) became over populated with part time, marginally committed participants who saw there opportunity to turn a ?passion for garage sales? into ?off or on the books? profits with little day to day efforts through the proliferation of antique malls everywhere! These dealers would ?plop down? a security deposit, load up the SUV, get a few tables and cloths together and open up a Antique Mall Space. The large size of this group proliferated a huge amount of antique malls popping up on many main streets and malls throughout the United States.

The fallacy of this concept was the space was expensive, add on percentages pretty high, and marginally committed staff not having the same ?vested interest? as a owner of a mall space would have. The dealers in the malls were not ?retailing veterans? and in many cases found out at the end of the month that instead of the ?slush funds? that they thought they had created, a bill for the short fall between space rent and sales was waiting for them on the first of the month instead of the hoped for check. A new ?harsh reality? sunk in to the mall space tenants and they soon said this is not a good idea and ?bailed? in record numbers. The ?bailing process? of mall space tenants created huge empty gaps in antique malls and led to a new reality for the antique mall owner ?they are upside down on their rent due to the vacancies?. This has led to record Antique Malls closing their doors and hanging the ?for rent? signs on the front of the buildings.

What is the post mortem of this process? ?Bigger opportunities? for the surviving retail outlets for the sale of antiques by getting a bigger slice of a (economically caused) smaller pie. This is a moment to not lament the advent of online antique sales but take advantage of it. The internet gives a dealer a chance to reach millions of new customers and ?start slicing up? their share of the smaller pie. The reduction in shopping malls makes your ?brick and mortar? shop more appealing to the customer who enjoys a new adventure in a antique store (as long as he or she is welcomed with enthusiasm) and well priced and unique items to be tempted by.

Willl the antique industry and store survive and return back to life? I think so. The antique customer is first and foremost a ?collector? not unlike a museum. They collect things that interest them, have intrinsic value to them and that they think will in time appreciate in value. The number and longevity of museums throughout the world is testimony that there is still interest in viewing and owning things of historical significance on the part of many individuals. A private collection of a ?item of passion? for a collector is their private museum to be enjoyed by themselves and shared with friends?and perhaps ultimately sold for profit!

The traits that will determine the?winners and losers? in this antique industry ?shakeout? are:

1. Perserverence coupled with tight expense control.

2. Exciting and unique merchandise flowed regularly to ensure newness to your repeat customers.

3. Good value. The days of ?obscene profit? are over. $10 profit to $1 investment may happen occasionally but a more modest $3 to $1 sales price to cost ratio probably will give better value and motivate the thinning ?customer count? to purchase.

4. A good attitude. The last thing anyone needs (or wants to hear) when they visit a store or business for some quality shopping time is ?gloom and doom?. Motivation and enthusiasm are contagious?so is wining and growsing. If you want more positive customers? be a more positive shop owner!

5. Look for new ways to reach new customers. Pack up the car or truck and hit the high, low, or medium end flea market, antique show or swap meet with a load of business cards and great merchandise. Give the people who stop by a ?preview? of your taste and selection and invite them to stop by for a visit of the larger assortment in your shop. Give them a discount coupon, if you want to fuel urgency, to be used on their next visit.

6. Finally keep you store fresh. If new merchandise flow isn?t possible with current cash flow challenges? Rearrange your stocks so that the same items are presented in new locations, with new adjacencies and with new ways to visualize their use. You will find a old item becomes a new sale by simply moving it to a new location.

In summary when the going gets tough?The committed antique shop owner should look at the situation as a opportunity to grow market share?Not toss in the towel!

The world is littered with businesses that would have been successful with a little more perseverance and patience! Quitting is easy?Winning is commitment!

Is the Antique Business, Dying, Dead, Wounded Or Just Hybernating?

Jeff Mack is the owner of Silverado Warehouse, a 2 acre architectural, primitive, western and architectural antique store in Rainbow, California (4 mi. so. of Temecula). Silverado Warehouse is the largest primitive antique store in California and is located on two beautiful acress of 100 year old oak trees in one of Northern San Diego Counties most beautiful country properties. The property also boasts a wonderful country restaurant, flower shop, produce and snack market and is easily reached by a quick exit from HWY 15 as you are heading towards San Diego or from LA. Silverado Warehouse is open year round Thursdays through Sundays from 10AM- 5PM. You can also visit us online at http://www.silveradowarehouse.com

Jeff was previously in Senior Management of Neiman Marcus, Bonwit Teller and Broadway Department stores and has over 30 years experience in specialty and large scale retail. This experience has enabled him to create Silverado Warehouse and be regarded as a Architectural Salvage and Antique store operations and merchandising expert.

Jeff also operates ?Antique Rethink? a antique store consulting service that offers on site operational, merchandising, financial and directional advice at reasonable rates. If your business is struggling and you want a fresh set of eyes to advise you get back on track or make the right decision for your business, Give Jeff a call at 760-723-8483. We will explain our role and fee structure and see if it makes sense for you before you quit or help you grow market share in the future to do dominishing competition.

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