Roundup: Spurs go third, Wigan out of drop zone

Matchweek 31 delivered on the excitement it promised as Spurs moved into 3rd place with a win over Swansea (and Chelsea?s loss), Arsenal once again proved its desire for Champions League football and Wigan secured a vital three points that (for now) moves the Latics out of the relegation zone.

SUNDERLAND 0 MANCHESTER UNITED 1 (Stadium of Light)

An enemic offensive display from Sunderland dropped them to within one point of the relegation zone as Manchester United triumphed 1-0 at the Stadium of Light. The goal came via a Titus Bramble own goal from a Robin van Persie strike in the 27th minute and was all Sir Alex Ferguson?s squad would need to preserve its 15 point advantage over 2nd placed Manchester City.?

ARSENAL 4 READING 1 (Emirates Stadium)

Gervinho (11?), Santi Cazorla (48?), Olivier Giroud (67?) and Mikel Arteta (77?) were all on target as the Gunners showed real quality to defeat a desperate Reading side 4-1. The Royals cut Arsenal?s lead to 3-1 through Hal Robson-Kanu?s 68th minute header?but it wasn?t enough to spur a comeback in Nigel Adkins? first match as manager.

MANCHESTER CITY 4 NEWCASTLE UNITED 0 (Etihad Stadium)

After a sound 2-0 defeat at the hands of Everton, Roberto Mancini?s men found their feet on Saturday with a clinical display against Newcastle. City received goals from Carlos Tevez (41?) David Silva (45?), Vincent Kompany (?56) while a 69th minute own goal by James Perch sealed the Magpies fate. With the win City holds a five point cushion over 3rd place Spurs while the loss drops Newcastle to 15th in the table, merely three points above the drop.

SOUTHAMPTON 2 CHELSEA 1 (St. Mary?s Stadium)

Another huge scalping for Mauricio Pochettino as goals by Jay Rodriguez (23?) and Rickie Lambert (35?) buried Chelsea 2-1. Since the Argentinian manager?s arrival on the south coast in late January he?s secured victories over Manchester City, Liverpool and now Chelsea, confirming that Southampton is a squad to be reckoned with.

SWANSEA CITY 1 TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 2 (Liberty Stadium)

Spurs held on for victory at the Liberty Stadium with Jan Vertonghen (7?) and Gareth Bale (21?) each producing stunning first-half goals before a Michu header in the 71st minute cut the lead in half. It was a massive three points for Tottenham, who leapfroged Chelsea into 3rd place after the Blues were outclassed by Southampton.

WEST HAM UNITED 3 WEST BROMWICH ALBION 1 (Upton Park)

West Brom?s hopes for an end-of-the-season push to qualify for the Europa League were dashed at Upton Park as a confident West Ham side destroyed the Baggies 3-0. A thunderous header from Andy Carroll opened the scoring in the 16th minute and four minutes later Gary O?Neill doubled the lead with a sweet curler from the top of the box. ?Carroll found his brace in the 80th minute and West Brom got one back through a Graham Dorrans? penalty but it was all West Ham as Sam Allardyce earned a much needed three points.

WIGAN ATHLETIC 1 NORWICH CITY 0 (DW Stadium)

Arouna Kone was the hero for Wigan as his 81st minute strike from the edge of the penalty area being the difference at the DW Stadium. For now the win raises the Latics out of the relegation zone, heaping pressure on Aston Villa to get a result in?tomorrow?s?clash with Liverpool.

EVERTON 1 STOKE CITY 0 (Goodison Park)

Everton kept its European hopes alive with a 1-0 victory over Stoke City at Goodison Park. The difference came in the 28th minute when Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard punched Marc Wilson?s cross into the path of Kevin Mirallas, who collected the ball and exploded into a pitch-long counter-attack before slotting the ball past Asmir Begovic. The fantastic individual effort was the crown jewel of an otherwise drab contest and was enough to secure the Toffees stayed in 6th place, two points behind 5th place Arsenal and four points behind 4th place Chelsea.

Source: http://prosoccertalk.nbcsports.com/2013/03/30/premier-league-wrapup-matchweek-31/related/

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?The Korean Zombie,? Boston and Tito Ortiz: Where did they fall on the Cagewriter Hot or Not list?

It's been a slow week for MMA, but it's likely to pick up as we start an eventful April. In this last week of March, who was hot or who was not?

Hot ? Boston: According to a tweet from UFC president Dana White, the promotion is headed back to Boston, his hometown. Fox's new channel, Fox Sports 1, will get its first UFC event with this card, scheduled for Aug. 17.

Not ? Commissions: First, Nick Diaz's camp said his weigh-in at UFC 158 was mishandled by the commission in Quebec. Then, Andrei Arlovski's camp said there was a timing error at the World Series of Fighting 2 card that caused Arlovski to take extra damage. Commissions' doing things right is necessary for the sport to grow, so mistakes like these are worrisome.

Hot ? Chan Sung Jung, aka "The Korean Zombie:" He stood up to the UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre with a respectful dignity. Jung informed GSP, and much of the MMA world, about the symbolism behind the Rising Sun that the welterweight champion wore on his gi for UFC 158. GSP and Hayabusa, the company behind the gi quickly apologized. Jung handled the situation with quiet courage, and used it as a teachable moment. It was an impressive moment for both TKZ and GSP.

Not ? Tito Ortiz: The retired UFC legend is now working as the manager for Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos, and he has a plan. Santos is fighting on next weekend's Invicta card, and he wants her to fight her next few fights in Invicta. Then on New Year's Eve, Ortiz wants Santos, who won't move down to bantamweight, to fight UFC women's bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey in the UFC.

"Cris has shown in Strikeforce, why she's so dominant, why women are afraid of her. She has three fights with Invicta, she will be the world champion and she will walk away a world champion. Like I said, New Year's Eve, let's make a super fight. Forget the title. Champion vs. champion, who cares about the title?"

That's a nice plan if you forget that Rousey has said she doesn't want to move up in weight, or that most of her 2013 is set. She will coach against the winner of Cat Zingano and Miesha Tate in the next edition of "The Ultimate Fighter."

Hot ? Fans: You're getting another Fan Expo. The UFC will host a Fan Expo in conjunction with UFC 162 in Las Vegas. Get your tickets here.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/korean-zombie-boston-tito-ortiz-where-did-fall-183338427--mma.html

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Whenever You Criticize Someone, Criticize Yourself First

It's hard to give criticism without getting overly excited and bashing them. Jason Fried over at weblog 37signals shares a tip on how to avoid this tired practice.

Criticism, he notes, is different than bashing, which is generally an aggressive, knee-jerk, useless response. So, he says, bash yourself first:

A good trick that helped me cool myself down a couple years back was to institute a personal "1:1 bash ratio". I didn't always hold myself to it, but basically it went like this? Before every external bash, I had to bash myself first. If I'm going to bitch about someone else's work, what about my work? If I have a problem with how someone runs their company, how about how I run mine? If I'm going to complain loudly about someone else's point of view, what about mine? Are there any flaws in my way of thinking? There must be, so what are they? What am I getting completely wrong?

It isn't a new idea, he says, but it is a new approach that may change your behavior if you bash just a little too often. Hit the link to read more.

1:1 Criticism Ratio | 37signals

Photo by Jason Rogers.

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/E990GVDFeAk/whenever-you-criticize-someone-criticize-yourself-first

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DHS's controversial theory: private option $100s of millions cheaper ...

Two big headlines from the DHS release of actuarial findings on expansion options Wednesday. They project that 1) The "private option" saves $670 million to the state bottom line over ten years. 2) The "private option" not only doesn't cost the feds more than traditional Medicaid expansion, it's cheaper ? by almost $600 million over ten years.

That first one is not surprising. We've been explaining why expansion is revenue positive for the state for some time, and the "private option" doesn't change that (DHS projects that traditional expansion would save the state a little less?$610 million over ten years).

But #2 is a bit of a doozy. Most outside observers have speculated that the "private option" will be significantly more expensive. When Arkansas first got the go-ahead for the new framework, Arkansas Medicaid director Andy Allison wrote to Cynthia Mann, the director of the federal Center for Medicaid Services, "Cost effectiveness is the obvious hurdle for folks who didn't expect this" (e-mail acquired by the Times via FOIA request).

DHS challenged the consensus about cost last week with its release of general findings that it could be close to a wash; the fully enumerated projections this week suggest significant federal savings.

Of course we cannot know for sure, but predictions about federal costs matter a great deal. If the "private option" costs significantly more, it's hard to justify it over a traditional Medicaid expansion (outside of political necessity). It also might create a significant problem for the federal government if other states want to hop on board the "private option" bandwagon. Some started worrying about billions in additional costs.

DHS is swooping in now with an actuarial study that says not so fast. If they're right, then the case for the "private option" could be even stronger than the case for Medicaid expansion. But their arguments go against the general consensus about the costs of the government paying for health coverage through private companies instead of directly. They've been greeted with some skepticism outside the state so far.

I interviewed Allison yesterday to try and tease out where these numbers came from and why they think they're on to something that the consensus view has missed. After the jump, see a summary of DHS's key arguments, plus a response from a health economist who remains skeptical.

Let's look at the core components behind the theory of DHS and their actuaries. We'll start with the basics and then get to the core theory behind their findings which, if accurate, would be a game-changer.

1) Obviously, all of the numbers are only as good as the actuaries who compiled them. The Insurance Department contracted with Optum, an actuarial company in Arizona. "This firm has experience consulting both private firms engaged in the exchange as well as for a long period of time Medicaid programs and managed care programs," Allison said. "They're very used to developing these sorts of estimates. I have found them to be even conservative." In addition to standard actuarial methods and experience nationally in the public and private sectors, they also had the most recent three years of comprehensive claims data from DHS.

2) The baseline difference that Optum found between private rates and Medicaid rates was around 24 percent. They also projected that private rates would go down further under the "private option," by around five percent, because of competition and because of better health plan management. The competition is achieved not through lots of consumer choices in the marketplace, but through a competitive bidding process for the carriers. The rules haven't been set yet, but the plan will be something like this: consumers only get the premium paid for if they pick one of the two cheapest plans (the same competitive bidding structure will exist for the 138-400 population getting subsidies on the exchange). Since almost everyone will do that, there will be intense competition among the carriers to be one of the cheapest two. Again, this means not that many options for consumers if they want to be subsidized, but it's a mechanism to make them extremely price sensitive. As for plan management, Allison offered the example of the small cost sharing allowed by the law. It will be "tailored and focused" by private insurers in a way that's "just too awkward for the state to try to do," he said.

3) The biggest, and likely most controversial factor, is that they assume that under a traditional Medicaid expansion, Medicaid rates and private rates would be the same. That's why they apply a 24 percent up-charge to the Medicaid rates under a "traditional expansion" counter-factual: we know that Medicaid rates are cheaper than private rates, but Allison says that if we expanded Medicaid, that would cease to be true.

"Much more in reimbursement would need to be made available to providers and to the system to increase and secure access for this new population," he said. Not only higher than before, but higher even than Medicare ? all the way up to private rates. "We're suggesting that you can't continue to cross-subsidize in a world of full insurance."

Some of this may be specific to Arkansas ? which has a low differential between public and private rates now and also has extremely stingy Medicaid, so that there is "a missing market in the state." But Allison is also arguing that the trend of private and public rates moving toward each other is what we should expect to see if places move toward universal coverage. That trend is observable in other states who already cover this population, he said, as well as reports from private insurers developing bids for exchanges looking ahead to 2014. Whether private rates go down or public rates go up is "a bit of an open question" but "the point is that they need to be the same."

If you've been following the healthcare debate and the "private option" debate, you will recognize how radical ? or at least new ? this argument is. It a priori assumes that the gross cost of insuring the expansion via Medicaid or the "private option" is about the same (which means a "private option" is cheaper overall because of #2 above). That would change everything! As Allison said, "If it's the same number either way then this question of cost comparability ? cost effectiveness ? for the private option versus some kind of traditional Medicaid is moot."

"It just didn't occur to folks," he said. "It didn't occur to me or anyone else. It's not a discussion we've had in the country because a pure buy-in like this really wasn't imagined until the last couple of months."

The key point here is that achieving the access mandated by law for the large expansion pool requires upping reimbursement rates (this is precisely why private insurance has better access now). Allison believes that previous estimates failed to take this into account. Allison wrote to CMS director Cynthia Mann on March 7 (email acquired by FOIA request): "CBO seems to have made some sort of naive assumption, apparently, that existing average provider reimbursement rate differentials (Medicaid FFS versus private carrier rates) would be the same with and without all the new coverage."

A rate increase in Medicaid would require legislative action but Allison suggested that a rate increase to meet access needs was easier to achieve politically than you might think ? and presumably access requirements mandated by federal law in order to get the match rates could force the legislature's hand.

The theory goes that in a competitive market with near-universal coverage, the price will move toward what is required to achieve the minimum required level of access. That could move Medicaid rates up or private rates down or a little bit of both.

"Look at this from the provider's point of view, from the healthcare system's point of view," Allison said. "Partly what is implied here is that the system itself is not quite big enough. There's two issues ? there's how many certified professionals and how many facilities." How they adjust to the new pool of consumers is "a market decision. And that market decision, from their point of view, we don't think is any different depending on who's paying them."

The key to making the "private option" work is that the medically needy people in that pool will go to Medicaid, so there will be a separate high-risk pool (and in fact, some healthy people currently in Medicaid will move to the exchange). "We are explicitly protecting the exchange from the highest risks among that group because the top high-risk 10 percent would likely be withheld," Allison said.

That leaves "a large, stable, and healthy population that could actually stabilize and significantly reduce adverse selection" in the exchange, Allison said. "What it takes to create a competitive insurance market like an exchange is to seed that large group?that marketplace?with a large, stable, and ideally relatively healthy population. That is precisely what the Arkansas option would do." Allison described it as a "perfect antidote" to the potential for higher private premiums suggested by a recent study from the Society of Actuaries. (This is an appealing frame for Republican lawmakers: private option protects us from Obamacare! Silly, but politically valuable.)

Boston University health economist Austin Frakt said that the DHS predictions were possible but should be greeted with healthy skepticism.

These numbers are really hard to know for sure. The probability that everything will work out just perfect that it's going to be a cost savings or cost neutral ? it's just hard to know. I think it's an interesting and innovative plan. It's got some great things in it for beneficiaries, great things in it for providers. It's obviously of tremendous political value and that can't be ignored. It definitely comes with some risk of increased costs to the federal government. ... I'm not fully swayed by the analysis that it will be cost neutral or cost savings.

You can (and should!) read more of Frakt elaborating on his questions about the Arkansas plan's costs here on the Incidental Economist blog.

That said, Frakt suggested that those risks of federal costs might be worth it "as long as it's understood that [increased costs] could happen." He also noted that other states might follow the lead of Arkansas and the numbers might work out differently. "It's hard to believe that every state would be able to save money with it," he said. The key is that we go in to this experiment with our eyes open about cost uncertainty. (Cue the joke that the sneaky reason for the "private option" is driving up the costs of Obamacare.)

In the end, I find the experimentation argument pretty convincing, and you have to think that's part of what is motivating HHS. The "private option" will be at least as good for beneficiaries, so if HHS is willing to take a little financial risk to try an approach that could plausibly turn out to be better, that seems like a good thing. As Allison wrote to me, "we could easily end up learning more about Medicaid in the next ten years than the previous 50 combined." That doesn't guarantee better policy but it's a start.

And we can't forget the political reality: right now, the "private option" is the only way forward to getting health coverage for more than 200,000 Arkansans.

Source: http://www.arktimes.com/ArkansasBlog/archives/2013/03/29/dhss-controversial-theory-private-option-100s-of-millions-cheaper-than-medicaid-expansion

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Veterans fight changes to disability payments (The Arizona Republic)

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Lawsuit claims Ford 'design defect' can cause sudden acceleration

Paul A. Eisenstein , The Detroit Bureau ? ? ? 1 hr.

A new lawsuit claims that nearly a decade?s worth of vehicles produced by the Ford Motor Co. suffer from a ?design defect? that can make them susceptible to suddenly and unexpectedly racing out of control.

The lawsuit, filed in West Virginia federal court on behalf of 20 different owners in 14 states, is seeking class-action status that could, if approved, come to involve the owners of millions of Ford vehicles produced between 2002 and 2010.

"For too long, Ford has put its own financial interests ahead of its consumers' safety," said lead attorney Adam Levitt. "We hope this lawsuit sheds light on this important situation and requires Ford to correct its ways, compensate its customers and put them first."

Chevy Rolls Out New 2014 Camaro

Ford is the latest in a string of manufacturers whose vehicles have been accused of experiencing so-called ?unintended acceleration,? dating back to the late 1980s when Audi?s U.S. subsidiary became embroiled in a case involving its old Audi 5000 model. In 2009 and 2010, Toyota recalled nearly 8 million vehicles due to a variety of problems including sticky accelerators and loose floor mats that could jam gas pedals wide open.

Audi ultimately was vindicated by federal regulators who largely put the blame on driver error. The automaker eventually redesigned the layout of its pedals to make it more difficult for consumers to inadvertently hit the gas instead of the brake. And Toyota is turning to so-called brake interlock systems that automatically throttle back if a motorist hits both pedals simultaneously.

In the lawsuit, attorneys insist Ford should have used a similar override as a ?failsafe.?

Subaru Plans More Hybrids, Battery Cars ? Eventually

According to the lawsuit, a 2011 report by the U.S. Department of Transportation found that Ford products racked up 22 percent of the complaints involving unintended acceleration between 2003 and 2009. Ford not only ?concealed? the defects cited in the lawsuit, but ?could have and should have? used a brake override system, the lawsuit alleges.

In response, Ford issued a statement asserting that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration ?has investigated alleged unintended accelerations many times over many years and has concluded that driver error is the predominant cause of these events. NHTSA's work is far more scientific and trustworthy than work done by personal injury lawyers and their paid experts. In rare situations, vehicle factors, such as floor mats or broken mechanical components, can interfere with proper throttle operation, and manufacturers have addressed these rare events in field service actions."

Virtually every automaker has, at one point or another, fielded complaints related to unintended acceleration. While a few, notably including Toyota, have been forced to take actions to deal with defects that could cause cars to race out of control, NHTSA has largely echoed Ford?s contentions.

The federal agency authorized two separate studies, one by the National Academy of Sciences, the other by NASA, that essentially cleared Toyota of electronic problems ? though NASA researchers did note that it can be next to impossible to track some digital issues that may not be repeatable.

Mercedes Plugs In With B-Class Electric Drive

Nonetheless, Toyota recently reached a $1.1 billion settlement involving owners who claimed the unintended acceleration scandal resulted in lower trade-in values for their vehicles. And it has negotiated settlements involving some claims of wrongful death and injury.

Among the Ford models targeted in the new lawsuit are the 2008-2010 Taurus sedan, 2007-2010 Edge Crossover and 2004 to 2010 Explorer, as well as the 2006-2010 Lincoln MKZ luxury sedan. A number of models produced by the now-abandoned Mercury division, such as the 2005 to 2009 Grand Marquis, also are cited.

(Ford official wants EPA to come up with more accurate mileage numbers. Click here for that report.)

Copyright ? 2009-2013, The Detroit Bureau

Source: http://feeds.nbcnews.com/c/35002/f/653351/s/2a23c4ea/l/0L0Snbcnews0N0Cbusiness0Clawsuit0Eclaims0Eford0Edesign0Edefect0Ecan0Ecause0Esudden0Eacceleration0E1C9142466/story01.htm

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Congressional Inaction Could Cost College Students

By Martyn Herman LONDON, March 28 (Reuters) - Whether by design, necessity, self-interest or because of all three, nurturing youngsters has become fashionable for England's elite with no expense spared in the hunt for the new Wayne Rooney or Steven Gerrard. The length and breadth of the country, scouts from top clubs are hoovering up promising footballers barely old enough to tie their bootlaces in a bid to unearth the 30 million pounds ($45.40 million) treasures of the future. ...

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/congressional-inaction-could-cost-college-students-071208468.html

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Mystery elf door in park sparks attention on the Web

A tiny addition in San Francisco?s Golden Gate Park is getting big attention on the Web. A photo on the neighborhood site Richmondsfblog.com first published a photo of a teeny wooden door that mysteriously appeared at the bottom of a tree with a small, gnome-sized gap.

The door has opened up plenty of interest on the Internet?and spurred visitors to the urban oasis to explore the door that's not on any map. It can be found by searching for the grove of old trees in the park's concourse near the Golden Gate Band Shell between the de Young Museum and the California Academy of Sciences.

Creative theories about how it got there abound?mostly as fanciful as the mystery door itself. An elf? A fairy? A house for a mouse?

Kids and kids at heart weighed in with ideas. As ?Dude? joked on the neighborhood website, ?It?s a very tiny coffee shop. It?s already played out.?

Another commenter, "Hobbit," suggested, ?Looks like a squirrel with a [k]nack for architecture."

Everyone seems to agree, it?s cool.

Over on Twitter, K L ?@miss_kr15 posted, ?I totally dragged my bf to the park & hunted that door down after seeing it in your blog. Seriously the coolest thing ever!?

Allyson E-B ?@allysoneb added, ?My daughter left some candy, when we came back 2 hours later it was gone. Fairies!?

The Editor of RichmondSFBlog, Sarah Bacon, noted to Yahoo News in an email that the tree door has been the site's most popular topic ever. ?It?s really captured people's imaginations and has gotten more attention than we ever expected. It's a delightful and magical gift someone gave to the park.?

She added, ?We're thrilled by the response to the story?I think it's proof that everyone has a child inside that enjoys whimsy and fantasy. It's these little finds that make our neighborhood so special.?

The little find has inspired lots of speculation, but nobody so far has come forth to take credit for building the opening. The good news: The minidoor won?t be closed down anytime soon.

Acknowledging the interest in the door sized for sprites, Andy Stone, Golden Gate Park's department?s section supervisor, wrote in an email to Yahoo News, "We do not encourage such doors but will leave it in place unless it causes problems."

The tiny tree door is not the first to mysteriously appear in a park. Commenters have pointed out there?s the Elf Tree near Lake Harriet in Minneapolis that also has a tiny door in a living tree. Kids leave messages and candy for the invisible resident.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/mystery-elf-door-park-sparks-attention-182312844.html

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New Donation from Secret0Squirrel - ADK= Gaming Community

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BionicOpter dragonfly drone flutters about, blows minds

Festo isn't quite the household name that Boston Dynamics is. (And, really, we're not entirely sure Big Dog is a regular topic of conversation at dinner tables yet.) But, it certainly deserves just as much attention for the work they're doing with robotics. After crafting a machine last year that soared around like a herring gull, now the company has created BionicOpter. The 17.3-inch long dragonfly drone can flutter through the air in any direction, and even hover, just like its biological inspiration. Its four carbon fiber and foil wings beat up to 20 times per-second, propelling it through the air as if it were swimming rather than flying. Actually piloting the robo-bug is achieved through a smartphone app, but an on-board ARM-based microcontroller makes small adjustments to ensure stability during flight. There are a few important pieces of information we don't have just yet. For one, it's not clear how long the two-cell lithium ion battery will last, and pricing or availability are missing from the brochure (at the source link). Chances are though, you'll never be able to afford one any way. Thankfully you can at least see this marvel of engineering in action after the break.

Filed under: Robots

Comments

Via: Design Engineering, The Verge

Source: Festo 1 (PDF), 2

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/29/bionicopter-dragonfly-drone/

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New insights into the development of the heart

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Viewed from the outside, our body looks completely symmetrical. However, most internal organs ? including the heart ? are formed asymmetrically. The right side of the heart is responsible for pulmonary circulation; the left side supplies the rest of the body. This asymmetry allows the heart to do its job effectively. In a study on zebrafish embryos, the researchers Dr. Justus Veerkamp and PD Dr. Salim Seyfried from the Max Delbr?ck Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) Berlin-Buch have now shown how the left and right sides of the heart develop differently.

A protein called Nodal plays an important role in the development of asymmetry. In an early stage of heart development, Nodal is formed on the left side and triggers a multi-step signaling cascade that enables the cardiac progenitor cells on this side to migrate faster. The researchers were able to observe the migration of the cardiac progenitor cells in the zebrafish embryos in vivo. Since the embryos are transparent it is possible to view each single cell using the microscope.

While analyzing the individual proteins involved in the asymmetric development of the heart, Dr. Veerkamp and Dr. Seyfried encountered a surprise: Previously, scientists had assumed that another signaling molecule, the protein Bmp, triggered cell migration on the left side of the heart and, as a consequence, must be very active there.

Current studies, however, show just the opposite: Bmp reduces the motility of the cells that form the heart. The protein Nodal regulates this process by activating the enzyme Has2. This in turn restricts Bmp activity on the left side. Thus, the cells of the left side of the heart migrate faster and ultimately form a functional, asymmetric heart.

However, when the researchers modulated the experiments so that individual proteins of the signaling cascade were expressed at elevated or decreased levels, the cardiac cells showed subtle differences in "random walk" cell motility rates. This resulted in the development of hearts that were completely symmetrical or whose sides were laterally inverted.

Many of these malformations of the heart in zebrafish embryos are also known in humans. Often asymmetric disorders not only affect the heart but also other organs such as the spleen. It may be missing or two spleens may be present. Depending on the severity of the malformations, the problems of the affected individuals vary in seriousness. It is also possible that the processes identified by the researchers are also involved in the development of diseases in which cell migration plays a role.

###

Their findings were published in the journal Developmental Cell (doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.devcel.2013.01.026)

Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres: http://www.helmholtz.de/en/index.html

Thanks to Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres for this article.

This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.

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Source: http://www.labspaces.net/127475/New_insights_into_the_development_of_the_heart

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TapTapPass Quickly Enables Your iPhone's Passcode from Anywhere

iOS (Jailbroken): If you want to enable the passcode on your iPhone you usually need to jump into the settings, hit the toggle, and enter your passcode. It's a bit tedious, but if you want to speed up the process TapTapPass makes it possible to enable your passcode from pretty much anywhere.

TapTapPass works with Activator so you can set up a tap or gesture to instantly enable your passcode. When you perform the activator function, the screen locks with the passcode enabled. After you unlock it once, the passcode is disabled again. If you're the type to only need a passcode occasionally, this is a great way to get the benefits of a passcode without the trouble of having it on all the time. Of course, you can always automate the process as well.

TapTapPass | Modmyi via iDownloadBlog

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/1FD4d50CbbE/taptappass-quickly-enables-your-iphones-passcode-from-anywhere

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

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A Brilliant Toilet Paper Dispenser To Leave Crapping Campers Clean and Hassle-Free

Camping purists may prefer to eschew traditional toilet paper in favor of nature's very own brand of sticks and leaves, but to the untrained eye, becoming one with Mother Earth might might leave a lasting, painful reminder on those tender, poison-ivy-scrubbed nether regions. So for those of us who aren't quite ready to give up all the comforts of home, students at the Alberta College of Art and Design have put together this clever, waterproof toilet paper dispenser to make outdoor defecating a delight. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/LFHdiE4kzNU/a-brilliant-toilet-paper-dispenser-to-leave-crapping-campers-clean-and-hassle+free

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Investors struggle to get past Europe's woes

Trader Anthony Riccio, center, works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange Wednesday, March 20, 2013. U.S. stocks rose strongly Wednesday ahead of a decision by the Federal Reserve about whether to push ahead with aggressive measures to boost the economy. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Trader Anthony Riccio, center, works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange Wednesday, March 20, 2013. U.S. stocks rose strongly Wednesday ahead of a decision by the Federal Reserve about whether to push ahead with aggressive measures to boost the economy. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

NEW YORK (AP) ? Investors just can't get past Europe.

Renewed worries about the region's long-running debt crisis weighed on the Dow Jones industrial average on Wednesday, and held the Standard & Poor's 500 index back from reaching an all-time high.

Investors are watching to see if Cyprus can shore up its banking system. They are also keeping an eye on Italy, where political parties are struggling to form a new government in the eurozone's third-largest economy.

The Dow fell 33.49 points to close at 14,526.16, a loss of 0.2 percent. It dropped as many as 120 points in morning trading then spent the rest of the day climbing back.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index slipped 0.92 to 1,562.85, less than three points short of its all-time high set in October 2007.

Bad news out of Europe and good news from the U.S. have tossed the stock market around over the past week.

"There are still plenty of worries about (Europe's) banking system," said J.J. Kinahan, chief derivatives strategist at TD Ameritrade. "But the U.S. really is on a nice little roll."

As stocks slumped early Wednesday, Kinahan said he thought the S&P 500 would recover its losses and could make another run at its record high on Thursday.

Cyprus is working out how to reopen its banks on Thursday after a nearly two-week shutdown. An international bailout calls for money from large depositors to help pay for the rescue of its banking system.

In Italy, a center-left party failed in its attempt to form a new government. The political stalemate has raised fears that the country will be unable to manage its deep debts, undermining confidence in the euro.

Those worries hit Europe's bond markets especially hard. Borrowing rates for Italy and Spain shot higher, a sign of weaker confidence in their financial health. Rates for Germany and France, two of Europe's more stable countries, sank as traders shifted money into their bonds.

In other trading, the Nasdaq composite inched up 4.04 points, or 0.1 percent, to 3,256.52.

Four of the 10 industry groups in the S&P 500 index edged higher. Utilities and health care, which investors tend to buy when they want to play it safe, made the biggest gains.

Kim Forrest, a senior equity analyst at Fort Pitt Capital, said it appears that many investors are treating certain stocks as if they were bonds.

"There's a recognition that bonds are overpriced, so people are moving into healthcare and utilities that pay a nice dividend," she said. "Those are pretty boring investments, and by that I mean their prices don't move a lot."

News about Italy also helped drive traders into the safety of U.S. government bonds, pushing benchmark yields to their lowest level this month. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note dropped to 1.84 percent, a steep fall from 1.91 percent late Tuesday.

The S&P 500 closed within three points of its record high of 1,565.15, helped by rising U.S. home prices and orders for manufactured goods. The stock index hit that peak on Oct. 9, 2007, before the Great Recession and a financial crisis roiled financial markets.

Among other stocks making big moves:

? Cliffs Natural Resources, an iron ore mining company, plunged 14 percent, the biggest loss in the S&P 500. Analysts warned that falling iron ore prices would likely sink the company's stock. Cliffs fell $2.97 to $18.46.

? Science Applications International Corp. surged 5 percent after the security and communications technology provider reported a fourth-quarter profit that was better than analysts were expecting. SAIC also announced a special dividend of $1 per share, and its stock gained 50 cents to $13.32.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2013-03-27-US-Wall-Street/id-72e27cdb004541f792e50026b57b6888

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Flossmoor Residents Eligible for Home Improvement Rebate ...

Flossmoor residents looking to increase the comfort in their homes with energy efficient improvements could earn up to $1,750 in rebates, thanks to Energy Impact Illinois. The rebate would provide homeowners with improvements to drafty windows, installing insulation and other similar home improvements.

To assist in figuring out what homeowners can do to improve their home's efficiency, Energy Impact Illinois is offing to set customers up with a certified contractor to determine what improvements can be made. There is a customer co-pay of $99 for this service.

For more information about Energy Impact Illinois, homeowners can visit www.EnergyImpactIllinois.org or call (708) 408-7155.

Source: http://homewood-flossmoor.patch.com/articles/flossmoor-residents-eligible-for-home-improvement-rebate

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Congolese player suspected in Israeli woman's death

Associated Press Sports

updated 10:07 a.m. ET March 28, 2013

JERUSALEM (AP) -Israeli police have arrested a Congolese footballer with Maccabi Netanya in connection with the killing of a 20-year-old Israeli woman.

Police spokeswoman Luba Samri says the player and another unnamed Congo-born man were brought before a court on Thursday on suspicion of involvement with the woman's death. The court has barred publication of the player's name.

The woman's body was found on Wednesday, sprawled on a railing at the foot of a hotel in Netanya, north of Tel Aviv, where the two suspects were living.

Samri says initial autopsy results suggest the woman was killed. She said the player is under house arrest and will undergo further questioning on Friday.

A lawyer for the player told the YNet website the player denies involvement in her death.

? 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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If World Cup draw was today ...

PST: We took the current standings from qualifying tournaments around the world, assumed the teams? points-per-game rates played out, and then ?qualified? the appropriate teams for Brazil.

Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/51361580/ns/sports-soccer/

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The Advantages Of Internet Marketing Vs. Traditional ... - THMG.com

Wednesday, March 27th, 2013

For success of any business marketing policy plays an important role. To increase your business growth, you need strong marketing team with knowledge of thorough marketing strategy.

The marketing department of any company can choose type of marketing depends on the business / service type, objectives, target market, capability, efficiency and budget. Selecting Traditional Marketing or Online Marketing very much depends on all above factors.

With change in time, marketing also affected positively with advance technology. Internet Marketing or Online Marketing or E-marketing have added thrill in marketing professionals. The popularity of Internet Marketing is emergent very rapidly in all type of business. But before start adopting traditional marketing or online marketing one should fully aware of its marketing strategy and its outcomes.

What is Traditional Marketing?
Generally the basic of any marketing is creating new customers and sustain existing customer. It is a task to create awareness of consumers in product / company / services by making their brand popular using various marketing techniques. For successful marketing, quality product and customer services are very important. The other important factors are demography, market needs, target market and many more factors require for complete market research to build successful marketing strategy.

Marketing is an intelligent and creative technique that includes advertising, distribution and selling. Understanding customers requirement and fulfill their needs is the base of success for any

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Source: http://www.thmg.com/marketing-tips/the-advantages-of-internet-marketing-vs-traditional-marketing/

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New York cop who toured with band charged with disability fraud

By Barbara Goldberg, Reuters

NEW YORK ? A New York police officer was charged on Tuesday with mail fraud for allegedly claiming disability benefits for two years while at the same time performing and touring with his heavy metal band, "Cousin Sleaze," according to court documents.

Christopher Inserra, an officer with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, was the lead singer with the Brooklyn band, whose "Sick Maniacs" album features such songs as "Infection" and "Walk of Shame," according to an affidavit filed in U.S. District Court in Brooklyn.

Inserra, 31, of Brooklyn was charged with mail fraud in connection with a scheme to defraud the American Family Life Assurance Company of New York (AFLAC) out of $30,416 in disability payments.

He claimed he was out sick with a work-related injury from June 2010 until March 2012, filing for disability while continuing to collect his $90,000 annual salary, according to court documents.

The officer claimed he hurt his right arm, causing excruciating pain and loss of mobility, while transporting a Port Authority contractor to a hospital, according to the documents.

Those two years were filled with visits to doctors as well as performance dates for his band "Cousin Sleaze" in northeast bars and on a "Miles of Mayhem" tour through the mid-Atlantic and Southeast, said U.S. Postal Inspector John McDermott in a signed affidavit filed in court.

Video footage of "Cousin Sleaze" performances posted to Facebook, Youtube and other websites show the muscular lead singer in a tank top showing off well-toned arms gripping a microphone and slashing the air, McDermott said.

The inspector saw Inserra on stage "flailing both of his arms in a rapid back and forth fashion," pumping away to the beat, and also "repeatedly and violently flailing his right arm in an up and down fashion from above his head to slightly above the ground level."

He said the "flailing of his right arm ... would be inconsistent with the degree of pain and discomfort that he complained of."

Inserra, who had served with the Port Authority for five years, was most recently assigned to the World Trade Center Command in Manhattan, the complaint said.

After his initial court appearance, during which he did not enter a plea, he was released on a $25,000 personal recognizance bond, said U.S. Attorney Robert Nardoza.

Inserra's attorney, Jan Rostal, declined to comment.

Inserra was suspended without pay pending resolution of his case, said Michael Nestor, director of the Office of Investigations overseeing the Port Authority.?

Copyright 2013 Thomson Reuters. Click for restrictions.

Source: http://feeds.nbcnews.com/c/35002/f/653381/s/2a06ea18/l/0Lusnews0Bnbcnews0N0C0Inews0C20A130C0A30C260C174780A890Enew0Eyork0Ecop0Ewho0Etoured0Ewith0Eband0Echarged0Ewith0Edisability0Efraud0Dlite/story01.htm

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Health Center Employees Test New Technology | UConn Today

Dr. Kourosh Parham, ear, nose and throat specialist, checks out one of the mobile carts on display in Keller Lobby during the ACC Technology Fair on March 26, 2013. (Sarah Turker/UConn Health Center Photo)

The outpatient medical building being constructed on lower campus won?t be finished until early 2015 but some of the equipment that will be used in the new building is being decided on now.

More than a dozen vendors from across the country set up shop in Keller lobby Tuesday and Wednesday to display the latest technology in mobile cart and wall mounted equipment. There were also representatives from Dell, HP and Microsoft demonstrating their latest laptops, tablets, small personal computers, and NextPens which will be used on the carts and wall mounts.

Medical staff, who will be treating patients in the Ambulatory Care Center or ACC, got a first-hand look at the equipment and can vote on what they prefer.

?They are completing two types of surveys ? the beauty pageant portion of what they see, what they like, what feels good to them,? explains Bert Romeo, IT project manager who helped organize the event. ?Then I have another questionnaire at Survey Monkey that asks more specific questions.? For example, if you chose a wall mount, do you want it on the left or the right? If you chose the cart, would you leave it in one room or would you move it around? What PC configuration did you like and why? We want them to participate in their future and what their lives are going to be like in the new building.?

The 300,000-square-foot building will have 260 exam rooms. It will consolidate all of the outpatient faculty practices and clinical programs currently located in the Dowling North and South buildings into one location. The ACC will also be the new home for the Carole and Ray Neag Comprehensive Cancer Center, which is currently located in the main hospital building.

Follow work on the construction project by checking out the ACC web cam.

Chief of Medical Staff Dr. Richard Simon listens as a vendor representative explains his mobile cart technology during the ACC Technology Fair. (Sarah Turker/UConn Health Center Photo)

An HP representative shows off the latest laptop with a pivoting screen. (Janine Gelineau/UConn Health Center Photo)

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Follow?the UConn Health Center on?Facebook,?Twitter and?YouTube.

Source: http://today.uconn.edu/blog/2013/03/health-center-employees-test-new-technology/

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Selena Gomez 'So Stoked' To Perform New Single At MTV Movie Awards

'Spring Breakers' star will take the stage with 'Come & Get It' on Sunday, April 14.
By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Josh Horowitz

Selena Gomez
Photo: Flanigan/ Getty Images

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1704408/selena-gomez-mtv-movie-awards.jhtml

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Amazon Web Services Launches CloudHSM, A Dedicated Hardware Security Appliance For Managing Cryptographic Keys

Amazon just announced the launch of CloudHSM, a new service that provides Amazon Web Services users who need to meet corporate, contractual and regulatory compliance requirements for data security a way to do so by using a dedicated Hardware Security Module (the ‘HSM’ in CloudHSM) within the Amazon cloud. Until now, Amazon argues, the only option for many companies that use its cloud services was to store their most sensitive data – or the encryption keys to it – in their own on-premise data centers. This, of course, made it hard for these companies to fully migrate their applications to the cloud. The new service, Amazon writes, can be used to support “a variety of use cases and applications, such as database encryption, Digital Rights Management (DRM), and Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) including authentication and authorization, document signing, and transaction processing.” The actual appliances are Luna SA modules from SafeNet, Inc. The new CloudHSM service uses Amazon’s Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) and the appliances are provisioned inside the user’s VPC with an IP address the user specifies. The service, Amazon says, provides businesses with secure key storage and protects these keys with “tamper-resistant HSM appliances that are designed to comply with international (Common Criteria EAL4+) and U.S. Government (NIST FIPS 140-2) regulatory standards for cryptographic modules.” Because the HSMs are located close to the user’s EC2 cloud computing instances, network latency should be very low. All of this, however, doesn’t come cheap. The upfront cost to provision a CloudHSM is $5,000 and the hourly cost are $1.88 per hour, which comes out to $1,373 on average per month. For businesses that need this kind of security, that’s probably a small price to pay, but this is clearly not a service that’s geared toward startups that just want to ensure their encryption keys and data are stored safely. The HSM client software can load balance requests across two or more CloudHSMs, though Amazon notes that it can take “several weeks” to provision more than two HSMs.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/vftRMva34oU/

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Google Play starts offering devices in India, starting with the Nexus 7

Google Play Books recently launched for India; it's only fitting that locals get some hardware to read with. Accordingly, Google just opened device sales for India through Google Play, beginning with the Nexus 7. The initial offering is decidedly modest and includes just the 16GB WiFi version of the reference tablet, which costs 15,999 rupees ($294) and should deliver by April 5th. While that doesn't provide the selection that we know in some countries -- and the Nexus 7 definitely isn't one of the cheaper tablets Indians will have seen -- it's an important step toward creating a truly complete Google Play ecosystem in an influential country.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Filed under: Tablets, Google

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Icahn opens door to Blackstone tie-up on Dell bid

By Greg Roumeliotis and Soyoung Kim

(Reuters) - Two of the most prominent U.S. investors could upset Michael Dell's $24.4 billion buyout bid for Dell Inc, after billionaire Carl Icahn opened the door to an alliance with Blackstone Group to wrest control of the computer maker from its founder.

Icahn said on Monday he has started preliminary talks with Blackstone. Both sides have made bids that could be superior to the offer on the table from Michael Dell and private equity firm Silver Lake.

The backroom negotiations show how what started as Michael Dell and Silver Lake's plan to take the PC maker private could turn into a months-long process.

Icahn has proposed paying $15 per share for 58 percent of Dell. Blackstone has indicated it can pay more than $14.25 per share. The Silver Lake group offered $13.65 per share for all of Dell.

Dell and Silver Lake declined comment. Blackstone did not respond to requests for comment.

Icahn, who owns a $1 billion stake in Dell, said both his and Blackstone's offers give the company's largest investors what they wanted most - the ability to retain publicly traded shares of Dell.

Southeastern Asset Management, Dell's largest independent shareholder and one of the most vocal opponents of the Silver Lake plan, said it was pleased about that prospect, as well as the higher offers.

Another investor, Bill Nygren, co-manager of the Oakmark Fund, added, "Given the wide range of estimated values for Dell shares, if all else is nearly equal, we believe a proposal is superior if it allows investors who want to remain invested in Dell the opportunity to do so."

The outcome of the auction would determine the future of Dell, which was regarded as a model of innovation as recently as the early 2000s but has struggled to make up for declining market share of the global PC market.

A source earlier said that Dell had slashed its internal forecast for fiscal 2013 operating profit to about $3 billion - down sharply from the $3.7 billion it had predicted previously.

Dell's shares closed up 2.6 percent to $14.51 on Monday, indicating investors expect a deal to be done at a price higher than the Silver Lake bid. Earlier in the session they touched $14.64, the stock's highest level in 10 months.

"We continue to believe a higher bid than the current $13.65 per share offer will likely be offered but, based on our assumptions, a $15 per share bid may be a threshold," Wells Fargo Securities analyst Maynard Um said in a note.

"We believe a higher Silver Lake/Dell bid might still be a more attractive and strategic option, assuming information regarding the public stub and financial services sale is accurate," he said.

Late on Sunday, two sources close to the matter said that the Silver Lake group had no plans yet to increase or amend its offer until Dell's special committee comes out with a ruling on the rival proposals.

DOES DELL STAY?

As part of his deal with the special committee of Dell's board that is running the auction process, Michael Dell has to explore the possibility of working with third parties on alternative offers. On Monday, Dell said he had reaffirmed that commitment.

Still, Michael Dell is very concerned that Blackstone's offer would dismantle the PC maker he founded in 1984, two people close to Michael Dell said. The founder is worried that the buyout firm's plans would be inconsistent with his strategy to reinvest in the company, the sources said.

Michael Dell is planning to meet with Blackstone to discuss the private equity firm's bid, two other sources familiar with the situation said.

Blackstone made no mention of asset sales in its preliminary offer. But people familiar with the matter have told Reuters that Blackstone has considered a potential sale of Dell's financial services business as part of its turnaround plan.

Michael Dell's role also remains unclear in a Blackstone-led deal. The buyout firm has already made an unsuccessful push to recruit Oracle Corp President Mark Hurd to run Dell if it takes over the company, one source familiar with the situation said last week. {ID:nL1N0CD0MI]

A number of issues remain to be addressed, a separate person familiar with the matter said on Monday of Michael Dell. Among them, what Michael Dell would do if a buyer wanted to sell a business and he did not, the source said.

Potential buyers are likely to want to sit down with Michael Dell to discuss his plans for a privately held Dell Inc in more detail, the source said, adding that Blackstone had not done so yet.

Switching bidding allegiances could preserve an affiliation with the company for Michael Dell, who founded the technology giant at the age of 19 with just $1,000.

Under the Silver Lake plan, he planned to contribute his roughly 16 percent share of Dell's equity to the deal, along with cash from his investment firm MSD Capital, and remain CEO of the company. Silver Lake is putting up $1.4 billion.

(Additional reporting by Nadia Damouni and Jessica Toonkel in New York and Sayantani Ghosh in Bangalore; Writing by Ben Berkowitz; Editing by Paritosh Bansal and Andrew Hay)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/dells-board-evaluates-rival-bids-source-004054117--sector.html

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Investors on the startup cash crunch - Business Insider

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When it comes to startups, there's "a lot of blood in the water."

Lately, a lot of startups have closed their doors because they've run out of cash. Investors are less willing to give them money now than they were one year ago, thanks in part to Facebook's disappointing IPO. This inability to raise millions of dollars needed to take a startup from an idea to a growing venture is known as the Series A Crunch.?

How bad has the Series A Crunch gotten??

Awful, one New York investor told us.

"Pretty much every seed investment in the past two years that you haven't heard about recently is shutting down," this person said. "There's a lot of blood in the water."

Among the dead: check-in startup Turf, cubicle sharing startup Loosecubes, and apparel company Quincy.?One investor even created a company that helps startups find acquirers so they can die a less painful death, gainfully employed.

Still, the New York investor's perspective was shocking, so we asked a bunch of other VCs for their thoughts. Most felt the statement was too dramatic, but admitted there was some truth to it.

"I'd say that is a generalization, but for consumer facing stuff, that's probably accurate," a New York investor tells us. "For B2B etc, probably not."

"We haven't seen that yet," said another east coast VC. "There is no question a bunch of companies out there raising though. Great companies are still getting funded."

And another: "Not sure I agree with that. I think it's a natural cycle for startups."

Another concurred. "I think it is tough everywhere. I?think the pendulum of VC interests is swinging (as always)."

A California investor strongly disagreed: "Here's a list of my investments over the last 24 months: four have sold (granted not all in amazing deals), one shut down, and most of these have raised significant funding after their seed, have grown incredibly, or are currently raising an A or B round. Of course, some are not doing as well as planned, but the generalization above is ridiculous."

Bottom line? Yes, it's hard to be a startup right now. But for companies that deserve the extra cash, it's not horrible. Investors agree: if you're building a promising business, the money will still come.?

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/investors-on-the-startup-cash-crunch-2013-3

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