Saudi Arabia to allow women's sports clubs - paper

RIYADH, March 30 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia is to license women's sports clubs for the first time, al-Watan daily reported, in a major step for an ultra-religious country where clerics have warned against female exercise.

Last year the conservative Islamic kingdom, where women must have permission from a male relative to take many big decisions, sent women athletes to the Olympics for the first time after pressure from international rights groups.

Until now, women's exercise facilities, including gyms, have had to be licensed by the Health Ministry and designated as "health centres".

Last April Watan, owned by a Saudi prince, reported the government had set up a ministerial committee to allow women's sports clubs. The General Presidency of Youth Welfare, which functions like a sports ministry, only regulates men's clubs.

In 2009 a member of the country's highest council of clerics said girls should not play sports lest they "lose their virginity" by tearing their hymens. State-run girls' schools do not have exercise classes.

Watan said on Friday the Interior Ministry had decided to allow women's sports clubs after reviewing a study that showed flaws in the existing system.

In August two Saudi women, a judoka and a sprinter, became the first to compete for their country in the Olympics. At least one had trained abroad.

Saudi women are barred from driving and must seek the permission of a male "guardian", usually a father, husband or brother, to marry, travel abroad, open a bank account, work or have some forms of elective surgery.

In January King Abdullah named 30 women to the Shura Council, an appointed body that debates future legislation and then gives non-binding advice to the government.

Abdullah, thought to have been born in 1923, is viewed as having pushed for greater women's education and opportunities to work, sometimes in the face of opposition from powerful conservative clerics. (Reporting by Angus McDowall; editing by Andrew Roche)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/saudi-arabia-allow-womens-sports-clubs-paper-125319261--sector.html

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Business, labor close on deal for immigration bill

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Prospects for a Senate deal on an ambitious rewrite of the nation's immigration laws improved markedly as business and labor appeared ready to set aside their differences over a new low-skilled worker program holding up the agreement.

The AFL-CIO and U.S. Chamber of Commerce had been fighting over wages for tens of thousands of low-skilled workers who would be brought in under the new program to fill jobs in construction, hotels and resorts, nursing homes and restaurants, and other industries. But on Friday, officials from both sides said there was basic agreement on the wage issue, and Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said a final deal on the low-wage worker dispute was very close.

That likely would clear the way for Schumer and seven other senators in a bipartisan group to unveil legislation the week of April 8 to overhaul the U.S. immigration system, strengthening the border, cracking down on employers, allowing in tens of thousands of new high- and low-skilled workers and providing a path to citizenship for the estimated 11 million illegal immigrants already in the country.

"We're feeling very optimistic on immigration: Aspiring Americans will receive the road map to citizenship they deserve and we can modernize 'future flow' without reducing wages for any local workers, regardless of what papers they carry," AFL-CIO spokesman Jeff Hauser said in a statement. "Future flow" refers to future arrivals of legal immigrants.

Under the emerging agreement between business and labor, a new "W'' visa program would bring tens of thousands of lower-skilled workers a year to the country. The program would be capped at 200,000 a year, but the number of visas would fluctuate, depending on unemployment rates, job openings, employer demand and data collected by a new federal bureau pushed by the labor movement as an objective monitor of the market.

The workers would be able to change jobs and could seek permanent residency. Under current temporary worker programs, personnel can't move from employer to employer and have no path to permanent U.S. residence and citizenship. And currently there's no good way for employers to bring many low-skilled workers to the U.S. An existing visa program for low-wage nonagricultural workers is capped at 66,000 per year and is supposed to apply only to seasonal or temporary jobs.

The Chamber of Commerce said workers would earn actual wages paid to American workers or the prevailing wages for the industry they're working in, whichever is higher. The Labor Department determines prevailing wage based on customary rates in specific localities, so that it varies from city to city.

There was also disagreement about how to deal with certain higher-skilled construction jobs, such as electricians and welders, and it appears those will be excluded from the deal, said Geoff Burr, vice president of federal affairs at Associated Builders and Contractors. Burr said his group opposes such an exclusion because, even though unemployment in the construction industry is high right now, at times when it is low there can be labor shortages in high-skilled trades, and contractors want to be able to bring in foreign workers. But unions pressed for the exclusion, Burr said.

The low-skilled worker issue had loomed for weeks as perhaps the toughest matter to settle in monthslong closed-door talks on immigration among the senators, including Republicans John McCain of Arizona and Marco Rubio of Florida. The issue helped sink the last major attempt at immigration overhaul in 2007, when the legislation foundered on the Senate floor after an amendment was added to end a temporary worker program after five years, threatening a key priority of the business community.

The amendment passed by just one vote, 49-48. President Barack Obama, a senator at the time, joined in the narrow majority voting to end the program after five years.

___

Follow Erica Werner on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ericawerner

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/business-labor-close-deal-immigration-bill-185315130.html

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Business, Labor Reach Deal on Guest Worker Program

Immigration debate

WASHINGTON - Business and labor leaders reached an agreement late Friday night on a guest worker program for low-skilled immigrants, a senior Democratic Senate aide tells ABC News, marking a key moment in the immigration debate.

The agreement involves the guest worker provision for low-skilled immigrants, which is one of the most critical pieces of the legislation. The accord between the Chamber of Commerce and the A.F.L.-C.I.O marks the first time the dueling sides have come together around the size and scope of the guest worker program.

"This issue has always been the dealbreaker on immigration reform, but not this time," Sen. Chuck Schumer said in a statement Saturday night.

Schumer, D-N.Y., one of the leading Senate negotiators on the agreement, briefed White House chief of staff Denis McDonough on the deal this afternoon, ABC News has learned.

"We are very close, closer than we've ever been," he said. "We are very optimistic, but there are a few issues remaining."

The agreement between business and labor was reached shortly after 9 p.m. Friday, when Schumer convened a conference call with the top labor leader, Richard Trumka, and the chamber head, Tom Donohue. The three agreed to have dinner soon to commemorate the accord, one official tells ABC news.

The sticking point in earlier negotiations centered on determining pay levels for future immigrant workers coming to the country on new visas. The unions wanted employers to pay an average wage for occupations rather than assigning salary by skill levels, while the business side called for paying low skilled workers at the lowest rate.

The guest worker deal reached by business and labor will now be presented to the bi-partisan Gang of Eight senators involved in the immigration talks. The senators are also working on fine tuning the path to citizenship and border security components of the plan.

"Senate negotiators are making good progress on immigration reform, but we're not done yet," Alex Conant, a spokesman for Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., tweeted today.

While the group of senators works on the details of the immigration plan, President Obama said this week that he is optimistic the group will produce a bill in April.

"I'm actually optimistic that when they get back they will introduce a bill," Obama said during an interview with Univision earlier this week. "My sense is that they have come close and my expectation is that we'll actually see a bill on the floor of the Senate next month."

Also Read

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/business-labor-reach-deal-guest-worker-program-210608347--abc-news-politics.html

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BracketRacket: A quiz, a thought and Peeps

Welcome to BracketRacket, your one-stop shopping place for all things NCAA.

For our first Sweet 16 edition, we've got a geography quiz by Shockers and Explorers, a coach in rarified air, a former Ohio attorney general rooting for Michigan State and Jim Larranaga's thought for the day. All that and some Bracket Bits that include all of Dunk City's postseason dunks and, in honor of Easter, Peeps.

___

GEOGRAPHY QUIZ

Who says academics go by the wayside during the NCAA tournament?

La Salle and Wichita State took a geography quiz at the West Regional in Los Angeles, and the Shockers passed. Belying their name, the Explorers need to brush up a little.

Here's an excerpt of how it went from AP Sports Writer Beth Harris:

Question: Where is La Salle located?

Answer: "Philly, right? I believe it's Philly," Shockers guard Malcolm Armstead said.

Correct.

Question: Where is Wichita State located?

Answer: "What state is it in?" asked La Salle guard Ramon Galloway.

And it went downhill from there.

"I saw a store down here called Which Wich," Explorers guard Tyrone Garland offered, not-so-helpfully naming a national sandwich chain.

Guard Tyreek Duren pitched in: "Steve Zack said we passed the Wichita exit when we were going to the airport. He pointed it out and said, 'That's who we play.'"

Informed of their opponent's confusion, Shockers forward Cleanthony Early, of Middletown, N.Y., admitted he was initially stumped, too.

"I didn't know where Wichita was either before I went there," he said. "I had to do my research. When I first heard of it, I couldn't even pronounce it correctly."

After losing to the Shockers in the Sweet 16, the Explorers probably know a little bit more about Wichita as well.

___

ONE IS NOT LIKE THE OTHERS

Forgive Dana Altman and the Oregon Ducks if they have a bit of an inferiority complex this weekend.

And no, this isn't a gripe about the selection committee's seeding.

The Ducks, being covered at the Sweet 16 by AP National Writer Nancy Armour, are in the Midwest Regional semifinals with a veritable Who's Who of college hoops.

Their opponent, Louisville, is a two-time national champion and was in the Final Four last year. Cardinals coach Rick Pitino is a surefire Hall of Famer, with two NCAA titles, 660 wins ? and counting ? and a 49-18 record in March alone.

There's also Duke, which won its fourth national title three years ago and whose coach, Mike Krzyzewski, has more wins than anyone else in Division I. (Coach K has a side gig, too, leading the U.S. men to gold medals at the last two Olympics.)

And don't forget Michigan State, which may as well include the Final Four on its schedule for as many times as Tom Izzo and the Spartans wind up there.

"Fortunately, it's our team going out there," Altman said.

Altman is no slouch, either. Oregon is the third school he's taken to the NCAA tournament, and the Ducks have had 20-win seasons in each of his three years as head coach. But Oregon is not exactly a tournament mainstay; this is the Ducks' first appearance since 2008, and their first trip to the regional semifinals since 2007.

"All three of those programs, because of their coaches, have great records, great traditions," Altman said. "We're trying to build a tradition. We're trying to build something that consistently competes year in and year out. That's a big challenge for us."

___

FORCED TO CHOOSE

Richard Cordray is the former Ohio attorney general and lives in Columbus, so he roots for Ohio State football.

He also went to Michigan State at the same time as Magic Johnson, so he pulls for Spartans basketball.

That left the head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau with a dilemma while filling out his NCAA tournament bracket. But when it came down to picking a team ? he has the Buckeyes and Spartans reaching the Final Four ? Cordray went with Michigan State.

"I always go with my heart," Cordray told AP Business Writer Christina Rexrode.

Cordray's roommate at Michigan State had a few classes with Magic and he saw firsthand the impact the oversized and gregarious point guard had on the school.

"It was really exciting and fun to watch," Cordray said. "Of course he left after two years and went on to fame and fortune. The rest of us toiled for four years finding ourselves. He's a great personality, he just glows and picks everybody up around him."

___

HOLD THAT THOUGHT

During his Final Four run with George Mason, Miami coach Jim Larranaga became known for giving a "thought for the day" to his players.

He's carried on the practice with the Hurricanes, although it's hard to tell what effect it has, as AP Sports Writer Joseph White in Washington, D.C., found out.

"Every day he gives us a thought, and something that sticks with us, and it's not something that's complicated," forward Julian Gamble said, "just something that's very simple and just to let you know that we have to enjoy these moments."

If that's the case, Gamble was asked, can he name a favorite "thought for the day?"

"Can't think of one. Know one?" he said, turning to teammate Shane Larkin.

"I can't think of one," Larkin said.

But Gamble made a nice recovery, saying: "The one for this game is keep 'em out of the paint and block out on rebounds, so that will be my favorite one for now."

Larranaga will have to come up with a new thought, one that will last the entire offseason, after the Hurricanes lost to Marquette in the Sweet 16.

Hopefully, it'll be one that sticks.

___

BRACKET BITS

That speck in the middle isn't a postage stamp. It's the court inside Cowboys Stadium for the Sweet 16: http://bit.ly/YGOWYA

Apparently the cordial feelings between Ohio State and Arizona aren't just between the coaches: http://bit.ly/10VBWPv

In honor of Easter, a bracket made out of Peeps: http://bit.ly/YGPJZm

Dunk City's dunks during the postseason, all of them: http://deadsp.in/XColZj

A couple of celeb sightings at Sweet 16 games: Drew Carey at Ohio State-Arizona in LA, San Francisco 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh at Syracuse-Indiana in DC.

___

STAT OF THE DAY

Dunk City is rattling the search engines along with rims.

According to Yahoo! Search, Florida Gulf Coast University is dominating as the most-searched team after becoming the first No. 15 seed to reach the Sweet 16.

Searches for the Eagles spiked 3,367 percent this week and FGCU has gotten more searches than North Korea, Lindsay Lohan and Justin Bieber.

FGCU has been searched more than any of the remaining teams in the tournament, ahead of better-known schools such as Syracuse, Duke, Michigan and Kansas.

___

QUOTE OF THE DAY

"We're so used to people not giving us credit. ... That fuels our fire," Marquette's Vander Blue said after the Golden Eagles beat Miami to reach the Elite Eight for the first time since 2003.

___

THURSDAY'S RESULTS

East Region

Marquette 71, Miami 61

Syracuse 61, Indiana 50

West Region

Ohio State 73, Arizona 70

Wichita State 72, La Salle 58

___

FRIDAY'S SCHEDULE

South Region

At Arlington, Texas

Kansas (31-5) vs. Michigan (28-7), 7:37 p.m.

Florida Gulf Coast (26-10) vs. Florida (28-7), 30 minutes following

Midwest Region

At Indianapolis

Louisville (31-5) vs. Oregon (28-8), 7:15 p.m.

Duke (29-5) vs. Michigan State (27-8), 30 minutes following

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/bracketracket-quiz-thought-peeps-083117291--spt.html

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It's Easter Weekend. Save 15% on All Android Accessories!

Use coupon HOP13 at checkout to save 15% on ALL Android accessories

Take me to ShopAndroid.com and let the savings begin!

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/IGSzqii-5gI/story01.htm

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PSA: Oculus Rift development kits now shipping, some may have already arrived

Oculus Rift is in the mail! Development kits began shipping to customers on Wednesday, and even if you have yet to receive a tracking number of your own, a kit may very well be on its way. The Oculus team has been "tied up at GDC" this week, which explains the delay in sending out tracking info, but folks taking care of logistics have apparently been hard at work, prepping some 10,000 development kits for shipment. Of course, not every set will be on its way to a developer right away -- it does take time to get that many kits out the door -- but if you're expecting one at your front porch, it's likely to arrive very soon. In the meantime, the Developer Center has opened up to devs, with access to the SDK, Unity and Unreal Engine integrations, forums, wiki and other documentation. The team also published a video of its SXSW panel in full for your enjoyment -- you can catch it just past the break.

Filed under: Displays, Gaming, HD

Comments

Source: Oculus VR

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/29/oculus-rift-now-shipping/

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Check Out This 10 Year Old's Restaurant Review Site - First We Feast

Photo: Aamanns-Copenhagen, Brian Harkin for the New York Times

Ten-year-old food blogger Rasmus Dey Meyer?might just become the Tavi Gevinson of the food world. His blog, titled, The Gourmand Kid, iterates the mission statement of maybe every food writer ever: ?I am always hungry and looking for good food and restaurants.? He?s only written seven reviews so far, but we?re excited to keep reading his thoughts on NYC?s dining establishments. Below, are a few highlights from the young gun?s posts:

?Prime Meats is like a teleport machine. One moment you are in America, the next you are in a fine German restaurant.? (March 17, 2013)

?Aamanns-Copenhagen is a new Danish restaurant featuring awesome Danish cuisine. I am half danish so I have some authority on the subject.? (January 19, 2013)

?Adults are raving about the jalape?o cocktail [I didn't taste it, I'm only nine.] Its a good place to go and grab a beer. I could tell because 90% of the adults were at the bar.? (December 22, 2012)

?The food does take its time to come but once you get it its like looking at God.? (November 12, 2012)

[via The Gourmand Kid]

Source: http://firstwefeast.com/eat/check-out-this-10-year-olds-restaurant-review-site/

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Retiring RIM founder has no plans to sell stake

TORONTO (AP) ? Research In Motion co-founder Mike Lazaridis say he has no plans to sell his significant interest in the BlackBerry maker now that he's retiring as vice chairman and director.

Lazaridis said in an interview with The Associated Press on Thursday that having fulfilled a commitment to the board, he has decided to retire after 29 years with the company.

He says he is leaving RIM in good hands. According to FactSet, Lazaridis is the second biggest shareholder with a 5.7 percent stake.

He and Jim Balsillie had stepped down as co-CEOs in January 2012 after several quarters of disappointing results. Thorsten Heins, the chief operating officer, took over and spent the past year cutting costs and steering Research In Motion Ltd. toward the launch of new BlackBerry 10 phones.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/495d344a0d10421e9baa8ee77029cfbd/Article_2013-03-28-CN-Earns-Research-In-Motion-Lazaridis-Leaves/id-6fbf2abdfe13434eb2bb2da45694c7b5

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Common gene variants explain 42% of antidepressant response

Mar. 28, 2013 ? Antidepressants are commonly prescribed for the treatment of depression, but many individuals do not experience symptom relief from treatment. The National Institute of Mental Health's STAR*D study, the largest and longest study ever conducted to evaluate depression treatment, found that only approximately one-third of patients responded within their initial medication trial and approximately one-third of patients did not have an adequate clinical response after being treated with several different medications. Thus, identifying predictors of antidepressant response could help to guide the treatment of this disorder.

A new study published in Biological Psychiatry now shares progress in identifying genomic predictors of antidepressant response.

Many previous studies have searched for genetic markers that may predict antidepressant response, but have done so despite not knowing the contribution of genetic factors. Dr. Katherine Tansey of Institute of Psychiatry at King's College London and colleagues resolved to answer that question.

"Our study quantified, for the first time, how much is response to antidepressant medication influenced by an individual's genetic make-up," said Tansey.

To perform this work, the researchers estimated the magnitude of the influence of common genetic variants on antidepressant response using a sample of 2,799 antidepressant-treated subjects with major depressive disorder and genome-wide genotyping data.

They found that genetic variants explain 42% of individual differences, and therefore, significantly influence antidepressant response.

"While we know that there are no genetic markers with strong effect, this means that there are many genetic markers involved. While each specific genetic marker may have a small effect, they may add up to make a meaningful prediction," Tansey added.

"We have a very long way to go to identify genetic markers that can usefully guide the treatment of depression. There are two critical challenges to this process," said Dr. John Krystal, Editor of Biological Psychiatry. "First, we need to have genomic markers that strongly predict response or non-response to available treatments. Second, markers for non-response to available treatments also need to predict response to an alternative treatment. Both of these conditions need to be present for markers of non-response to guide personalized treatments of depression."

"Although the Tansey et al. study represents progress, it is clear that we face enormous challenges with regards to both objectives," he added. "For example, it does not yet appear that having a less favorable genomic profile is a sufficiently strong negative predictor of response to justify withholding antidepressant treatment. Similarly, there is lack of clarity as to how to optimally treat patients who might have less favorable genomic profile.."

Additional research is certainly required, but scientists hope that one day, results such as these can lead to personalized treatment for depression.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Elsevier, via AlphaGalileo.

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

---

Journal Reference:

1. Katherine E. Tansey, Michel Guipponi, Xiaolan Hu, Enrico Domenici, Glyn Lewis, Alain Malafosse, Jens R. Wendland, Cathryn M. Lewis, Peter McGuffin, Rudolf Uher. Contribution of Common Genetic Variants to Antidepressant Response. Biological Psychiatry, 2013; 73 (7): 679 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2012.10.030

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/mind_brain/depression/~3/z5l4WA6eDzU/130328091730.htm

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Scientists image deep magma beneath Pacific seafloor volcano

Mar. 27, 2013 ? Since the plate tectonics revolution of the 1960s, scientists have known that new seafloor is created throughout the major ocean basins at linear chains of volcanoes known as mid-ocean ridges. But where exactly does the erupted magma come from?

Researchers at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego now have a better idea after capturing a unique image of a site deep in the Earth where magma is generated.

Using electromagnetic technology developed and advanced at Scripps, the researchers mapped a large area beneath the seafloor off Central America at the northern East Pacific Rise, a seafloor volcano located on a section of the global mid-ocean ridges that together form the largest and most active chain of volcanoes in the solar system. By comparison, the researchers say the cross-section area of the melting region they mapped would rival the size of San Diego County.

Details of the image and the methods used to capture it are published in the March 28 issue of the journal Nature.

"Our data show that mantle upwelling beneath the mid-ocean ridge creates a deeper and broader melting region than previously thought," said Kerry Key, lead author of the study and an associate research geophysicist at Scripps. "This was the largest project of its kind, enabling us to image the mantle with a level of detail not possible with previous studies."

The northern East Pacific Rise is an area where two of the planet's tectonic plates are spreading apart from each another. Mantle rising between the plates melts to generate the magma that forms fresh seafloor when it erupts or freezes in the crust.

Data for the study was obtained during a 2004 field study conducted aboard the research vessel Roger Revelle, a ship operated by Scripps and owned by the U.S. Navy.

The marine electromagnetic technology behind the study was originally developed in the 1960s by Charles "Chip" Cox, an emeritus professor of oceanography at Scripps, and his student Jean Filloux. In recent years the technology was further advanced by Steven Constable and Key. Since 1995 Scripps researchers have been working with the energy industry to apply this technology to map offshore geology as an aid to exploring for oil and gas reservoirs.

"We have been working on developing our instruments and interpretation software for decades, and it is really exciting to see it all come together to provide insights into the fundamental processes of plate tectonics," said Constable, a coauthor of the paper and a professor in the Cecil H. and Ida M. Green Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics at Scripps. "It was really a surprise to discover that melting started so deep in the mantle -- much deeper than was expected."

Key believes the insights that electromagnetics provides will continue to grow as the technology matures and data analysis techniques improve (last week Key and his colleagues announced the use of electromagnetics in discovering a magma lubricant for the planet's tectonic plates).

"Electromagnetics is really coming of age as a tool for imaging the earth," said Key. "Much of what we know about the crust and mantle is a result of using seismic techniques. Now electromagnetic technology is offering promise for further discoveries."

Key also has future plans to apply electromagnetic technology to map subglacial lakes and groundwater in the polar regions.

In addition to Key and Constable, coauthors of the paper include Lijun Liu of the University of Illinois and Anne Pommier of Arizona State University.

The study was supported by the National Science Foundation and the Seafloor Electromagnetic Methods Consortium at Scripps.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of California - San Diego.

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

---

Journal Reference:

1. Kerry Key, Steven Constable, Lijun Liu, Anne Pommier. Electrical image of passive mantle upwelling beneath the northern East Pacific Rise. Nature, 2013; 495 (7442): 499 DOI: 10.1038/nature11932

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/~3/T6Jk5OU8X88/130327144127.htm

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Track your baby's growth progress with Cute Fruit for iPhone

Cute Fruit is an adorable pregnancy app that compares the size of your baby with a fruit or vegetable for each new week of pregnancy. Each week, the photo will change to a new super cute drawing of the food item that your baby is similar in size with and state which week of your pregnancy you're in. You can also share the drawings to Facebook and Twitter.

Cute Fruit isn't like other pregnancy apps that provide a lot of information of what to expect during your pregnancy, but it's just too cute for words. Cute Fruit will send you notifications when you enter a new week in your pregnancy and also includes tasteful advertisements for a beautiful contraction timer, to like them on Facebook and Twitter, and to rate the app in the App Store.

Cute Fruit is super simple and super adorable.

• Free - Download now

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/OnR3uPrkE8A/story01.htm

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China's Apple Smear Campaign Has Totally Backfired

Mar 26 (Reuters) - Leading money winners on the 2013 PGATour on Monday (U.S. unless stated): 1. Tiger Woods $3,787,600 2. Brandt Snedeker $2,859,920 3. Matt Kuchar $2,154,500 4. Steve Stricker $1,820,000 5. Phil Mickelson $1,650,260 6. Hunter Mahan $1,553,965 7. John Merrick $1,343,514 8. Dustin Johnson $1,330,507 9. Russell Henley $1,313,280 10. Kevin Streelman $1,310,343 11. Keegan Bradley $1,274,593 12. Charles Howell III $1,256,373 13. Michael Thompson $1,254,669 14. Brian Gay $1,171,721 15. Justin Rose $1,155,550 16. Jason Day $1,115,565 17. Chris Kirk $1,097,053 18. ...

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/chinas-apple-smear-campaign-totally-backfired-142948514.html

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Young, hot and blue

Thursday, March 28, 2013

The Universe is an old neighbourhood -- roughly 13.8 billion years old. Our galaxy, the Milky Way, is also ancient -- some of its stars are more than 13 billion years old (eso0425). Nevertheless, there is still a lot of action: new objects form and others are destroyed. In this image, you can see some of the newcomers, the young stars forming the cluster NGC 2547.

But, how young are these cosmic youngsters really? Although their exact ages remain uncertain, astronomers estimate that NGC 2547's stars range from 20 to 35 million years old. That doesn't sound all that young, after all. However, our Sun is 4600 million years old and has not yet reached middle age. That means that if you imagine that the Sun as a 40 year-old person, the bright stars in the picture are three-month-old babies.

Most stars do not form in isolation, but in rich clusters with sizes ranging from several tens to several thousands of stars. While NGC 2547 contains many hot stars that glow bright blue, a telltale sign of their youth, you can also find one or two yellow or red stars which have already evolved to become red giants. Open star clusters like this usually only have comparatively short lives, of the order of several hundred million years, before they disintegrate as their component stars drift apart.

Clusters are key objects for astronomers studying how stars evolve through their lives. The members of a cluster were all born from the same material at about the same time, making it easier to determine the effects of other stellar properties.

The star cluster NGC 2547 lies in the southern constellation of Vela (The Sail), about 1500 light-years from Earth, and is bright enough to be easily seen using binoculars. It was discovered in 1751 by the French astronomer Nicolas-Louis de Lacaille during an astronomical expedition to the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa, using a tiny telescope of less than two centimetres aperture.

Between the bright stars in this picture you can see plenty of other objects, especially when zooming in. Many are fainter or more distant stars in the Milky Way, but some, appearing as fuzzy extended objects, are galaxies, located millions of light-years beyond the stars in the field of view.

###

ESO: http://www.eso.org

Thanks to ESO 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/127497/Young__hot_and_blue

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Founded By Early oDesk Employees, Freelancer Marketplace Rev.com Raises $4.5 Million Series A

Rev.com, a freelancer marketplace founded by early oDesk employees, is today announcing $4.5 million in Series A funding led by Venky Ganesan of Globespan Capital Partners. Also?participating?in the round were?Craig Sherman?(former COO of?Ancestry.com) and?Austin Ligon?(founder of CarMax). All three are now members of Rev.com's board of directors, following the round which closed back in August 2012.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/rJHfjeXI59M/

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Tenor Bryan Hymel wins Met Opera's Sills award

NEW YORK (AP) ? A tenor from New Orleans has won the prestigious Beverly Sills Award that signals a star in the works.

Bryan Hymel (EE'-mehl) accepted the $50,000 prize Monday at the Metropolitan Opera.

The 33-year-old Hymel made his debut there in December. He jumped in to take over the daunting lead role in Berlioz's "The Trojans" from another singer.

The Sills award honoring the late American artist goes annually to a vocalist from 25 to 40 who has appeared in a featured role at the Met.

Hymel's powerful but lyrical voice already has triumphed at London's Covent Garden. His other major venues have included the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra.

He'll sing Puccini's "Madame Butterfly" at the Met next season.

He trained at Philadelphia's Academy of Vocal Arts.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/tenor-bryan-hymel-wins-met-operas-sills-award-202101817.html

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Moen retirees to lose health care insurance - The Chronicle-Telegram

LORAIN ? Judy Starcovic was one of nearly 230 Moen Inc. retirees who opened letters last week informing them their company-provided health care insurance will end as of Jan. 1, 2014.

?I was there 35 years and they told me I had health care with them,? Starcovic, 71, said Monday.

The letter, which was signed by Moen President David Lingafelter, informed retirees that as of Jan. 1, Moen will no longer offer health care insurance to approximately 440 retirees in the U.S., including the almost 230 who live in Northeast Ohio and the rest of the state, according to Robyn Hill, Moen vice president of human resources.

Hill cited the cost of insurance, coupled with adapting the company?s health care to conform to changes mandated by the health care reform bill for its current workers as the reason for the change. Those moves include extending the coverage to age 26 for dependents and paying 100 percent coverage for birth control.

Moen also eliminated two of three insurance plans offered to employees in favor of a higher deductible insurance plan, Hill said.

The firm employs approximately 1,800 workers across the U.S., including about 650 in Northeast Ohio.

Starcovic said she had talked with a few fellow retirees of the well-known faucet manufacturer, which had an Elyria facility on Foster Avenue until it closed in 2008. The company has been headquartered in North Olmsted since 1994.

?Everybody is mad and upset,? Starcovic said.

Starcovic, who retired in 2006, worked in a variety of jobs during her 35 years with the company. Those jobs ranged from making faucets and packing them for shipment, to working as a janitor and in shipping.

Moen is not the first company to drop health insurance coverage for Medicare-eligible retirees.

In 1993, 40 percent of employers with 500 or more workers offered coverage, but that number had fallen to 16 percent by 2011, according to a website operated by Kaiser Health News.

Moen retirees had been covered by a number of different insurers in the past several years, but those changes did not hurt benefits, according to Starcovic.

?It?s always been pretty good coverage, with very good prescription benefits, too,? she said.

Starcovic has been paying $29 a month for her insurance through deductions from her pension checks, but now she?s worried about how much new insurance from a carrier not affiliated with the company is going to cost her.

She and other retirees received with the letter booklets detailing Extend Health, a nationwide company offering some 4,000 different plans from about 80 insurance carriers to about 500,000 retirees, according to www.kaiserhealthnews.org.

Starcovic has diabetes, which means she takes prescription medication, some of which currently cost her only $4 or $7 for a 90-day supply.

?The older you get, the more medication you need,? Starcovic said.

Hill declined to provide figures on what retirees might expect to pay for insurance obtained through Extend Health.

?There are so many variables such as a person?s health, medications they take, what doctors they see and how often, and income,? Hill said.

Moen hopes retirees will be ready to choose and enroll in a supplemental health care insurance plan by October during an open enrollment period.

?We don?t want people to buy insurance they might not need, nor do we want them to short-change themselves and not get enough coverage,? Hill said.

Moen will not offer money to help retirees pay for health care insurance, as some companies do.

?That is why we wanted to give people as much notice as we could,? Hill said.

Contact Steve Fogarty at 329-7146 or sfogarty@chroniclet.com.

Source: http://chronicle.northcoastnow.com/2013/03/26/moen-retirees-to-lose-health-care-insurance/

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Study finds molecular 'signature' for rapidly increasing form of esophageal cancer

Study finds molecular 'signature' for rapidly increasing form of esophageal cancer

Monday, March 25, 2013

During the past 30 years, the number of patients with cancers that originate near the junction of the esophagus and stomach has increased approximately 600 percent in the United States. The first extensive probe of the DNA of these esophageal adenocarcinomas (EACs) has revealed that many share a distinctive mix-up of letters of the genetic code, and found more than 20 mutated genes that had not previously been linked to the disease. The research, led by scientists at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, the Broad Institute, and other research centers, may offer clues to why EAC rates have risen so sharply. The findings, which are being released as an advanced online publication by Nature Genetics, point to an array of abnormal genes and proteins that may be lynchpins of EAC cell growth and therefore serve as targets for new therapies, according to the study's authors.

"Adenocarcinomas of the esophagus, particularly those that arise at the gastroesophageal junction, were extremely uncommon 40 years ago and now account for approximately 15,000 new cases in the United States each year," said Adam Bass, MD, of Dana-Farber and the Broad Institute, who is co-senior author of the paper with Gad Getz, PhD, of the Broad Institute and Massachusetts General Hospital. "Unfortunately, it's also a disease with a generally poor prognosis: five years after diagnosis, only about 15 percent of patients are still alive. Bass added that despite the increased incidence of EAC, there have been few new approaches to treatment. "The goal of our study was to identify abnormalities within the genome of EAC cells to develop a foundation to better understand these tumors, diagnose them earlier, and develop better treatments," explained Bass.

EAC is thought to be associated with chronic gastroesophageal reflux, which sends stomach acid gurgling into the esophagus. This produces a condition known as Barrett's esophagus, in which cells at the lower end of the esophagus change to resemble cells in the intestine. Patients with Barrett's esophagus often go on to develop EAC.

Researchers don't know why EAC rates are increasing, but they speculate that it may be due to a rise in obesity, particularly in men: A heavier abdomen puts increased pressure on the stomach, causing acid to back up into the esophagus.

In the new study, researchers "sequenced" specific sections of DNA in cells from 149 EAC tissue samples, reading the individual letters of the genetic code within those areas. They focused on the one percent of the genome that holds the codes for making cell proteins. They also sequenced the entire genome ? all the DNA within the cell nucleus ? of cells from 15 of these EAC samples. Prior to this study, the largest sequencing study of EAC involved only a dozen tumor samples.

"We discovered a pattern of DNA changes that had not been seen before in any other cancer type," Getz remarked. The pattern involved a subtle swap in one of the four "nucleobases" that form the rungs of the DNA double helix, often designated by the letters C, T, G, and A. The investigators found that in many places where an A nucleobase was followed by another A nucleobase, the second "A" was replaced by a "C," a process known as transversion.

"We found this type of transversion throughout the genomes of the EAC cells we analyzed," Bass stated. "Overall, about one-third of all the mutations we discovered within these cells involved this type of transversion. In some tumor samples, these transversions accounted for nearly half of all mutations," Getz added.

Although A-to-C changes are not commonly observed in cancer, there is some evidence that oxidative damage can produce these changes. (Oxidative damage occurs when cells cannot neutralize the potentially harmful products of oxygen's reactions with other molecules.) "Gastric reflux can produce this type of damage, suggesting that reflux may underlie this pattern of mutations," Bass commented.

In addition to the mutational "signature" of AA becoming AC, the research team identified 26 genes that were frequently mutated in the tumor samples.

Five of these were "classic cancer genes" that had previously been implicated in EAC, Bass said, and the others were involved in a variety of cell processes.

Among the genes not previously linked to EAC were ELMO1 and DOCK2, mutations that can switch on a gene called RAC1, which can cause cancer cells to invade surrounding tissue. "The discovery of mutated ELMO1 and DOCK2 in many of these tumors may indicate that this invasive process is particularly active in EAC, promoting metastasis," Bass related. "We know that EAC tumors tend to spread at an earlier stage than many other cancers, which may help explain why survival rates for EAC patients tend to be low."

The RAC1 pathway ? the network of genes that control RAC1 activity ? is being pursued for pharmaceutical development. The discovery of ELMO1 and DOCK2 mutations in EAC samples may spur testing of new agents targeting this pathway in EAC, said Bass.

"Identifying the mutated genes within these tumors will help us understand the underlying biology of the disease," said Bass. "It also presents us with a slate of known genetic abnormalities that can someday be used to diagnose the disease at an early stage, classify tumors by the particular mutations within EAC cells, and ultimately develop treatment geared to precisely those mutations."

###

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute: http://www.dfci.harvard.edu

Thanks to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute 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.

This press release has been viewed 9 time(s).

Source: http://www.labspaces.net/127435/Study_finds_molecular__signature__for_rapidly_increasing_form_of_esophageal_cancer

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Teachers union passes vote of no confidence in Michael Gove

Michael Gove stoked teachers' anger further at the weekend with an sharply critical article about the profession in the Mail on Sunday. Photograph: Oli Scarff/Getty Images

Hundreds of teachers have passed a vote of no confidence in the education secretary, Michael Gove, and the chief inspector of England's schools, Sir Michael Wilshaw.

Delegates at the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) annual conference overwhelmingly carried the motion. Teachers described Gove and Wilshaw as showing "abject failure to improve education or treat teachers, parents and pupils with respect".

ATL is the most moderate of the classroom unions and it is the first time in its history that delegates have passed a motion of no confidence in an education secretary.

Gove stoked teachers' anger this weekend by writing in the Mail on Sunday that they were against his plans for performance-related pay because they "resented the recognition of excellence". He also said headteachers of academies, unlike other state schools, "put the needs of children ahead of the demands of shop stewards".

Jean Roberts, from London, told the conference of 300 teachers: "We have no confidence in Gove or Wilshaw. If any of us behaved to our pupils the way they behave to our profession, we would be sacked."

Teachers are angry at changes to their pay and pensions and the scale of reforms to all parts of the curriculum. They are expected to voice their fury at Gove and Wilshaw at their annual conferences over the next week. The National Union of Teachers will also propose a vote of no confidence in Gove and call on Wilshaw to resign.

Mary Bousted, the ATL general secretary, said Gove and Wilshaw were "sucking the life and hope out of our education system and the teachers who work within it".

But Jesse Ratcliff, from Lincolnshire, told delegates to wait until the general election to show their displeasure with the government.

The conference also heard that some families were so poor that children were having to choose between catching a bus and having lunch. Teachers had to delve into their own pockets to ensure children had something to eat during the school day.

"We are not talking about sweet-stuffing Billy Bunters," said Clare Kellett, from West Somerset Community College. "Some of these students may not be sure of having a decent meal once in the day. Increasingly, teachers have to put their hands in their own pockets to lift children out of poverty."

Source: http://feeds.guardian.co.uk/~r/theguardian/uk/rss/~3/G0v6x5_emd8/teachers-vote-no-confidence-michael-gove

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Brenthaven Trek Folio for iPad mini review

When I first try a new gadget, it can take me a while to finally find the case I prefer for it. ?That’s been true for my iPad mini, too. ?When I got that first iPad years ago, I wanted a back cover that was clear, to let the beauty of the aluminum back show [...]

Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2013/03/23/brenthaven-trek-folio-for-ipad-mini-review/

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Duhamel ready to be slimed at Kids' Choice Awards

FILE - In this Feb. 11, 2013 file photo, actor Josh Duhamel attends the premiere of "Safe Haven" at the Sunshine Landmark in New York. The "Transformers" star is hosting Nickelodeon's Kids' Choice Awards on Saturday, March 23, 2013, and says the ceremony's traditional dumping of the green stuff on celebrities isn't as bad as it looks. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)

FILE - In this Feb. 11, 2013 file photo, actor Josh Duhamel attends the premiere of "Safe Haven" at the Sunshine Landmark in New York. The "Transformers" star is hosting Nickelodeon's Kids' Choice Awards on Saturday, March 23, 2013, and says the ceremony's traditional dumping of the green stuff on celebrities isn't as bad as it looks. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)

FILE - In this Feb. 11, 2013 file photo, actor Josh Duhamel attends the premiere of "Safe Haven" at the Sunshine Landmark in New York. The "Transformers" star is hosting Nickelodeon's Kids' Choice Awards on Saturday, March 23, 2013, and says the ceremony's traditional dumping of the green stuff on celebrities isn't as bad as it looks. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? Josh Duhamel doesn't mind the slime.

The "Transformers" star is hosting Nickelodeon's Kids' Choice Awards on Saturday and says the ceremony's traditional dumping of green goo on celebrities isn't as bad as it looks.

"I got slimed and I thought that it was going to be disgusting," said Duhamel on a break from rehearsing for the show earlier this week. "But it was actually almost soothing in a way. It's this warm goo that comes over you, and then it's a matter of just getting it all off. They have showers in the back."

Still, Duhamel hasn't been able to convince his pregnant wife, Black Eyed Peas singer Fergie, to take part in a sliming.

"I think, in fact, she put in a request not to be," he said, laughing.

Duhamel will be joined on stage at the University of Southern California's Galen Center by such famous attendees as Sandra Bullock, Steve Carell and Chris Pine, with Pitbull, Ke$ha and Christina Aguilera scheduled to perform.

Nickelodeon said a record-breaking 326 million votes have already been cast for the show, which honors kids' favorites in film, music, sports and TV.

___

Online:

http://www.nick.com/kids-choice-awards/

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2013-03-23-US-Kids'-Choice-Awards/id-c0295a1f19994f2f8c9b37654ed6ad78

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Ouya game console will support N64, NES, other classic ... - Liliputing

The first Ouya $99 video game consoles are expected to ship next week to customers who backed the team?s Kickstarter campaign. Users will be able to download and play games on their TV using the small Android-powered game system.

While most of those games will be Android titles optimized for use with a gamepad and TV (instead of a phone or tablet with a touchscreen), you may also be able to play games that were never intended for Android at all ? because the Ouya supports emulators.

Developer Paul Lamb has ported his Mupen64 emulator to the Ouya platform, which will allow users to play Nintendo64 games with an Ouya.

Other developers are also working on emulators for the classic Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) and possibly other consoles as well.

It?s no surprise that you?can use emulators on the Ouya. After all, folks have been designing and running game console emulators on Android phones and tablets for years. And users will be able to side-load any of those apps onto an Ouya.

But the Ouya team is also taking a pretty liberal approach toward emulators in their app store.

In a nutshell, as long as developers don?t offer any copyrighted games or other content, they can distribute their apps in the Ouya store. Lamb?s Mupen64 emulator, for instance, was already approved (although he needs to remove from copyrighted artwork from his screenshots and submit it again).

If you already have an Ouya (or pretty much any other Android device), you can also download the latest beta version of Mupen64 from Lamb?s website.

Theoretically it?s possible for folks to buy a PlayStation, Nintendo64, or other game disc or cartridge and use special hardware and software to rip a video game ROM for personal use with this sort of game emulation software. Most people don?t do that. Instead they download games illegally from the internet, which is why emulators tend to hang out in a relatively gray legal area.

But it?s good to know that in addition to supporting a growing number of Android games, Ouya?s $99 game console will also be able to play hundreds of classic games that were always meant to be used with a TV and gamepad.

The Ouya game console features an NVIDIA Tegra 3 quad-core processor, 1GB of RAM, and 8GB of storage and comes with a wireless game controller. While the first units should ship on March 28th, if you weren?t a Kickstarter backer you?ll have to wait until June to get your hands on one.

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• key specs
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• Game formatDownloadable
• Drive capacity8 GB
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Source: http://liliputing.com/2013/03/ouya-game-console-will-support-n64-nes-other-classic-console-emulators.html

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Northern Irish police defuse car bomb near G8 venue

BELFAST (Reuters) - Northern Irish police defused a bomb in a car on Saturday close to where G8 leaders will meet at a summit in June and said that the device was likely to have been intended for a police station nearby.

Army bomb disposal experts defused the device after a security operation that lasted almost 36 hours in the county Fermanagh town of Enniskillen. The Group of Eight leaders meet just outside the town in three months' time.

A senior Northern Irish officer said police believed the bomb was en route to a police station in a town nearby and would have killed or injured people if it had not been intercepted.

"Once again our community has been disrupted and the lives of residents put at risk by an element intent on causing loss of life and disruption," District Commander Pauline Shields said in a statement.

"The people responsible for this have no regard for the lives of anyone in our community. It is fortunate that no-one was killed or seriously injured as a result of this reckless act."

A 1998 peace deal largely ended more than three decades of violence in the province between mainly Catholic Irish nationalists seeking union with Ireland and predominantly Protestant unionists who want to remain part of the United Kingdom.

However militant nationalists, who include former operatives who split from the IRA after it declared a ceasefire, still stage sporadic gun and bomb attacks and have targeted security forces in particular.

An attempt to fire mortar bombs at a police station was foiled earlier this month in what would have been the first attack of its kind in the United Kingdom since the peace deal ended the IRA's campaign of violence.

(Reporting by Ian Graham; Editing by Padraic Halpin and Michael Roddy)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/northern-irish-police-defuse-car-bomb-near-g8-140026855.html

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As we celebrate our 5th anniversary in April 20th of 2013 | Standard ...

By Muckson Sesay :

As we celebrate our 5th anniversary in April 20^th of 2013, many institutions across Sierra Leone have been privileged to incorporate computer technology into their classrooms; thanks to the Ishaak Muckson Innovative Technology Training (IMITT)?s initiatives.?Through a mutually beneficial engagement from?IMITT, the College of Management and Administration (COMA) in Makeni has developed a professional computer training program for its students and staff. One student, Fatmata Kamara of N?jala University, was noted saying ?through the intervention of IMITT, N?jala campus now has a computer training lab befitting a leading learning institution in Sierra Leone.??After two years of partnership with the Government Technical Institute in Magburaka, students are set to receive their computer training diplomas alongside their counterparts in our headquarters town of?Mile 91 in April this year.

As this writer often says, ?our institutional values dictate that denying technology to a child is the same as denying the right of a child to education. In either circumstance, they won?t be able to get the jobs of tomorrow.? That is why we have embarked on incorporating our programs into learning institutions to build stronger, flexible and skillful workforce in Sierra Leone.

IMIT Institute is a social business with a purpose-oriented rather than profit-oriented. We offer wide range of IT solutions for schools, colleges and businesses. We have a team of experienced network technicians, mainly from rural communities, that provides excellent support for design and implementation of networks for small and large scale businesses. Our institutional strategy is to utilize the power of market forces to accomplish our social goal. We truly believe that teachers and institutions need technological resources to help them overcome the challenges facing the 21st century, that is why we provide institutions with the hardware, maintenance and hardware replacement needed for sustainable computer training environment.

In just five years of its establishment, IMITT has transformed it headquarters town?of Mile 91 into a technological hub where students across Sierra Leone get certified on A+, Network+, MS office and hardware.? Women are being streamlined into top IT positions thereby creating a level playing field where women, especially from remote communities, can be visible and equally participate in the IT field thereby avoiding the precedent of making IT a male dominated industry in Sierra Leone.

Below are the services we provide:

Institutional Partnerships

College of Management and Administration (COMA) in Makeni

IMITT forms partnerships with local educational institutions to integrate computer literacy into classrooms and providing IT experience for their students. In supporting these institutions, IMITT ensures that world class training materials, hardware, and in some case, professional staffing is offered for our partners. We placed specialized emphasis on hardware maintenance, at the same time, providing training for local staff to keep our partners up-running. ?IMITT strongly believes that a computer is as good as the repair service it receives, that is why in some cases we often retain ownership of our systems to allow us continue providing the maintenance, training support of local staff and hardware upgrade needed for sustainability. Should our partners choose to own our systems, we are glad to provide them with excellent and competitive pricing to allow them [our partners] purchase our products at affordable prices.

Hardware for Sale

Hardware Sales

IMITT supplies hardware?to retail and /or wholesale businesses in Sierra Leone. We sell all types of brands of Laptops and Desktops computers; used and new. We procure products from proven manufacturers through proven distribution channels. This is important because it reduces the supply risks often associated with procurement.

Data Integrity

IMITT pride itself in providing ?best practice? backup solution for your PC and Network Systems. Because of our pro-data mind set, we place special emphasis on?Data/Corrupt file Recovery and Password Recovery for Microsoft Windows

On-site Technician?(Providing jobs for our rural technicians)

IMITT staff can be ready for your company on either a per call basis, or you can sign on to a service contract and retain an on-call technician. This means that you have a designated I.T. technician come down to your office once a month to make sure everything is running smoothly. If, during that month, you require any kind of service work to be done, a dedicated I.T. technician will be available to you. Also, should the network go down, you are assured that you have a technician who is familiar with your network ready to get you up and running with minimal downtime. Imagine you have the services of the same technician for all your network/technical needs, but you only need to pay them when there?s actual work to be done?

Source: http://standardtimespress.org/?p=3596

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What makes SKorea cyberattacks so hard to trace?

NEW YORK (AP) ? The attacks that knocked South Korean banks and media outlets offline this week appear to be the latest examples of international "cyberwar." But among the many ways that digital warfare differs from conventional combat: There's often no good way of knowing who's behind an attack.

South Korean authorities said Thursday that the attack, which shut down scores of cash machines and hampered business, had been traced to an "Internet Protocol" address in China. But that doesn't mean the attack was launched from there. The general assumption in South Korea is that the attack originated in North Korea.

"IP" addresses are, roughly speaking, the phone numbers of the Internet. Each connected computer has a number that identifies it uniquely on the network, so the Chinese IP address implies that a computer in China was involved in the attack.

However, that computer could have been controlled from elsewhere, either because someone bought access to it, or because it's been infected with malicious software. To determine the location from which it's being controlled, investigators would need access to that computer, or to the records of the company hosting the computer. That's unlikely to be forthcoming from a Chinese company.

"China is obviously a popular place to hide things," said Dan Holden, director of security research at Arbor Networks' Security Engineering & Response Team. Chinese authorities are difficult to work with and there's a language barrier, he said.

In addition, China is believed to be conducting its own campaign of cyber-espionage, which means that attacks launched from there are often simply attributed to the Chinese government, even if it isn't responsible for the aggression, Holden said.

"If you are any nation state or even any attacker right now, why wouldn't you hide in China right now?" Holden asked rhetorically.

Apart from tracing the path an attack takes through the Internet, there's another way to figure out who's behind it: analysis of the software involved. Malicious software, or "malware," can provide clues to its creator. Some of those are obvious, like comments inserted into the written code. However, such comments can be easily faked to lead investigators astray. More subtle analysis can be fruitful, according to Christopher Novak, managing principal of the global investigative response team at Verizon Communications Inc.

"In many cases, the malware that you see on the computer is very similar to a cold or an illness that a person gets ... The strain of the cold that I have and the strain of the cold that you have may be slightly different, but when we look at the DNA and makeup and see they're 99.9 percent the same, there's a pretty good chance one of us transmitted it to the other," Novak said. "When we analyze malware codes, we see the elements that are copied and reused, certain programming styles."

Such analysis can yield important clues, but rarely rock-solid attribution. The U.S. Department of Defense has said that a cyberattack can merit a violent response, but first you have to know who to target.

"Digital attribution is extremely difficult and if you want to do it, it takes some serious effort," Holden said.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/makes-skorea-cyberattacks-hard-trace-213950829--finance.html

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Primary care physicians missing early signs of serious mental illness

Mar. 21, 2013 ? Primary care providers could help people with warning signs of psychosis get critical early treatment and potentially reduce the current burden on emergency departments and inpatient units, finds a study in the journal Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology. However, these providers may need to be trained to recognize the early symptoms of psychosis.

According to the study authors, these symptoms, which include depressed mood, anxiety, sleep disturbance, social withdrawal, odd behavior, suspiciousness, deterioration in functioning, and irritability, may lead people or their family members to seek help before they reach the level of full psychosis. Furthermore, previous research has shown that delays in treatment for a first episode of psychosis are associated with poor outcomes.

The team from McGill University evaluated administrative data from health and social services providers to identify first-time diagnosis of schizophrenia or spectrum psychosis in people age 14 to 25 in Montreal. They then looked to see whether those people had contact with health services for a mental health reason in the four years before their first diagnosis.

They found that 32 percent of patients had had no mental health care before their initial diagnosis, and nearly 50 percent were first diagnosed with psychosis in an emergency room. Those patients who received primary care were less likely to end up in the emergency room or to be hospitalized, but they also had a longer interval before seeing a psychiatrist.

Although the study was done in Canada, the findings are probably applicable to the United States, said Mia W. Biran, Ph.D., professor emerita of Miami University in Ohio, and a clinical psychologist in private practice. ?This is especially true for people without insurance coverage. There is no doubt that people are falling between the cracks and are not getting attention soon enough,? she said.

Many primary care physicians do not understand that depression and anxiety in a young person may be early symptoms of schizophrenia and psychosis, which usually starts between ages 17 and 25, Biran said. Primary care physicians may prescribe antidepressants or anti-anxiety drugs and follow up with the patients a few months later, which leaves the developing schizophrenia unrecognized until a psychotic episode occurs, she said.

?In my experience, these patients are often referred to a psychologist, therapist, or counselor, but that is not enough,? Biran said. A comprehensive mental health clinic that has professionals on staff who can prescribe and monitor medications along with psychologists and others would provide the best treatment for patients with early psychosis, but such clinics may not be easy to find, especially outside of urban areas, she said. Psychiatrists are also starting to refuse to take health insurance, which can leave even those who have it without treatment, she added.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Health Behavior News Service, part of the Center for Advancing Health. The original article was written by Valerie DeBenedette.

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

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Journal Reference:

1. Anderson K.K., Fuhrer R., Wynant W., et al. Patterns of health services use prior to a first diagnosis of psychosis: The importance of primary care. Soc. Psychiatr. Epidemiol, 21 Feb 2013

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

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Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/mind_brain/mental_health/~3/jKcq-98M8_Q/130321141356.htm

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