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Friday, March 1, 2013

Metal ions regulate terpenoid metabolism in insects

Public release date: 28-Feb-2013
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Contact: Antje Burse
aburse@ice.mpg.de
49-364-157-1265
Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology

Controlled by metal ions, a prenyl synthase in leaf beetle larvae produces the precursors for chemical defenses or juvenile hormones

This press release is available in German.

Max Planck scientists in Jena, Germany, have discovered an unusual regulation of enzymes that catalyze chain elongation in an important secondary metabolism, the terpenoid pathway. In the horseradish leaf beetle Phaedon cochleariae a single enzyme can trigger the production of two completely different substances depending on whether it is regulated by cobalt, manganese or magnesium ions: iridoids, which are defensive substances the larvae use to repel predators, or juvenile hormones, which control insect's development. Insects unlike plants do not have a large arsenal of the proteins called isoprenyl diphosphate synthases. Therefore they may have developed another efficient option to channel metabolites into the different directions of terpenoid metabolism by using metal ions for control. (PNAS, Early Edition, February 25, 2013, DOI:10.1073/pnas.1221489110)

Natural products: 40,000 terpenes

Apart from the primary metabolism which produces substances that ensure the survival of the cells, there are additional biosynthetic pathways in all organisms. Their products may be less important for a single cell, but they can nevertheless be essential for the whole organism. These pathways are summarized as secondary metabolism. One of them is the terpenoid pathway: with more than 40,000 different known structures it generates one of the largest classes of natural products. Terpenoid molecules have diverse functions and can act as components in molecular signaling pathways, as toxins, fragrances or hormones.

The basic unit of all terpenes is a simple molecule containing five carbon atoms that can be joined to chains of different length. There are monoterpenes (C10 units, 2 x C5), sesquiterpenes (C15, 3 x C5), and even polymers, such as natural rubber, which comprises several hundred C5 units. Special enzymes mediate chain elongation. These enzymes have attracted the curiosity of scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, and the Leibniz Institute for Plant Biochemistry in Halle. They studied mechanistic alternatives of how chain elongation is regulated.

Metal ions instead of specialized enzymes

Enzymes involved in chain elongation belong to the group of isoprenyl diphosphate synthases. Such an enzyme was isolated from larvae of the horseradish leaf beetle Phaedon cochleariae. It raised the interest of Antje Burse, project group leader in the Department of Bioorganic Chemistry at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology.

Experiments with larvae in which the enzyme encoding gene was silenced showed that the protein was involved in the formation of the C10 monoterpene chrysomelidial that larvae produce to defend themselves against predators. The larvae accumulate this monoterpene in special glands and release it as a defensive secretion when they are attacked by their enemies, such as ants.

However, surprising results emerged after comprehensive biochemical characterization of the enzyme. "After we had conducted an in vitro analysis of the protein, including measurements of product formation in the presence of different metal ions as co-factors, we were surprised to discover that only geranyl diphosphate (C10), a precursor for the defensive substance chrysomelidial, was produced after addition of cobalt and manganese ions. On the other hand, adding magnesium ions resulted in the formation of farnesyl diphosphate (C15), a potential precursor for juvenile hormones, which is 5 carbon atoms longer," says the scientist. All three metals were found in larval tissue, leading to the assumption that enzyme catalysis is directed by the different metal co-factors in the larvae, whichever is predominant in amount: Towards toxin or hormone ? physiologically a major difference.

Sequence comparisons cannot replace a thorough biochemical analysis

How the different metal ions modify the product range of the enzyme is still unclear. It is very likely that the varying atomic radii of the metal ions involved in the catalysis effect changes in the spatial structure of the enzyme, which prevent or allow the admission of a third C5 unit and hence result in the production of C10 or C15 molecules.

"Our experiments provide two important findings," says Wilhelm Boland, director at the Max Planck Institute. "First, the directing influence of metal ions on the product formation of isoprenyl diphosphate synthases is a novel "control element" in the regulation of the terpene metabolism which should be included in future experimental settings. And secondly: The diversity of terpenoid molecules cannot be attributed solely to the broad substrate specificity of some enzymes in the last steps of the metabolic pathway, but is in fact already inherent in early biosynthetic steps." Nature continues to provide interesting answers to the question how organisms manage to produce tens of thousands of different secondary metabolites. [JWK/AO]

###

Original Publication:

Sindy Frick, Raimund Nagel, Axel Schmidt, Ren R. Bodemann, Peter Rahfeld, Gerhard Pauls, Wolfgang Brandt Jonathan Gershenzon, Wilhelm Boland, Antje Burse: Metal ions control product specificity of isoprenyl diphosphate synthases in the insect terpenoid pathway. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA, Early Edition, February 25, 2013, DOI:10.1073/pnas.1221489110 http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1221489110

Further Information:

Dr. Antje Burse
49-3641-57-1265
aburse@ice.mpg.de

Picture Requests:

Angela Overmeyer M.A.
49-3641-57-2110
overmeyer@ice.mpg.de

or Download via www.ice.mpg.de/ext/735.html

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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Metal ions regulate terpenoid metabolism in insects

Public release date: 28-Feb-2013
[ | E-mail |

Share ]

Contact: Antje Burse
aburse@ice.mpg.de
49-364-157-1265
Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology

Controlled by metal ions, a prenyl synthase in leaf beetle larvae produces the precursors for chemical defenses or juvenile hormones

This press release is available in German.

Natural products: 40,000 terpenes

Metal ions instead of specialized enzymes

Sequence comparisons cannot replace a thorough biochemical analysis

###

Original Publication:

Further Information:

Dr. Antje Burse
49-3641-57-1265
aburse@ice.mpg.de

Picture Requests:

Angela Overmeyer M.A.
49-3641-57-2110
overmeyer@ice.mpg.de

or Download via www.ice.mpg.de/ext/735.html

[ | E-mail |

Share ]

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-02/mpif-mir022813.php

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Stretchable, serpentine lithium-ion battery works at three times its usual size

While we've seen more than a few flexible batteries in our day, they're not usually that great at withstanding tugs and pulls. A team-up between Northwestern University and the University of Illinois could give lithium-ion batteries that extreme elasticity with few of the drawbacks you'd expect. To make a stretchable battery that still maintains a typical density, researchers built electrode interconnects from serpentine metal wires that have even more wavy wires inside; the wires don't require much space in normal use, but will unfurl in an ordered sequence as they're pulled to their limits. The result is a prototype battery that can expand to three times its normal size, but can still last for eight to nine hours. It could also charge wirelessly, and thus would be wearable under the skin as well as over -- imagine fully powered implants where an external battery is impractical or unsightly. There's no word yet on whether there will be refined versions coming to real-world products, but we hope any developments arrive quickly enough to give stretchable electronics a viable power source.

Filed under: Wearables, Science, Alt

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Via: ScienceDaily

Source: Nature

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/t_pDc2eIO5A/

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Chemicals linked to obesity in black children - Mother Nature Network

Black children with high levels of hormone-altering chemicals used in some shampoos and lotions are more likely to be obese, according to research published today.

The study by New York University scientists is the second to link phthalates to obesity in children but the first to use a large sample of children and look for racial disparities.

Black children have much higher levels of the chemicals in their bodies than children of other races, and for every tripling of certain compounds, they were 22 percent more likely to be obese, according to data from 2,884 children aged 6 to 19. No links to obesity were found in white or Hispanic children.

?The takeaway is we need to consider environmental exposures when looking at the obesity problem,? said Leonardo Trasande, a professor at New York University School of Medicine and lead author of the study. ?Environmental chemicals may contribute independently of diet and exercise.?

Phthalates are a large family of chemicals with varied uses. The phthalates associated with black children?s obesity were the kind commonly added to personal care products to make fragrances last longer. Other phthalates are used to make vinyl and can be found in food packaging, medical devices and flooring.

Trasande and colleagues checked for a variety of phthalates and only found a link to the kinds used in personal care products.

Both Trasande and other researchers were quick to point out that this doesn?t mean phthalates cause obesity.

?It?s a big study and nationally representative, which is good,? said Joe Braun, an epidemiology professor at Brown University who was not involved with the research. ?But since they measure phthalates levels in urine and obesity at the same time, it?s a chicken and egg problem. Do phthalates cause obesity or are obese children more exposed?? It?s unclear, he said, when they were exposed relative to when they became obese.

Kathryn St. John, a senior director of product communications at The American Chemistry Council, which represents chemical manufacturers, said no conclusions can be drawn from this study about whether a significant increase in childhood obesity can be linked to phthalate exposure.

?Attempts to link our national obesity problem to minute exposures to chemicals found in common, everyday products are a distraction from efforts to address this important national health issue,? St. John said.

Previous studies have linked phthalates to hormone disruption ? including hormones responsible for fat tissue and development of the brain and reproductive system. Trasande said it?s plausible ? though not proven by this study ? that phthalates could contribute to obesity by messing with receptors that metabolize lipids and carbohydrates.

One previous study linked phthalates to obesity in children. High phthalate concentrations were associated with increased body mass and waist size in Hispanic and black children aged 6 to 8 in New York City. Phthalates also were linked to adult obesity in a 2007 study.

In the new study, it is unclear why there was only a link for black children, but it could be due to their higher concentrations of the chemicals. For the personal care product-type phthalates, black children had levels 81 percent higher than white children, 45 percent higher than Mexican American children and 4 percent higher than other Hispanic children.

"One possibility is that different racial/ethnic groups use phthalate-containing shampoos and lotions differently, or use products containing different [phthalate] mixes," says the study, which was published online in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.

Researchers didn?t see any differences by age groups. And, while the black children had higher levels of phthalates as a whole, the association with obesity happened at relatively low levels of exposure, Trasande said. The study used data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention?s 2008 nationwide testing of chemicals in people?s bodies.

It?s possible black children are simply more exposed, or they metabolize the chemicals differently, said Emily Barrett, a professor at the University of Rochester who studies exposure to environmental chemicals.

Many factors ? including nutrition and stress ? could alter how different children metabolize chemicals, said Jennifer Adibi, an epidemiology professor at the University of California, San Francisco.

In a study released late last year by Trasande and colleagues, another hormone disrupting chemical ? bisphenol A ? was linked to obesity in only white children.

Trasande controlled for diet, television watching, gender and age in the phthalate study. Pinning chemicals to weight gain is a challenge, but the study forces some new thinking about obesity, he said.

The next research step is to look at phthalate exposures from fetus to childhood to try to tease out whether the chemicals are contributing to obesity, he said.

Adibi said the findings are ?interesting and scary.? While it?s not enough evidence to spur policy changes, she hopes it will reframe the conversations about risks to disadvantaged communities.

?This is another reason to increase awareness among low income, African American and Hispanic populations and let them know they?re at an increased risk of exposure to these chemicals and that we?re seeing these associations (with obesity),? Adibi said.

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Keep your Feet Healthy and Happy | Best Self Magazine | Atlanta GA

By Sarah E. King

These days, we all lead demanding and active lives. In a single outing, we can run to the store, pick up the dry cleaning, spend a few hours at the office, throw in a workout, stand in line at the bank and take the dog for a walk. We are constantly on the go, and always on our feet, ready to tackle the next errand or take on the next "to-do."

But have you ever stopped to think about the intricate and biological wonder that has taken you to all those places? Your feet. Made up of 52 bones and more than 100 ligaments, tendons and muscles all working together, this crucial part of your body works hard to keep you on the move. When was the last time you took into account how much your feet affect your lifestyle, and for that matter, how much your lifestyle affects your feet?

"The foot is the most complicated part of the body, but the most neglected by most people," says Raymond Margiano, Ph.D., founder and CEO of Foot Solutions, Inc., which focuses on providing a line of shoes, arch supports and foot care accessories. "A lot of people don't understand it, but the feet are the foundation of your body, similar to the foundation of a building. Over time, you start seeing stress cracks in the foundation, and the building starts to lean. The foundation of your body is critical to your alignment; everything above your feet needs that solid support."

Margiano, who has been in the footwear and pedorthic industry for more than 20 years, is not alone in his opinion. Dr. Carl Kihm, podiatric physician and surgeon with Village Podiatry Centers, says we oftentimes take our feet for granted until we experience an ongoing problem that is painful or debilitating.

"Our feet are our foundation and they allow us to be mobile and live," Dr. Kihm says. "If the bones and joints of your foot and/or ankle are in poor condition, this can affect your posture, pace, the pressure distribution and time spent on each foot while walking, which can ultimately lead to knee, hip and back pains."

Dr. Kihm, who sees patients at Village Podiatry Center's Marietta-Kennestone and Douglasville offices, says early assessment and treatment is the optimal way to keep your feet healthy. "Do not ignore your feet. If they hurt, you should listen to your body and you should not try to deal with the pain," he says. "Consider which factors make them feel worse and avoid these."

Clearly, paying attention to your feet and what your body is telling you are the first steps in obtaining happy and healthy feet. But what are we dealing with here? And what do we do to tackle common foot problems?

The Usual Suspects

Dr. David Scott of Resurgens Orthopaedics, who specializes in foot and ankle issues as well as trauma and knee surgeries, puts foot health into simple terms. "When you don't take care of your feet, they hurt, and you don't get to do what you like to do," he says. "Take care of your feet, and you get a lifetime of foot health and wellness." However, despite the straightforward advice, 10 to 20 percent of people have some kind of recurring or chronic foot problem. Here are a few of the more common ailments:

Bunions:

A bunion is a condition where the big toe gradually dislocates, and can get more severe and painful over time. This condition is caused by the bone structure of your feet, which is hereditary. Dr. Kihm says some shoes can make the condition more painful, but shoes are not the cause of bunions.

Treatment: "Wide-toed shoes and padding may be helpful to reduce this kind of pain," Dr. Kihm says. "However, because bunions are a bone condition, sometimes, surgery is required to address and correct the bony etiology and painful deformity."

Hammertoe:

A hammertoe is a deformity of the second, third or fourth toes, in which the toe is bent at the middle joint. If left untreated, a hammertoe may become fixed and require surgery.

Treatment: "Everything in your body has some kind of balance, such as the bicep and the tricep in your arm," Dr. Scott says. "The hammertoe is a sort of imbalance in the toe where the first knuckle is bent up and the second knuckle gets bent down." Dr. Scott says a hammertoe can be surgically straightened by removing the knuckle and lengthening the tendons. The knuckle is then fused straight. "You have to balance all of the joints to correct the hammertoe," he says. Dr. Scott also says forefoot problems in the ball of your foot may be the result of tight calf muscles. "When your calf muscle is tight, it puts more pressure on the ball of your foot when you walk," he says. "People who experience bunions and hammertoes should have their calf muscles checked, and if tight and causing more pressure on the ball of your foot, they should be lengthened during surgery."

Corns:

Corns are pressure-induced callus formations on the toes. Dr. Kihm says each patient is assessed individually to determine why these are occurring.

Treatment: "Your podiatrist can usually trim your corn and this can allow for an immediate relief of pain," he says. "If your shoes are too tight or if you have hammertoes associated with these corns, these can be causative factors that need to be addressed to prevent the corns from returning." Padding around the toes can also reduce the pressures that create corns. However, Dr. Kihm says he cautions people with poor sensation, especially diabetic patients, not to use medicated corn pads. "These contain salicylic acid that dissolves away the corn, but can also dissolve away healthy skin and create wounds and more severe problems."

Plantar fasciitis:

Plantar fasciitis occurs when the strong band of tissue that supports the arch of your foot becomes irritated and inflamed. The bottom of the heel becomes tender and sore. Dr. Scott says there are many factors that cause plantar fasciitis. "The aging of the tendon and the stress we put on it in day-to-day life is one factor," he says. "We are also heavier than we should be, and not as athletic as we should be." Dr. Scott says while sometimes there is an event where you may injure your heel, very frequently, there is not one factor to put your finger on.

Treatment: "Given enough time, plantar fasciitis will actually go away, but you can do things to speed it up," Dr. Scott says. Maintaining a healthy body weight, stretching the upper calf muscle, wearing good footwear or anti-inflammatory medications are all possible forms of treatment. "Ninety-five percent of heel pain, however, gets better with stretching," he says.

Ingrown Nails:

An ingrown nail occurs when the side of the nail grows into the skin. When left untreated, the irritated nail can create infection. Causes include footwear that crowds the toes, not properly cutting the nail or toenail injury.

Treatment: Dr. Kihm says to prevent ingrown nails, avoid cutting your nails too short and do not cut them on a sharp curvature. If you develop an ingrown nail, see your podiatrist for treatment; an in-office procedure is oftentimes performed, which can remove the ingrown nail and prevent it from returning.

If the Shoe Fits...

Certain aches and pains can be avoided by simply paying attention to the shoes you put on your feet. Margiano says most foot problems are caused or aggravated by wearing ill-fitted shoes. "Ninety percent of people are not wearing properly fitted shoes... you want to wear shoes like the shape of your foot, with room and support for walking or running," he says. "Your foot takes the impact if you're not supporting it properly."

For women, the daily use of high-heels is a major culprit in foot pain. "Women will have five times more issues with their feet than men, and the main reason is the female tendency to wear shoes more for appearance than for comfort," Margiano says.

For a woman to avoid issues due to high-heels, Margiano suggests not wearing heels higher than 1.5 to 2 inches, as well as wearing high-heels in moderation. "You don't want to force your feet into this awkward position," he says. "Heels slam those toes into a narrow wedge, and are the leading cause for bunions and hammertoes."

But men aren't free from shoe discomfort either. According to Dr. Kihm, men are five times more likely to have a traumatic fracture of their heel bone than women. "These kinds of injuries are usually experienced when jumping or falling from a height, and since men, for example, work more frequently on roofs, this makes sense."

Dr. Scott says men also are more prone to overuse and sports-related injuries, and injuries among his male and female patients are equal. However, women still take the brunt of footwear-related pain. "I see two or three women patients for every male," he says. "Women are in for more shoe-related issues due to restrictive footwear, and I see more foot and ankle issues with women."

Flip-flops and ballet flats, which offer little arch support, are also a concern for health care professionals. Margiano says there are many foot injuries that result from the foot not being supported, like fallen arches. "Your foot, overtime, will collapse, and being flat footed puts more pressure on your ankle and knees," Margiano says. "You can purchase custom inserts for flats or heels to support the arch... a lot of things can be done for fashionable footwear. When you put in an insert, your foot feels better and feels more supported."

Dr. Kihm says there are many different reasons for fallen arches, and some may have more to do with heredity. "If this problem is noted in children, or since childhood, this typically reflects the patient's inherited bone structure of the arch of his or her feet," he says. "When this problem arises in adulthood, the cause can be the result of tendon damage and dysfunction. We commonly see this in older and overweight females, and it commonly only involves one foot at a time."

For an inherited or developed issue, Dr. Kihm suggests wearing supportive sneakers with rigid arch supports to help prevent or treat these conditions. However, when pain, fatigue or weakness is associated with fallen arches, Dr. Kihm warns that you should report for a physical exam, as these conditions may get worse with time.

Put Your Best Foot Forward

Understanding the steps to take in addressing foot problems will help put you on the right track for a healthier lifestyle. And taking care of your feet can be a simple process. Dr. Scott offers this final advice:

"Keep your weight near your ideal range, pick your activities carefully. When you change activities, you should change it in a gradual way so your feet don't fracture or break. Wear comfortable shoes," he says. "Also, calf stretching and a flexibility routine are important. Those who have stayed flexible as they age tend to do better. Flexibility should be a long-term part of everyone's fitness goals."

Having the right footwear is crucial to maintaining healthy feet. But we don't think about it as much as we should. According to Dr. Kihm, the pressure on your feet exceeds your bodyweight when walking, and can reach four times your body weight when running. "We don't think about this a lot and maybe we 'put up' with our feet being sore or painful," he says. "It should not be this way and it does not need to be. Proper footwear is very important so you can support and protect your feet as they function."

The Right Support

Hiking Boots

Bubba Sloan, co-founder of High Country Outfitters, knows his way around a hiking boot. Sloan says, when it comes to footwear, making sure you have the proper fit is important. "If there was one shoe on the market that I think would fit everyone, I'd sell one shoe," he says. To find the right boot keep these tips in mind:

The sole: You need sturdiness in the sole of the boot so the foot stays in a stable position. Boots which cover the ankle are not meant to prevent rolling your ankle, but to protect from rocks or other abuses on the trail.
Socks: Merino wool lets the foot breath and doesn't cause temperatures to rise in the boot like synthetic socks.
Boots: A light weight, waterproof boot is a good starting point for new hikers.

Heels

For those who wear heels on a daily basis, it's no surprise to hear that high heels cause a range of foot problems.

Dr. Kihm: "High heels change the forces on the foot as they shift the pressure to the front of the foot. They also have a narrow toe box, which crams the toes together, and can cause corns and calluses, or make bunions more painful."
Dr. Scott: "It's common sense and we all know it, but we like fashion. You'd rather look good than feel good sometimes. Shoes that are wide enough for your feet, with good thick bottoms, and don't constrict the bone are ideal. Fashion footwear is tight, and doesn't fit how the human foot was made... very few people can wear high heels when they're older."

Editorial Resources:
Raymond Margiano, CEO - Foot Solutions, Inc., www.footsolutions.com
Dr. Carl Kihm - Village Podiatry Centers, www.villagepodiatrycenters.com
Dr. David Scott - Resurgens Orthopaedics, www.resurgens.com
Bubba Sloan - High Country Outfitters, www.highcountryoutfitters.com

Source: http://www.bestselfatlanta.com/track/73/L0Jlc3QtU2VsZi1BcnRpY2xlcy9IZWFsdGgtV2VsbG5lc3MvS2VlcC15b3VyLUZlZXQtSGVhbHRoeS1hbmQtSGFwcHkuaHRtbA==.html

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Going Green With Energy Efficient Appliances | Living Lifestyle for ...

recycle

Green living has become such a mainstream concept as the public has become increasingly educated on the importance of renewable energy, non-renewable resources, and the overall impact that environmentally friendly choices has on the health of people, animals, and plants.

There are the very basic green choices that are present in most public spaces such as high speed hand air dryers in public restrooms, chain grocery store clerks asking if customers have brought their own bags, and the energy saving light bulbs that have actually phased out traditional incandescent light bulbs. All of these are a great step in the right direction, but are merely the tip of the iceberg in green living.

Energy Saving Appliances

The appliance industry has been quick to realize that green living will only continue to grow, and has a variety of gadgets and devices to make almost any activity more energy efficient and environmentally friendly. To begin with the major home appliances refrigerators, washers, and dryers are typically the three using up the most energy. Luckily, Energy Star ratings are a government backed program which helps to make energy efficiency easy to determine when comparing products.

Not only do new greener washing machines use less water, front loading washers use less energy and electricity due to a more efficient design. Combine these greener models with the overall green living tips of washing with cold water, using a clothes line on sunny days, and regularly emptying the lint trap on the dryer. Dryers with a moisture sensor are most energy efficient as they do not continue drying for a set amount of time, but stop when no more moisture is detected.

Energy Star Appliances

Energy Star refrigerators are another great investment as this appliance is always on, working every minute of every day. Greener models of refrigerators make use of technology such as LED lights and alarms when the door is open too long, a great feature for families with young children who may need a reminder that fridge has been open too long. Some models use materials such as stainless steel to make for better energy conduction. Buying an Energy Star-rated refrigerator guarantees a significant energy savings, but those savings can be maximized by opting for a model with the freezer on top and no ice makers or dispensers.

These are the three appliances with the greatest opportunity for energy savings and green living, but the choices do not stop there.

Green living includes the materials a product is made up as well as the way it uses energy, so keep in mind that recycled material or renewable resources such as bamboo are great options when faced with a multitude of options. Saving energy and water are the two main ideas behind green living appliances for the home. The bathroom is thus the next logical place to add in some green appliances.

Going Green

Going green in the bathroom can be as simple as limiting water waste with inexpensive low-flow showerheads, sinks, and toilets. An older model toilet can be adjusted to use less water by adjusting the water height in the toilet tank, an easily accomplished DIY project. However, those already employing these eco-friendly appliances and looking for a way to further their green lifestyle can consider the composting toilet.

Composting toilets use very little to no water and put the waste to work as compost material. A tank less water heater is another great appliance for green living which will increase energy savings in the bathroom, laundry room, and kitchen.

Home Efficiency

Seeing the effects of energy efficient products and green appliances is easily done with the free GreenSaver app. This smartphone app measures the energy usage of products, and shows the cost of that usage. It also compares different products to help homeowners understand the best option, while showing how much energy is being saved in using the standby mode. Employing this app or making use of the energy audits that many energy companies are now offering to customers allows homeowners to better understand their energy usage, and how they can adjust to live a greener life.

Author Information

Rhonda Dinn is a digital content developer for www.touchfreeconcepts.com. ?She is focused on improving the health of people with hands free products in both the home and in the workplace.

Source: http://inspringfieldva.com/?p=490

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Jessica Simpson to Name Her Baby Boy ...

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/02/jessica-simpson-to-name-her-baby-boy/

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94Fifty smart basketball can tell when you've got game, teaches when you don't

Everyday street basketball players (and would-be pros) don't have many tools to quantify their progress. InfoMotion Sports thinks they're owed more than just a pat on the back, so it's bringing its 94Fifty smart basketball to everyday hoop fans. Like the existing model for teams, sensors inside the amateur basketball detect the forces involved in a dribble or shot, relaying details such as the throw angle or power through Bluetooth; Android and iOS apps will be available out of the gate. The stats are for more than just bragging rights, too. InfoMotion's custom software centers on training sessions and competitions, including challenges from seasoned veterans. No matter how hard they play, owners will just have to rest the ball on a Qi wireless charging pad at the end of a session. InfoMotion Sports' $295 asking price will be steep when the 94Fifty arrives in the summer -- but it may be one of the better options for amateurs who want to improve the finer points of their game without donning a uniform.

Filed under: Misc