Monday, 27 May 2013

Apocalypsis du Jour, Amnesia Forever!

Now that the Large Hadron Collider at CERN has uncovered the Higgs boson, the standard model of particle physics is complete, except for one thing: black holes.? Those of you with infinite memories will recall the enormous flap four long years ago over the possibility that microscopic black holes produced by the LHC would swallow the Earth in a matter of months, rendering superfluous this past year?s widely anticipated annihilation.?? Of course, the proximity of the LHC?s startup to the end of the recently-expired cycle of time can hardly be coincidental and one is inexorably drawn to the conclusion that the fatal holes themselves were Mayan predictions. ? (There are those who credit Nostradamus.)

Apocalypses may come and go, but the pace of forgetting George Santayana?s oft quoted, ?Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it,? does appear to be increasing.? In the past decade alone we have been extinguished by Y2K registers, Mayan baktuns, LHC strangelets and black holes, not to mention black holes caused by relativistic ion colliders, as well as the forthcoming 2038 integer overflow (be warned).

Striking has been the silence of the doomsayers emeriti.?? In the decade since we waited breathlessly for airplanes to drop out of the sky at midnight January 1, 2000, no software engineer has stepped forward to confess that Y2K was an Armageddon invented to bilk the US out of an estimated $300 billion.? Judgment Day averted or Judgment Day designed?? The Wall St. Journal, at least, labeled Y2K ?the hoax of the century? (the Journal may be optimistic).? The difficulty in laying Y2K to rest points to the first burning question raised by renascent apocalypticism:? Are we witnessing a mere acceleration of forgetfulness, consistent with the acceleration of all other aspects of modern life?? Or does before our eyes hurtle an accelerating charlatanism masquerading as science, closer to Marx?s celebrated observation that historical events occur twice, first as tragedy, then as farce? (Whatever the answer, meticulous detective work will surely establish that behind last year?s misinterpretation of the Mayan calendar stood some Yucatan hoteliers intent on cleaning up on End of the World parties.)

Focus more seriously, or not, on the ragnakyngja, the swallowing of the gods by black holes.? Here, too, no one has confessed error.? Not a single pleasing ?I was wrong; I misunderstood black-hole physics; I should have kept my mouth shut? has lofted through the ether.? Genuine scientists, yes, may wince before acknowledging mistakes, but sooner or later the inexorable stranglehold of reality compels them to fess up.? If you, in all innocence, confront a black-hole prophet, my crystal ball predicts that the words issuing from his lips will be, to the contrary, ?The LHC won?t be running at full energy for several years.? Behold, thou shalt repent and thou shalt perish!?

I?m not being altogether facetious. Each time I publish an essay on science, a dozen or two messiahs benevolently rain upon me their heaven-sent wisdom.? Though their texts are inscribed in stone, as it were, they are invariably characterized by a lack of higher mathematics (or in the case of the black-hole sentinels, elevated but meaningless mathematics), just as the messiahs themselves are characterized by, well, messianic conviction.? On the occasions when I have been foolish enough to redistribute these missives among their creators, apologetically suggesting that they sort out such weighty matters among themselves, each candidate-savior assures me that he and he alone is the Alpha and the Omega.? Anyone stretching toward Omegadom must, naturally, be persistent.? One fellow practically crossed the Atlantic to force me to read his commandments and has not ceased his efforts since.

Is charlatanism rising? The answer to the first burning question may hardly be straightforward, but a savant can nevertheless proclaim without fear of contradiction (annihilation?) that anyone wanting to learn whether the world is in danger of digestion by black holes would do better to search for the truth in psychology rather than physics.

Thus behold the second burning question raised by the current cycle of auguries:? Why do reporters pay more homage to evangelists of doom than to scientists? One hesitates even to suggest, nay hint, that the media show less interest in truth than in controversy?the traditional ?who, what, , where, when, why and how? of journalism having in the past decade surrendered to ?for each opinion an anti-opinion.? Journalists are, in any event, underequipped to resolve what superficially appear to be scientific issues and they must rely on experts.? Do they?? Personally, I?ve seen little evidence in favor.? One does suspect that journalists give oracles a loose rein because they experience a certain solidarity with their brethren: Pundits and prophets alike enjoy spouting off far more than they do repenting.? It is a dead certainty that once a story becomes news, no self-respecting journalist wants to be left behind the pack.

As a miserable? result, we find ourselves in a circus where the only arguments heard above the clamor are those from authority or, perhaps more accurately, from pretenders, come one, come all.? When the black hole flap originally broke four years ago, I wrote that a respected Russian physicist, Grigory Vilkovisky, claimed to have proven, contrary to Stephen Hawking?s celebrated result, that black holes do not completely radiate away their mass, but evaporate only about half.? If Vilkovisky were correct, it would not only radically alter our ideas about black hole physics, but ?any black holes created at CERN might actually survive long enough to be taken seriously.? A poor choice of words.? I intended ?seriously as a scientific phenomenon.?? Inevitably, I was taken to mean ?seriously as a threat to Earth.? Worse, the entire online debate revolved around Vilkovisky?s credentials or mine.

All of which, in principle, was noise.? In science, ex cathedra arguments fall on deaf ears, or so such tales come down to us from legendary times.? Papal infallibility goes unrecognized and only argument from data, from principles, from mathematics counts.? The single issue was whether Vilkovisky was right or wrong, not whether he is a member of the Russian Academy of Sciences.? But sadly and realistically, even scientists are incapable of reaching informed conclusions in areas beyond the horizon of their expertise, and we cannot expect more of journalists or the citizenry.? (For the record, Vilkovisky?s reaction to the black hole ferment was, ?It isn?t worth a plugged nickel.?)

While there is pleasure in participating in an unceasing, carnivalian Dance of Death, amidst our raucous festivities we should not forget that cataclysms, even imaginary ones, have consequences.? Raise a toast to the laudable scientists who expended man-years refuting the black hole claims, yea man-years, when they thirsted to pursue other research; cast an eye on the lawsuits waged to prevent the LHC from operating, lawsuits that doubtlessly involve millions of dollars and that continue to the present.? Then behold the third burning question: What are we to do about the perpetuum apocalypsi cum Saturnalia which envelopes us?

The most reasonable answer might be to enjoy it.? But as the noisy, festive day grows momentarily silent, those of sober disposition can counter that many scientific issues are orders of magnitude more serious than rampaging black holes and Mayan calendars. As the century progresses, nuclear power safety, the safety of biological research and similar concerns will become ever more important and their impact extends far beyond the confines of the scientific community itself.? Courts are poor venues to settle such disputes because they are hamstrung by jurisdictional wrangling and because technical testimony extends beyond the judges? expertise. We can imagine an international tribunal or clearing house in the Hague,? along the lines of Doctors Without Borders, which appoints disinterested panels to hear each case.? Such a body may work, although it is unlikely to be cheap.? In the meantime, scientists need to abandon their dismissive attitudes towards public concerns, attitudes that have not helped their own cause and journalists need to adopt an attitude of perspicacity rather than contention.? Most of all, prophets should be expected to offer up at least a bottle of champagne and an expiration date on their predictions, with the promise that if on that date the prophecy turns up bust, they will shut up once and for all.?? Then maybe the rest of us might be able to get a good night?s sleep?and expect to wake up in the morning.

Image: by Schwarzm.

Source: http://rss.sciam.com/click.phdo?i=d11ad8dd3823093911b5b06472eaa5a2

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Saturday, 25 May 2013

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Friday, 24 May 2013

Syrian opposition urges rebels to join key battle

BEIRUT (AP) ? Syria's main opposition alliance on Wednesday urged fighters from around the country to reinforce a rebel-held town under attack by President Bashar Assad's troops and their allies from the Lebanese militant Hezbollah group.

With its appeal, the Syrian National Coalition sought to bolster embattled rebel forces in Qusair who for a fourth straight day Wednesday came under fierce assault by government troops.

The town, which is near the border with Lebanon, lies at the heart of a government offensive to secure a strategic strip running from the capital, Damascus, to the Mediterranean coast and Syria's seaports.

The Iranian-backed Hezbollah group has been fighting alongside Syrian regime forces in the town and surrounding areas in Homs province for weeks. Hezbollah has been trying to keep a low profile, but could no longer do so after several dozen of its fighters were killed in the battle over Qusair.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, speaking in neighboring Jordan, called on Iran and Hezbollah to stop helping Assad, saying this activity "perpetuates the regime's campaign of terror against its own people."

Underlining the importance of Qusair, George Sabra, head of the main political opposition group, the Syrian National Coalition, on Wednesday urged rebels from all over Syria to join the fight for the town.

Opposition fighters in Qusair were holding out Wednesday, but appeared to be under increasing strain as government tanks and artillery pounded the town and warplanes bombed it from the sky.

A local government official from the Homs governor's office told The Associated Press that about 80 percent of Qusair was in government hands. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not allowed to give information to the media during an ongoing military operation.

He added that Assad's troops discovered tunnels linking areas around the town, and that the fighting is now concentrated in the northwestern parts of Qusair where the "terrorists" ? the phrase regime uses for opposition fighters ? were still entrenched. The official's account could not be independently verified because Damascus bans independent media access to much of the country.

This video, posted to YouTube, demonstrates Syrian use of parachute bombs over the town of Qusair.

Rami Abdul-Rahman, who heads the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights activist group, said Syrian government and Hezbollah units were bombarding Qusair with rockets on Wednesday.

The Observatory said at least 31 Hezbollah fighters have been killed in the battle for Qusair since Sunday. The group, which relies on a wide network of activists on the ground in Syria, said at least 83 rebels and nine Syrian soldiers were also killed, as well as six Lebanese fighting on the rebel side.

A video released by activists on Tuesday showed destruction in several areas in the city as well as heavy damage to the minaret of Qusair's grand mosque that was riddled with bullets and shells.

The video appeared genuine and corresponded to other AP reporting on the events depicted.

Hezbollah's role in the fighting in Qusair has ratcheted up tensions in neighboring Lebanon, which has been on edge since the Syrian conflict began in 2011. Lebanon and Syria share a complex web of political and sectarian ties and rivalries that are easily enflamed.

Most of Lebanon's Sunni Muslims back the Syria's predominantly Sunni opposition, while Shiites support the Assad regime, which is dominated by members of his minority Alawite sect, an off-shoot of Shiite Islam.

This video is described as showing rebels with seized weapons taken, it says, ?after a bloody battle with Hezbollah elements.? We cannot independently verify such specific claims, but the uploader, qmediacentre, has been reliably documenting fighting in the town for several days.

More than 70,000 people have been killed and several million displaced by the conflict that erupted more than two years ago.

Fighting raged Wednesday in the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli between supporters and opponents of Assad. Lebanese security officials said that at least 10 people, including two Lebanese soldiers, have been killed and more than 100 wounded since Sunday in Tripoli. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations.

Also Wednesday, the U.N. agency aiding Palestinian refugees across the Middle East said between 70 percent to 80 percent of the half million Palestinian refugees in Syria were uprooted over the past two years.

Despite the fighting, the international community hopes to bring representatives of the regime and the opposition to an international conference in June to launch peace talks. The goal is to form a joint transitional government to pave the way for elections, but gaps between the sides remain wide.

Kerry told reporters in Amman on Wednesday that the United States and its Arab and European allies will step up their support for Syria's opposition to help them "fight for the freedom of their country" if Assad does not engage in peace talks in good faith.

The U.S. has been unwilling to send weapons to the rebels. Kerry did not explain how additional non-lethal support to rebel fighters would help them reverse a string of recent military successes by the regime. Russia and Iran have continued to supply weapons to Syria throughout the conflict, while Hezbollah has sent thousands of fighters to Syria to support Assad.

In Germany, the weekly Der Spiegel reported that the German intelligence chief has revised his assessment of the Syrian civil war.

The chief, Gerhard Schindler, told a small group of politicians dealing with security issues in a secret briefing that Assad's military is stronger than it has been in a long time, according to Der Spiegel. Additional successful offensives of the regime are possible anytime, he said.

The German intelligence agency BND believes this is a turning point. At the end of 2012, it appeared the regime was in its end phase.

He said the channels for restocking the regime's weapons supplies are now open, and the supply of gas for tanks and aircraft is also working again. Schindler said Assad most likely won't be able to defeat the rebels, but he can contain them and even win back some territory.

The BND predicts that in 2013, regime troops will be able to recapture additional territory. If the fighting continues as it has in recent weeks, the regime could recapture the entire south by the end of the year. In this case, the rebels would be left with only the north.

On Wednesday, Germany's Foreign Ministry said it supports adding Hezbollah to the EU's list of terrorist groups. The ministry linked the recommendation to a deadly attack on Israeli tourists in Bulgaria last year that was tied to Hezbollah.

Sylke Tempel, a Mideast expert at the German Council on Foreign Relations in Berlin, said she believed the German support for sanctions against Hezbollah's military wing was due in part to its role in Syria fighting.

She said the presence of Hezbollah fighters in Syria has led Western and regional governments to ponder "what if Assad is going to win this thing" and "what if Hezbollah is a factor in making Assad win, or at least not lose."

___

Associated Press writers Robert H. Reid in Berlin and Albert Aji in Damascus, Syria contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/syrian-opposition-urges-rebels-join-key-battle-091542816.html

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Thursday, 23 May 2013

House panel moves to curb military sexual assaults

FILE - In this June 2, 2012 file photo, House Armed Services Committee member Rep. Niki Tsongas, D-Mass. speaks in Springfield, Mass. Determined to check the growing epidemic of sexual assaults in the armed forces, a House panel is poised to approve a series of revisions to longstanding military law. They include stripping commanding officers of their unilateral authority to change or dismiss a court-martial conviction and requiring that service members found guilty of sexual offenses be dismissed or dishonorably discharged. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer, File)

FILE - In this June 2, 2012 file photo, House Armed Services Committee member Rep. Niki Tsongas, D-Mass. speaks in Springfield, Mass. Determined to check the growing epidemic of sexual assaults in the armed forces, a House panel is poised to approve a series of revisions to longstanding military law. They include stripping commanding officers of their unilateral authority to change or dismiss a court-martial conviction and requiring that service members found guilty of sexual offenses be dismissed or dishonorably discharged. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer, File)

(AP) ? Members of a House panel angry over the growing epidemic of sexual assaults in the military took a key step toward tackling the problem by passing legislation Wednesday that would strip commanding officers of their longstanding authority to unilaterally change or dismiss court-martial convictions in rape and assault cases. Lawmakers believe the revision will lead to a cultural shift and encourage victims to step forward.

The legislation, which will be folded into a broader defense policy bill that the full House will consider in the coming weeks, also would impose harsher penalties on service members found guilty of sexual offenses by requiring that they be dismissed or dishonorably discharged.

The moves by the House Armed Services military personnel subcommittee reflect outrage on Capitol Hill over the poor results military leaders have achieved in their efforts to combat sexual assault in the ranks.

A Pentagon report released earlier this month estimated that up to 26,000 military members may have been sexually assaulted last year and that thousands of victims are still unwilling to come forward despite new oversight and assistance programs aimed at curbing the crimes.

The report showed the number of sexual assaults actually reported by members of the military rose 6 percent to 3,374 in 2012. But a survey of personnel who were not required to reveal their identities showed the number of service members actually assaulted could be as high as 26,000. That figure is an increase over the 19,000 estimated assaults in 2011.

Congress has repeatedly challenged the military to take more aggressive steps to curb sexual assault. But the new figures convinced lawmakers that military leaders have not done enough and that swift legislative action is needed. President Barack Obama has weighed in as well, declaring that he wants to eliminate the "scourge" of sexual assault.

The subcommittee's vote came after a string of incidents that raised fresh doubts about the military's commitment to tackling the problem.

The Army said Wednesday that a soldier has been charged with secretly photographing and videotaping women at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, including in a bathroom. Sgt. 1st Class Michael McClendon is facing charges of dereliction of duty, mistreatment, entering a women's bathroom without notice, and taking and possessing inappropriate photos and videos of at least a dozen women who were naked or in various states of undress.

Just before the Pentagon's report on sexual assault statistics was released, the Air Force officer who led the service's Sexual Assault Prevention and Response unit was arrested on charges of groping a woman in a Northern Virginia parking lot. Lt. Col. Jeffrey Krusinski was removed from his post after the Air Force learned of his arrest.

Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., the military personnel subcommittee chairman, said the proposed changes are significant and will give assault victims the confidence to report crimes.

Rep. Michael Turner, R-Ohio, who along with Rep. Niki Tsongas, D-Mass., wrote several of the provisions included in the subcommittee's bill, criticized the Defense Department's approach to the problem.

"I think the leadership of the military is confused," Turner said. "They believe as long as they have programs where they say sexual assault is wrong that they've done enough. No. They have to support the victim, and they have to support vigorous prosecution."

Turner and Tsongas are co-chairs of the Military Sexual Assault Prevention Caucus.

Separately, the Senate Armed Services Committee is taking up a series of sexual assault prevention measures next month. A final plan will eventually be produced after any differences between the House and Senate are resolved.

Sens. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., and Susan Collins, R-Maine, plan to introduce legislation Thursday with several of the same provisions drafted by Turner and Tsongas. The McCaskill-Collins bill also includes additional measures to protect the victims during the legal process. For example, lawyers for an alleged assailant must coordinate any interviews with the victim through the prosecuting counsel.

The push to eliminate a commander's ability to reverse criminal convictions of service members is rooted in a case that stoked anger among congressional lawmakers. Lt. Col. James Wilkerson, a former inspector general at Aviano Air Base in Italy, was found guilty by a military panel in November 2012 of charges of abusive sexual contact and aggravated sexual assault. Wilkerson was sentenced to a year in prison and dismissal from the service, but Lt. Gen. Craig Franklin, commander of the 3rd Air Force at Ramstein Air Base in Germany, reviewed the case and overturned the jury's verdict of guilty.

Franklin explained in a six-page letter to the Air Force secretary that he found Wilkerson and his wife, who both denied the charges, more believable than the alleged victim.

The authority wielded by Wilkerson and other senior commanders who are responsible for establishing courts-martial leaves victims of sexual assault wary of coming forward because they fear no one will believe them, according to lawmakers advocating the change.

But that clout has been embedded in the military justice system for decades and stems from the longstanding belief that military commanders must be directly responsible for good order and discipline in their units. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, has said it's a mistake to strip commanders of their authority.

"For Congress to reach down and change 200 years of tradition because people don't like what the commander did in Aviano, I think sends a terrible signal to the military justice system," Graham told reporters earlier this month. "The issue here is why are there so many assaults and why is it so hard to get people to come forward."

McCaskill is holding up the nomination of Air Force Lt. Gen. Susan Helms, tapped to serve as vice commander of the U.S. Space Command, until McCaskill gets more information about Helms' decision to overturn a jury conviction in a sexual assault case.

According to the military personnel subcommittee's legislation, commanders would no longer have the discretion to reverse a court-martial ruling, except in cases involving minor offenses. Commanders also are barred from reducing a guilty finding by a court-martial to guilty of a lesser offense.

The subcommittee's draft proposal also requires an individual found guilty of rape, sexual assault, forcible sodomy or an attempt to commit any of those offenses receive a punishment that includes a dismissal from military service or a dishonorable discharge.

The subcommittee's legislation eliminates the five-year statute of limitations on trial by court-martial for sexual assault and sexual assault of a child. It also establishes the authority for military legal counsel to provide legal assistance to victims of sex-related offenses and requires enhanced training for all military and civilian attorneys involved in sex-related cases.

The panel's bill contains a provision that extends federal whistle-blower protections to victims to ensure they don't face reprisal for reporting incidents of sexual assault.

___

Follow Richard Lardner on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rplardner

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/apdefault/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2013-05-22-US-Military-Sexual-Assault/id-df75f78db4144dd0b6a06e66a7b85eeb

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Education Week Highlights Pulitzer's Use of Technology | Pulitzer ...

In a guest blog post for the Asia Society, our education department explored the Pulitzer Center model and the ways our team, journalists and teachers can use technology in classrooms to explore international -- and local -- issues. The Asia Society submitted the post along to Education Week's Global Learning blog. You can read the entire post below or find it on the Education Week website.

Five Technology Tools Journalists Use

Our students are socially connected on a global scale?they play, they argue, they share, they learn online, generally through their mobile devices. So technology should be a critical part of any educator's strategy. But amid a rising and increasingly chaotic tide of information?much of it biased or inaccurate?finding the right mix to advance learning can be challenging.

The Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting employs innovative, nontraditional techniques in two complementary worlds: journalism and education. We use this combination to help nudge students toward global competency, and technology is vital to that process.

"We're working to meet students where they are?whether it's on Twitter, iPad, or playing games?to try to engage them in the larger world around them," said Pulitzer Center social media editor Caroline D'Angelo.

As the world tweets and tumbles into the Digital Age, the potential for using technological tools as interactive and dynamic gear for global education is exciting?but where to begin? Journalists use technology to connect with sources and their audiences. Below are five examples, and they are also ways you can use technology every day to bring global education into classrooms.\

E-books: E-books haven't quite taken off in U.S. schools yet, but we think they have huge potential. A recent school tour with photographer Greg Constantine, one of the journalists behind the e-book In Search of Home, reflected the spectrum of iPad availability in schools right now. Greg spoke with some groups of students who only saw his photographs projected from his flash drive to the wall, and to other classes where every student held an iPad and followed along that way. But regardless of the method of presentation you can prepare students for an interactive visit by designing an educator's guide ahead of time. Include critical thinking questions about the text and photographs, and if you use iPads, also ask about those as instruments for learning, since it's important at this point to gauge what works and what doesn't.

Data visualization: Pulitzer Center Web developer Dan McCarey created an interactive map for a global cancer five-part radio project by Public Radio International reporter Joanne Silberner. He used grades of color and a slew of statistics to create an easy-to-use, visually appealing representation of cancer's global proliferation. It's easy to access, fully embeddable and simplifies an issue that might otherwise be blurred by a crush of statistics. "It serves as a useful visual entry point into a complex issue," McCarey said. "In this way it could prove valuable in the classroom context. Whilst exploring the map, questions arise as to why rates are higher and lower in certain places which could potentially generate discussion and research-related activities."

We also have a map on our website where viewers can hover on a region they're interested in and see all the stories our reporters have covered in that area. Data visualizations can prove useful in reaching visual learners; tools like interactive maps help present complex information in a way that gives students the power to explore graphically without diluting the sophistication of discussion.

Social media: Make smart use of the ever-expanding, ever-popular alternate universe of social media. Consider creating a Twitter account specifically for students and educators to follow. Check out our feed @PulitzerGateway for an example. Or set up an Instagram account and post a "photo of the day/week" from somewhere in the world with an informative caption, and challenge students to find a related image or article. Curate a class YouTube account with TED talks, Google Hangouts and relevant documentary clips for browsing or reference. Make up a Twitter hashtag and plan a lesson around students' responses to it; for example, we implemented a campaign around the hidden trail of global commodities by having students use the hashtag #WhoMadeMy followed by an item?chocolate, sweatshirt, hand lotion?about whose origin they were curious. Then have students find the answer. Our reporting on "Global Goods, Local Costs" is a great place to start!

Skype: We use this free worldwide video-chat service often to connect teachers directly with journalists wherever they may be. Paul Salopek, on his seven-year slow-journalism walk tracing the paths of our ancestors across the world, recently used Skype to connect himself and a classroom of students in the Republic of Djibouti with third and fourth graders at Summers-Knoll School in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Paul said to both groups during the Skype conversation, "We are all Djiboutians in a sense," prompting one of the Michigan students to muse later: "Before we were Americans, Ethiopians and Djiboutians, we were just us."

Skype also allows for easier access to experts in the field for teachers and students with specific interests. For example, Beenish Ahmed, a Pulitzer Center-sponsored reporter currently based in Pakistan, Skyped with a Model U.N. group at Nerinx Hall, an all-girls' school in Saint Louis. The group discussed women's education in Pakistan.

Google Hangouts: Explore the potential of Google Hangouts, which interested viewers can access via Google+ accounts or any site on which the Hangout has been embedded. On World Malaria Day, for example, the Pulitzer Center brought together journalist Kathleen McLaughlin, Cobus Van Staden of The China in Africa Podcast and Dr. Patrick Lukulay, program director for the Promoting the Quality of Medicines initiative at the US Pharmacopeial Convention?voices from all over the world talking on the same screen http://pulitzercenter.org/event/google-hangout-world-malaria-day-fake-dr... about the prevalence of fake malaria medication in East Africa. Or have students divide into groups?each group with its own camera?before the Hangout and have each group ask the expert a question about a different country, as one classroom in Westport, Connecticut, did with Cairo-based reporter Sharif Abdel Kouddous. Over the Atlantic Ocean, the students and Kouddous were able to discuss the Arab Spring.

Rapid globalization demands global education. Technology has the potential not only to move that process along, but also to make it fun, exciting and relevant to this generation's net-centric students.

Source: http://pulitzercenter.org/blog/pulitzer-center-education-week-asia-society-technology-use-in-classroom

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Benefits of Online Auctions to Sellers and Buyers | JeyamArticle

Online auction is a convenient way to sell and buy services or products online. Many businesses and consumers utilize online auctions as a tool to earn decent profit. Periods of auctions can last from days to weeks, and bidding can take place 24 hours a day from any mobile device or computer. Buyers can take part in the bidding process conveniently from anywhere anytime. You may also check out jewelry auction in Boston.

The prospect of purchasing products without having to leave the compound of your home is indeed appealing. Today, numerous people are indulging in online shopping. Convenience is the most attractive and biggest advantage of buying anything from the internet. However, online trading is not only limited to purchasing goods and services, but a huge number people are being able to make money through online auctions. Popularity of online auctions is increasing with a good pace, as it offers an array of options to bidders and unlimited exposure to the sellers.

The term auction immediately conjures the images of a hotel ballroom or a country courtroom with a huge number of restless faces, all fixated on the hammer. However, auction has taken a different form in this new era of e-commerce. Today, you can buy your desired products without having to leave your home, while sitting comfortably on your couch. The anonymity and comfort that online auction provides is simply unparalleled to traditional, physical auction. Apart from these, there are several other benefits that online auctions offer to businesses and consumers.

Benefits for Sellers

Online auction websites offer plenty of features to sellers, which help to make auctioning a simple and pleasurable experience. Some advantages of online auction for sellers are:

  • Secure fulfillment procedure and easy site usability
  • Cost of seller service or product may rise with competitive bidding that may exceed the expectation of seller
  • Acquire consumers data for further marketing chances
  • Reach a global or local market with limited promotional expenses
  • Cost-effective method to sell stock items

Benefits for Buyers or Bidders

Online bidders are also greatly blessed to have thousands of products from the entire planet at a click of the mouse. Some of the advantages of online auctions of buyers are:

  • No negotiations or hassles between sellers and buyers
  • Bidding from the comfort of their own home without any pressure from a sales person or a live auction location
  • Rewarding, fun and exciting feeling of bidding on the preferred services or products
  • Save valuable time with the help of automated bid alerts and searches
  • Find reasonable deals and bargains on varieties of services and products
  • Secure and easy purchase and payment procedure

It is easy for both sellers and buyers to take part in online auctions. Everyone is able to view services or products in detail and can bid and buy with convenience. Seller and buyers should know that the website holding the auction doesn?t own the service or product featured on the auction.

You may also like:

  1. Saving Money With Online Auctions
  2. Don?t Miss Out On A Houston Antique Auctions
  3. What?s all the talk about Automotive Auctions?
  4. Used Car Auctions And The Disadvantage
  5. Why Choose The Insurance Auto Auction

Source: http://shopping.jeyamarticle.com/benefits-of-online-auctions-to-sellers-and-buyers/

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Wednesday, 22 May 2013

Moore shows that as cities grow, tornado damage grows with them

By Ben Berkowitz and Julie Steenhuysen

(Reuters) - Moore, Oklahoma, has had the bad luck of being hit by two highly destructive tornadoes, both in the month of May, 14 years apart.

But the Moore that got struck on Monday is not the same as in 1999. Like a lot of towns across America and in the so-called "Tornado Alley," rapid growth has made it a bigger target, vulnerable to more damage.

The tornado, with winds that may have topped 200 miles per hour, killed at least 24 people and injured hundreds more, with many of the casualties children from two schools that were destroyed.

Local media said the storm was much more destructive than the tornado that laid waste to Moore in May 1999. At the time, that storm was the most destructive in history by insured loss ($1 billion), later eclipsed by two 2011 tornadoes in Joplin, Missouri and Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

Between 2000 and 2011, Moore's population grew by about 34 percent to 56,300, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. Over the same time, Oklahoma's population grew 9 percent and the U.S. population grew almost 10 percent.

"Every so often, (a tornado) will hit a city. Sometimes you may get clusters where there are several of those hitting in a given year. Other times you will go years and years without that happening," said Bob Henson of the National Center for Atmospheric Research.

"The U.S. population is growing and more territory is covered by homes and businesses than used to be the case. So the targets are getting larger."

Insurance industry experts call the phenomenon "disaster amnesia." People forget how badly devastated a region has been and focus only on what it can become through rebuilding.

One of the best examples is the Miami-area community of Homestead, all but obliterated by Hurricane Andrew in 1992 but since rebuilt and now doubled in population.

'SMACK IN THE HEART'

In fact, this was at least the third severe tornado to strike Moore over the last 15 years - a fact scientists called interesting but not indicative of the town being any more susceptible than any place else.

"Oklahoma City is smack in the heart of the most prone area where these conditions come together in the most dangerous way at (this) time of year," said Tim Doggett, senior principal scientist at disaster modeling company AIR Worldwide. "When things happen with some sort of random aspect to them, people look for patterns."

After a record number of twisters in 2011, volume has actually dipped of late. Last year was the first time in at least 20 years that fewer than 1,000 tornadoes touched down in the United States.

"Until the breakout this week, it's been a very quiet year for tornadoes in the United States," said Anthony Del Genio, a climatologist at NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies.

While it can be tempting to wonder whether severe events like this week's tornadoes are part of a bigger pattern, he said, "it's always good to remember that we went through a very quiet period leading up to this."

(For a government map of the most severe tornado strikes since 1950, click here: http://www.spc.noaa.gov/faq/tornado/f5torns.html)

LOSSES STILL UNCLEAR

The German reinsurer Munich Re has estimated tornadoes caused about $40 billion in insured losses in the United States in 2011 and 2012. Since 1980, average thunderstorm losses (including tornadoes) have risen sevenfold.

Though the scope of the damage seems obvious, it will be days before there is any sense of just how much the Moore storm has cost the insurance industry.

One problem is a lack of precision. As good as the science may have become, it remains hard to predict where and when a tornado is likely to hit in future, making it hard for insurers to fully model their exposure.

I really think (insurers) would like to know a much more precise location level ... and even in tens of thousands of simulated storm years that's a difficult question to answer," AIR's Doggett said.

Catastrophe bond investors, who have about $1 billion in exposure to U.S. tornado risk, were especially on edge Tuesday. One such bond was wiped out by 2011's record tornado season, putting a chill in that market.

USAA, the insurer that caters to military veterans and their families, said it had been unable to get its team of 120 adjusters into Moore. A spokesman said the company already had more than 350 claims, ranging from hail damage to total loss.

State Farm, the largest home and auto insurer in Oklahoma, said Tuesday it did not yet have claims numbers compiled, as its adjusters have not been able to get close to Moore either. A spokesman told Reuters it had already started receiving calls, though - including from one customer whose only remaining possession in the rubble of their home was a copy of their insurance policy.

(Editing by Mary Milliken and David Gregorio)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/moore-shows-cities-grow-tornado-damage-grows-them-203425159.html

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Mount Diablo Unified Community Advisory Committee on Special ...

Mount Diablo Unified Community Advisory Committee on Special Education: AiN June Registration

AiN June Registration

The mission of All in Need, Family Support?is to provide support to families with children, ages 18 and under, that have special needs in the East Bay Area. By offering respite care in a nurturing and learning environment; promoting social interaction, gross and fine motor activities all in a sensory based atmosphere.

If you haven't done so already, please update your child's annual enrollment forms; these forms are required before registering your child for an event. Please visit our?webpage?to update your child's?Annual Enrollment Forms. If your child will be attending an AiN event preregistration is required. Thank you!

To view AiN's events click here. Post a Comment

Source: http://mtdiablosped.blogspot.com/2013/05/ain-june-registration.html

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Free Fun in Austin: Giveaway: $100 off CroTex Home Services


CroTex Home Services is a new, locally based company offering various home improvement services from painting to flooring, and even masonry. The company was founded in 2013 by Marko Misura.?Misura, a Certified Engineering Technician, has been working in construction and home services for over 15 years and built his entire house in his home country of Croatia.?



CroTex offers the following services:
  • Painting - $1 per square foot, with 10% discount if you schedule a consultation before May 31, 2013.
  • Laminate installation - $2 per square foot, with 10% discount if you schedule a consultation before May 31, 2013.
  • Tile installation - $3 per square foot, with 10% discount if you schedule a consultation before May 31, 2013.
  • Masonry projects such as balconies, outdoor fireplaces, walls, and more - call for estimate. 10% discount also available on masonry services if you schedule a consultation before May 31, 2013.
Contact them at?512.660.7460 or 214.909.8505 for an estimate, or fill out the?contact form.

CroTex is offering a special JUST for Free Fun in Austin readers! Mention FREEFUN75 when you call, to get?your bedroom, dining room, or living room painted?for only $0.75 per square foot.?(Please note that this does not include the cost of paint.)?Don't forget to mention FREEFUN75!? In addition, we also have a $100 off coupon, good towards any service offered by CroTex Home Services, to give away. For your chance to win, simply fill out the form below. ?One winner will be selected using random.org on Monday, May 27, 2013 and notified by email. ?By submitting the form below, you are agreeing to the Sweepstakes Official Rules.?

Can't see the form below? ?Click here to enter.?

Disclosure: This giveaway was sponsored by CroTex Home Services.?


Image credit: CroTex Home Services

Source: http://www.freefuninaustin.com/2013/05/giveaway-100-off-crotex-home-services.html

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Tuesday, 21 May 2013

Vudu Player update allows movie downloads on iPhone, iPad

Vudu Player finally allows movie downloads on iPhone, iPad

Coming months after the feature's introduction on Android and PCs, Vudu has updated the iOS version of its app with the ability to download movies for viewing offline. Unlike the Android version, this feature is not restricted to tablets however, with downloads of your Vudu / Ultraviolet collection on iPads and iPhones. Other tweaks include making the Player "easier to use" and adding closed captions on iPhone. The Flixster app already allowed for Ultraviolet movie downloads on iOS, however Vudu has access to some movies that may not be available there. The updated version of the free app is available on on iTunes, although you will need an associated account (with updated password info) with unlocked videos to get any use out of it.

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Comments

Source: iTunes

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/05/20/vudu-player-ios-downloads/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget

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Gizmodo and Adhocracy: A Night of Great Conversation at the New Museum

Over the past year, we've thrown a brisket party, a Faux Loko party, and a planetarium party. And on Friday, after we announced some very big news about our new Editor in Chief, we added another unusual party to our list: a dinner in the Skyroom of the New Museum and a tour of the museum's new design exhibition, Adhocracy.

As Gizmodo Managing Editor Brian Barrett mentioned last week, we're broadening our scope to include art, design, and urbanism. So the New Museum, which has staged some of the most interesting shows in recent memory (giant metal slides, anyone?), was a perfect location to celebrate.

First, Curator and Domus Editor Joseph Grima led a walkthrough of Adhocracy, which he describes as "an exhibition about people who make things." 3D-scanned portraits were printed, the latest in wearable tech was sported, and, of course, and libations were consumed. Then, the party moved upstairs to the airy Skyroom of the SANAA-designed museum, where we listened to remarks from Grima, New Museum Director Lisa Phillips, and of course, Gizmodo Editor in Chief Geoff Manaugh. Finally, everyone sat down for dinner, drinks, and good conversation. It was an excellent kick-off celebration for what's to come.

Photos by Victor Jeffreys II (plus a few selfies by our guests).

Geoff Manaugh introduces himself.

An excellent hoodie worn by Gin Lane Media founder Emmett Shine.

Nick Denton; Peter Ha; Tom Plunkett; Brian Barrett; Joel Johnson; and Julia Alvidrez.

Joseph Grima; James Del; Jason Deland; Geoff Manaugh; Heather Corcoran; Iwan Baan.

Emmett Shine; Troy Conrad Thierren; Usman Haque; Samantha Ortega; Shohei Shigematsu; Steven Thomson.

Chad Oppenheim; Chris Barley; Chris Woebken; Alex Mustonen; Alexandra Lange; Anil Dash.

Natalie Jeremijenko; Peter Gerber; Stanley Lumax; Marco Roso; Matt Novak; Moses Gates.

Lauren Cornell; Lisa Phillips; Marc Kushner; Karen Wong; Kristen Becker; Lauren Bertolini.

Julia Kaganskiy; Julie Lasky; Julien De Smedt; Jason Silva; Jesus Diaz; Juergen Mayer H.

Elliott Montgomery; Eva Franch i Gilabert; Fernando Romero; Debbie Kennedy; Dominic Leong; Dror Benshetrit.

Juergen Mayer H. and Fernando Romero.

Asmeret Lumax and Stanley Lumax.

Usman Haque and Natalie Jeremijenko.

Samantha Ortega and Elliott Montgomery.

Source: http://gizmodo.com/gizmodo-and-adhocracy-a-night-of-great-conversation-at-508741584

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Monday, 20 May 2013

Ginger compounds may be effective in treating asthma symptoms

Ginger compounds may be effective in treating asthma symptoms [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 19-May-2013
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Nathaniel Dunford
ndunford@thoracic.org
American Thoracic Society

ATS 2013, PHILADELPHIA ? Gourmands and foodies everywhere have long recognized ginger as a great way to add a little peppery zing to both sweet and savory dishes; now, a study from researchers at Columbia University shows purified components of the spicy root also may have properties that help asthma patients breathe more easily.

The results of the study will be presented at the ATS 2013 International Conference.

Asthma is characterized by bronchoconstriction, a tightening of the bronchial tubes that carry air into and out of the lungs. Bronchodilating medications called beta-agonists (?-agonists) are among the most common types of asthma medications and work by relaxing the airway smooth muscle (ASM) tissues. This study looked at whether specific components of ginger could help enhance the relaxing effects of bronchodilators.

"Asthma has become more prevalent in recent years, but despite an improved understanding of what causes asthma and how it develops, during the past 40 years few new treatment agents have been approved for targeting asthma symptoms," said lead author Elizabeth Townsend, PhD, post-doctoral research fellow in the Columbia University Department of Anesthesiology. "In our study, we demonstrated that purified components of ginger can work synergistically with ?-agonists to relax ASM."

To conduct their study, the researchers took human ASM tissue samples and caused the samples to contract by exposing them to acetylcholine, a neurotransmitting compound that causes bronchoconstriction. Next, the researchers mixed the ?-agonist isoproterenol with three separate components of ginger: 6-gingerol, 8-gingerol or 6-shogaol. Contracted tissue samples were exposed to each of these three mixtures as well as unadulterated isoproterenol and the relaxation responses were recorded and compared.

At the conclusion of their study, the researchers found that tissues treated with the combination of purified ginger components and isoproterenol exhibited significantly greater relaxation than those treated only with isoproterenol; of the three ginger components, 6-shogaol appeared most effective in increasing the relaxing effects of the ?-agonist.

Once they were able to demonstrate that the ginger components enhanced the relaxing effects of the ?-agonist, they turned their attention to learning why. First, the researchers wanted to determine if the ginger components might work by affecting an enzyme called phosphodiesterase4D (PDE4D). Previous studies have shown that PDE4D, which is found in the lungs, inhibits processes that otherwise help relax ASM and lessen inflammation. Using a technique called fluorescent polarization, they found that all three components significantly inhibited PDE4D.

Next, the study looked at F-actin filaments, a protein structure which previous studies have shown plays a role in the constriction of ASM, and found that 6-shogaol was effective in speedily dissolving these filaments.

"Taken together, these data show that ginger constituents 6-gingerol, 8-gingerol and 6-shogaol act synergistically with the ?-agonist in relaxing ASM, indicating that these compounds may provide additional relief of asthma symptoms when used in combination with ?-agonists," Dr. Townsend noted."By understanding the mechanisms by which these ginger compounds affect the airway, we can explore the use of these therapeutics in alleviating asthma symptoms."

Dr. Townsend and her colleague, Dr. Charles Emala, hope future studies will enable them to gain a better understanding of the cellular mechanisms that facilitate ASM relaxation and to determine whether aerosol delivery of these purified constituents of ginger may have therapeutic benefit in asthma and other bronchoconstrictive diseases.

###

* Please note that numbers in this release may differ slightly from those in the abstract. Many of these investigations are ongoing; the release represents the most up-to-date data available at press time.

Abstract 38824

Active Constituents Of Ginger Potentiate ?-Agonist-Induced Relaxation Of Airway Smooth Muscle

Type: Scientific Abstract

Category: 03.10 - Smooth Muscle: Airway (RSF)

Authors: E.A. Townsend, Y. Zhang, C. Xu, R. Wakita, C. Emala; Columbia University - New York, NY/US

Abstract Body

Rationale: Asthma prevalence has steadily increased and is characterized by bronchoconstriction. Bronchodilators are the first-line therapy to reverse airway obstruction by relaxing airway smooth muscle (ASM). Asthma therapies include ?-agonists that induce bronchodilation by activating adenylyl cyclase, increasing cAMP and activating protein kinase A. Despite improved understanding of the pathogenesis of asthma, few novel therapeutics have been approved for targeting asthma symptoms in the last 40 years. This highlights the need for new therapies that relax contracted airways while also augmenting traditional therapies. We demonstrated that purified components of ginger can relax ASM. By understanding the mechanisms by which these compounds exert their effects on the airway, we can explore the use of these phytotherapeutics in alleviating asthma symptoms. We hypothesized that unique chemical components of ginger have bronchorelaxant properties and work synergistically with ?-agonist signaling to relax ASM.

Methods and Results: Epithelial-denuded human ASM tissue (deidentified; exempt from Columbia's IRB) was contracted with acetylcholine in organ baths. ASM tissues were then relaxed dose-dependently with ?-agonist, isoproterenol (100 pM 10 ?M, half-log increments). The tissues were treated concurrently at 300 pM isoproterenol with vehicle, 6-gingerol, 8-gingerol, or 6-shogaol (100 ?M). Significant potentiation of isoproterenol-induced relaxation was observed with each of the ginger constituents. 6-shogaol showed the largest leftward shift in the EC50 for isoproterenol. Purified phosphodiesterase 4D enzyme, the prominent isoform in the lung, was used to assess PDE inhibitory action of the ginger constituents using fluorescent polarization analyses. 6-gingerol, 8-gingerol, and 6-shogaol (100 ?M, 15 min) significantly inhibited PDE4D compared to vehicle control (0.2% DMSO), the PDE4-selective inhibitor, rolipram (10 ?M) and non-selective PDE inhibitor, IBMX (250 ?M) were used as positive controls. ?-agonist induced depolymerization of actin via a PKA-HSP20-dependent pathway contributes to ASM relaxation. In primary human ASM cells transiently transfected with RFP-actin, treatment with 6-gingerol, 8-gingerol, or 6-shogaol showed acute (within seconds) dissolution of F-actin filaments. This was not due to PKA phosphorylation of HSP20.

Conclusions: Taken together, these data show synergistic effects of ginger constituents 6-gingerol, 8-gingerol, and 6-shogaol with ?-agonist in relaxing ASM. This may be attributed to increased cAMP due to PDE4D inhibitory activity. Additionally, these compounds stimulate actin depolymerization through a novel PKA-independent pathway, providing another pathway for potentiation with ?-agonists. These compounds may provide additional relief of asthma symptoms when used in combination with ?2-agonists and highlight novel use of phytotherapeutics in the treatment of obstructive lung disease.


[ Back to EurekAlert! ] [ | E-mail | Share 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.


Ginger compounds may be effective in treating asthma symptoms [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 19-May-2013
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Nathaniel Dunford
ndunford@thoracic.org
American Thoracic Society

ATS 2013, PHILADELPHIA ? Gourmands and foodies everywhere have long recognized ginger as a great way to add a little peppery zing to both sweet and savory dishes; now, a study from researchers at Columbia University shows purified components of the spicy root also may have properties that help asthma patients breathe more easily.

The results of the study will be presented at the ATS 2013 International Conference.

Asthma is characterized by bronchoconstriction, a tightening of the bronchial tubes that carry air into and out of the lungs. Bronchodilating medications called beta-agonists (?-agonists) are among the most common types of asthma medications and work by relaxing the airway smooth muscle (ASM) tissues. This study looked at whether specific components of ginger could help enhance the relaxing effects of bronchodilators.

"Asthma has become more prevalent in recent years, but despite an improved understanding of what causes asthma and how it develops, during the past 40 years few new treatment agents have been approved for targeting asthma symptoms," said lead author Elizabeth Townsend, PhD, post-doctoral research fellow in the Columbia University Department of Anesthesiology. "In our study, we demonstrated that purified components of ginger can work synergistically with ?-agonists to relax ASM."

To conduct their study, the researchers took human ASM tissue samples and caused the samples to contract by exposing them to acetylcholine, a neurotransmitting compound that causes bronchoconstriction. Next, the researchers mixed the ?-agonist isoproterenol with three separate components of ginger: 6-gingerol, 8-gingerol or 6-shogaol. Contracted tissue samples were exposed to each of these three mixtures as well as unadulterated isoproterenol and the relaxation responses were recorded and compared.

At the conclusion of their study, the researchers found that tissues treated with the combination of purified ginger components and isoproterenol exhibited significantly greater relaxation than those treated only with isoproterenol; of the three ginger components, 6-shogaol appeared most effective in increasing the relaxing effects of the ?-agonist.

Once they were able to demonstrate that the ginger components enhanced the relaxing effects of the ?-agonist, they turned their attention to learning why. First, the researchers wanted to determine if the ginger components might work by affecting an enzyme called phosphodiesterase4D (PDE4D). Previous studies have shown that PDE4D, which is found in the lungs, inhibits processes that otherwise help relax ASM and lessen inflammation. Using a technique called fluorescent polarization, they found that all three components significantly inhibited PDE4D.

Next, the study looked at F-actin filaments, a protein structure which previous studies have shown plays a role in the constriction of ASM, and found that 6-shogaol was effective in speedily dissolving these filaments.

"Taken together, these data show that ginger constituents 6-gingerol, 8-gingerol and 6-shogaol act synergistically with the ?-agonist in relaxing ASM, indicating that these compounds may provide additional relief of asthma symptoms when used in combination with ?-agonists," Dr. Townsend noted."By understanding the mechanisms by which these ginger compounds affect the airway, we can explore the use of these therapeutics in alleviating asthma symptoms."

Dr. Townsend and her colleague, Dr. Charles Emala, hope future studies will enable them to gain a better understanding of the cellular mechanisms that facilitate ASM relaxation and to determine whether aerosol delivery of these purified constituents of ginger may have therapeutic benefit in asthma and other bronchoconstrictive diseases.

###

* Please note that numbers in this release may differ slightly from those in the abstract. Many of these investigations are ongoing; the release represents the most up-to-date data available at press time.

Abstract 38824

Active Constituents Of Ginger Potentiate ?-Agonist-Induced Relaxation Of Airway Smooth Muscle

Type: Scientific Abstract

Category: 03.10 - Smooth Muscle: Airway (RSF)

Authors: E.A. Townsend, Y. Zhang, C. Xu, R. Wakita, C. Emala; Columbia University - New York, NY/US

Abstract Body

Rationale: Asthma prevalence has steadily increased and is characterized by bronchoconstriction. Bronchodilators are the first-line therapy to reverse airway obstruction by relaxing airway smooth muscle (ASM). Asthma therapies include ?-agonists that induce bronchodilation by activating adenylyl cyclase, increasing cAMP and activating protein kinase A. Despite improved understanding of the pathogenesis of asthma, few novel therapeutics have been approved for targeting asthma symptoms in the last 40 years. This highlights the need for new therapies that relax contracted airways while also augmenting traditional therapies. We demonstrated that purified components of ginger can relax ASM. By understanding the mechanisms by which these compounds exert their effects on the airway, we can explore the use of these phytotherapeutics in alleviating asthma symptoms. We hypothesized that unique chemical components of ginger have bronchorelaxant properties and work synergistically with ?-agonist signaling to relax ASM.

Methods and Results: Epithelial-denuded human ASM tissue (deidentified; exempt from Columbia's IRB) was contracted with acetylcholine in organ baths. ASM tissues were then relaxed dose-dependently with ?-agonist, isoproterenol (100 pM 10 ?M, half-log increments). The tissues were treated concurrently at 300 pM isoproterenol with vehicle, 6-gingerol, 8-gingerol, or 6-shogaol (100 ?M). Significant potentiation of isoproterenol-induced relaxation was observed with each of the ginger constituents. 6-shogaol showed the largest leftward shift in the EC50 for isoproterenol. Purified phosphodiesterase 4D enzyme, the prominent isoform in the lung, was used to assess PDE inhibitory action of the ginger constituents using fluorescent polarization analyses. 6-gingerol, 8-gingerol, and 6-shogaol (100 ?M, 15 min) significantly inhibited PDE4D compared to vehicle control (0.2% DMSO), the PDE4-selective inhibitor, rolipram (10 ?M) and non-selective PDE inhibitor, IBMX (250 ?M) were used as positive controls. ?-agonist induced depolymerization of actin via a PKA-HSP20-dependent pathway contributes to ASM relaxation. In primary human ASM cells transiently transfected with RFP-actin, treatment with 6-gingerol, 8-gingerol, or 6-shogaol showed acute (within seconds) dissolution of F-actin filaments. This was not due to PKA phosphorylation of HSP20.

Conclusions: Taken together, these data show synergistic effects of ginger constituents 6-gingerol, 8-gingerol, and 6-shogaol with ?-agonist in relaxing ASM. This may be attributed to increased cAMP due to PDE4D inhibitory activity. Additionally, these compounds stimulate actin depolymerization through a novel PKA-independent pathway, providing another pathway for potentiation with ?-agonists. These compounds may provide additional relief of asthma symptoms when used in combination with ?2-agonists and highlight novel use of phytotherapeutics in the treatment of obstructive lung disease.


[ Back to EurekAlert! ] [ | E-mail | Share 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/2013-05/ats-gcm051413.php

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Kanye West Hits 'SNL' With Two New Songs -- Praise Yeezus!

'Ye performs unreleased track 'Black Skinhead' and 'New Slaves,' whose music video he debuted Friday night in 66 locations.
By Paul Cantor

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1707623/kanye-west-saturday-night-live-yeezus.jhtml

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Chargers, Freeney agree to 2-year deal

SAN DIEGO (AP) ? The San Diego Chargers agreed Saturday to a two-year deal with aging star pass rusher Dwight Freeney that could be worth $13.35 million.

The deal to bring Freeney to the Chargers came four days after outside linebacker Melvin Ingram tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in a padless practice.

The addition of Freeney also helps cushion the loss of outside linebackers Antwan Barnes and Shaun Phillips to free agency.

"It's great to add a solid veteran who brings valuable experience to our defense," Chargers coach Mike McCoy said in the release announcing the deal. "His proven pass-rush ability is a perfect fit for our defense."

Freeney is 33 and entering his 12th season. He will make $5.25 million this season.

He was Indianapolis' career sacks leader with 107 ? but the Colts decided not to re-sign him in the offseason. After recording 13 ? sacks in 2009, his totals declined each of the past three years. He had five in 2012.

Freeney, a seven-time Pro Bowler, never seemed comfortable after moving from a 4-3 defensive end, where he spent his first 10 NFL seasons, to a 3-4 outside linebacker. The Chargers run a 3-4 defense.

Freeney was the 11th overall selection in the 2002 draft. During his time with the Colts, he combined with Robert Mathis to form one of the most fearsome pass-rush tandems in the league. His 44 forced fumbles are the most by any NFL player since 2002 and he was one of 13 players in Colts' history to participate in more than 100 victories.

Freeney led the NFL with 16 sacks in 2004.

Chargers rookie general manager Tom Telesco was with the Colts before being hired by San Diego in January.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/chargers-freeney-agree-2-deal-172151298.html

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