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Our new pup Bella is 9 weeks old as of yesterday. She cracks me & @ZaraGreen up! A beautiful belle of energy! yfrog.com/h8ngxhtjIl y a environ 4 heuresvia Twitter for iPad
One of the world?s largest foreign aid organizations just announced it will be forced to make substantial program cuts next year. For hundreds of thousands of people, the consequences could be lethal.
The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria announced in late November that it had failed to raise the minimum $13 billion needed to support current operations. This is terrible news ? fully 70% of anti-retroviral HIV/AIDS drugs available in poor countries are provided by the fund.
It?s up to the rest of the international community to pick up the slack. Given the uncertain economic climate, it?s all the more important that we are focusing our energies and dollars on programs that will work, sharing resources and maximizing the synergies across disease-specific infrastructures. Fortunately, a large-scale model of an effective program already exists ? and it was started right here in the United States.
The President?s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) was created by the George W. Bush administration and extended by President Obama. PEPFAR has proven highly successful in addressing the global AIDS epidemic by expanding the use and availability of topflight anti-retroviral drugs.
After the global HIV/AIDS rate of new infections exploded in the 1980s and 1990s, experts were predicting the disease would kill off entire generations of people in poorer countries. PEPFAR was a cornerstone in the international effort to check the spread of the epidemic. Program officials, making a concerted effort not to trample local medical operations, worked in conjunction with state and municipal authorities to build up medical infrastructure and address the health care challenges specific to local communities. PEPFAR also worked closely with the Global Fund to jointly fund targeted anti-retroviral distribution campaigns in areas worst hit by this disease.
In large part because of PEPFAR, the total number of people living with AIDS has essentially held steady over the past decade, rather than escalating out of control as credible estimates predicted. Today, 33 million people have the disease. Meanwhile, the rate of new HIV infections has dropped by nearly 20% and an estimated 7 million people with HIV infections are currently alive because they now have access to anti-retroviral drugs.
NEW YORK (AP) ? Oil prices fell on Wednesday, after Saudi Arabia said it will offset any loss of oil from a threatened Iranian blockade of a crucial tanker route in the Middle East.
The U.S. Navy warned that any disruption of traffic through the vital Strait of Hormuz "will not be tolerated."
In New York, benchmark crude fell $1.98, or about 2 percent, to finish at $99.36 a barrel.
Brent crude fell $1.71 to end at $107.56 a barrel in London.
On Tuesday Iran's vice president said that his country was ready to close the Strait of Hormuz ? a vital waterway through which a third of the world's tanker traffic flows ? if western nations embargo the country's oil because of Iran's ongoing nuclear program. The head of the country's navy added on Wednesday that his fleet can block the strait if need be. His comments came as Iran held a 10-day drill in international waters near the strategic route, which is 21 miles wide at its narrowest point.
A Saudi oil ministry official told The Associated Press that Saudi Arabia and other Gulf producers are ready to provide more oil if Iran tries to block the strait. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the issue. He didn't specify other routes that could be used to transport oil, although they would likely be longer and more expensive for getting crude to the region's customers.
"Anyone who threatens to disrupt freedom of navigation in an international strait is clearly outside the community of nations; any disruption will not be tolerated," said Lt. Rebecca Rebarich, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet, which is responsible for naval operations in the Persian Gulf, the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea.
Some analysts think the Iranian threats are more rhetoric than reality. "We doubt political posturing will turn into action," energy consultant and trader Stephen Schork said in a report.
"Shutting down the strait ... is the last bullet that Iran has and therefore we have to express some doubt that they would do this and at the same time lose their support from China and Russia," said analyst Olivier Jakob of Petromatrix in Switzerland.
Iran is the fourth largest oil exporter in the world, according to the Energy Department. Most of its crude goes to Asia, with China its biggest customer. Oil provides half of Iran's revenue. Last year that amounted to about $73 billion.
Oil prices were also undercut on Wednesday by persistent worries about Europe and future demand for oil as the region's economy weakens. The European Central Bank said the continent's banks parked a record $590.72 billion overnight with the ECB, reflecting distrust in the European banking system.
In other energy futures trading, heating oil fell 2 cents to finish at $2.89 a gallon, gasoline fell 4 cents to end at $2.65 a gallon and natural gas fell 3 cents to finish the day at $3.08 per 1,000 cubic feet.
____
AP writers Ali Akbar Dareini in Teheran, Tarek El-Tablawy in Cairo, Abdullah Shihri in Riyadh, Adam Schreck in Dubai and Pablo Gorondi in Budapest contributed to this report.
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3DS sells 4 million and Mario games sell 1 million each in Japan
Famitsu is reporting that 510,629 3DS systems were sold last week in Japan, breaking the previous sales record of 367,691, set just the week before. This brings the total lifetime sales of the 3DS in Japan to 4,135,739 systems.
Of course, 3DS software is selling, too. Super Mario 3D Land has moved 1,042,511 in Japan to date, and Mario Kart 7 has sold 1,082,391 units. These are the first two 3DS games to break a million in the country. Capcom's Monster Hunter Tri-G recently shipped one million copies, so expect it to become the third 3DS million seller soon.
The 3DS and its games have certainly had a strong holiday season, both in Japan and elsewhere, despite a slow start earlier this year. It turns out Mario sells systems. Who knew?
Reported by Rhody Tobin
Source: http://andriasang.com/comzhw/3ds_sales/
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The final push is under way to raise money for a stained-glass window for the 82nd Airborne Division Chapel honoring the service of paratroopers in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"It is during this time of year of giving unto others that I ask for all of your assistance in meeting the completion of our project," Steve England wrote in a letter this month to 82nd paratroopers, veterans, families and friends.
England is president of the 82nd Airborne Division Memorial Association, a nonprofit organization. He retired from the Army after serving as command sergeant major of the division and Fort Bragg and the 18th Airborne Corps.
"We all realize that these are very hard times for everyone with the economy being what it is," England said in an interview. "We still feel this is a worthwhile effort."
The chapel is under construction on Ardennes Street and scheduled for completion in late 2012, he said in the letter. The window is about 8 feet wide and 14 feet tall, and the color themes harmonize with other windows, England said.
Stained-glass windows in division chapels honor the service of 82nd soldiers in all conflicts.
"We've had two conflicts at once, and we're going to put both of them in the same window," England said.
The division chaplain and brigade combat teams gave input for the themes, England said.
The left half of the window depicts Iraq with C-17 cargo aircraft at the top. Crossed swords represent Baghdad.
"They use patrolling as the theme," England said The soldiers in the windows wear DCUs, the desert camouflage uniform of earlier years, and transition in the windows to ACUs, the more current Army combat uniform.
"All the windows are done in a certain theme," England said. "In the top portions of the windows, you have the latest technology."
Soldiers are portrayed in the middle of the window. The bottom of the window has a religious theme.
The right shows scenes from Afghanistan with helicopters at the top.
There is a nondenominational quote from the Psalms in the lower right window.
Many donors contribute on behalf of a loved one, England said. People donating $82 or more will receive a certificate with their name from the association, England wrote.
Military editor Henry Cuningham can be reached at cuninghamh@fayobserver.com or 486-3585.
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8:25am UK, Sunday December 25, 2011
Amy Hitchcock, Sky News Entertainment
One of the wives, Sarah Clarke, said: "We're so proud of our men now they've got something to be proud of us for."
Gareth Malone told Sky News he is shocked but it's a very timely release.
"This single comes at a time when we're thinking about Afghanistan and the feeling is - realising sacrifices they've made - and not just fatalities but the small sacrifices these women make on a daily basis."
Their charity song Wherever You Are became the fastest selling single in six years.
They sold more in two days than the X Factor winners sold in a week and are tipped to sell a million by Christmas Day.
Leona Lewis topped the Xmas chart in 2006
Another of the wives Jo Millthorpe is astonished. She said: "This time a few months ago we couldn't have imagined it. It just keeps getting better."
Mrs Clarke added: "When the choir started the lads had just gone away so we were really low, we needed a pick me up to take out minds off the situation.
"But to end up contender for number one is just way and above anything anyone could have expected."
For five of the last six years the X Factor winners, Matt Cardle, Leona Lewis, Alexandra Burke, Leon Jackson and Shayne Ward hogged the number one spot.
But this year it looks highly unlikely Little Mix will manage to hold onto number one for another week to top the festive chart.
In 2009, Rage Against The Machine beat Joe McElderry to number one, and this year Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit was hoping to be the anti-X Factor bid, but the campaign gained little momentum.
Bob The Builder enjoyed his success in 2000
Other contenders hoping to make the top spot this Christmas included the cast of the Only Way Is Essex, but they are unlikely to do it - not even with Nanny Pat and their Christmas vajazzle.
The Wombles threw their hats in for novelty value, but they don't stand a chance against the Military Wives.
Gennaro Castaldo from HMV says that at Christmas anything can happen in the charts.
"You've got the party season and feeling nostalgia, it's the one time of the year that anything can happen in the charts."
From the sublime with Band Aid's Do They Know It's Christmas Christmas number one in 1984, 1989 and 2004, to the ridiculous Mr Blobby in 1993, the plain stupid Bob the Builder in 2000 to the sentimental Cliff Richard in 1988 with his Misteltow And Wine, we seem to like nostalgia and the novelty from our Christmas chart.
If the Military Wives do it, they will also win The Official Singles Chart Number 1 Award to mark the 60th anniversary of the UK's Official Singles Chart.
Some fairly significant news to pass along on this Christmas Eve afternoon.
According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, ?all signs and top MLB sources? say that the Athletics will be granted permission by February to move to San Jose.
Of course, the A?s efforts to move have been stonewalled since 2009 so that a Bud Selig-appointed committee could study the matter. The Giants own the territorial rights to San Jose and have been reluctant to give them up until now.
While Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com reported last month that Selig planned to address the issue with the Giants within two weeks, he reported last night that the meeting has yet to take place. However, Nightengale indicates that the matter may be put up to a vote among MLB owners.
The Athletics are in the midst of their latest rebuilding effort, trading Trevor Cahill and Gio Gonzalez for prospects over the past couple of weeks. The club has already purchased land in San Jose and co-owner Lew Wolff has indicated that a new ballpark could be open for business within 30-36 months once they are given approval by MLB.
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Event cancelled. Tornado Watch from 12/22/2011 7:59 PM to 11:00 PM EST for = Marion County, Taylor County, Schley County. More information.Il y a environ 13 heuresvia The Visitor Widget
Kiip is not an ad network. It's a mobile games reward network. Today it launches Swarm, a feature with a very unique value proposition: Let brands sponsor in-app tournaments where users win big prizes for high scores. Brands get exposure by piggybacking on an app's existing user base, developers get paid, and users get to play for real-world rewards without being interrupted by ads.
The Large Hadron Collider at CERN was built to discover new life forms and new civilizations particles to complete the Standard Model of physics, of which the Higgs-Boson is only a part. The $5 billion project has finally found something previously unseen, according to the BBC. ATLAS has picked up Chi-b 3P: a Boson (building block of nature) comprised of a "beauty quark" and a "beauty anti-quark," bound together with a strong nuclear force -- believed to exist in nature, but never seen until now. Yesterday's discovery is so new, it hasn't even had a sigma rating yet, but we don't expect CERN to confirm the find until its next two hour keynote.
Contact: Jim Keeley keeleyj@hhmi.org 301-215-8858 Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Regular use of fluoride-containing toothpaste and mouthwash has long been known to strengthen the enamel on teeth. But new research by Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) scientists finds that fluoride also has dramatic effects on bacteria inside the mouth -- including those that form plaque and can cause cavities.
HHMI researcher Ronald Breaker of Yale University has discovered the cellular chain of events that occurs inside a bacterium after it encounters fluoride in its environment. His team's findings reveal that many bacteria try to fend off fluoride which the organisms treat as a toxic substance by throwing it out. The presence of such a transport system indicates that fluoride itself has antimicrobial properties, Breaker said. The findings are published online in Science Express on December 22, 2011.
Breaker's lab studies non-coding RNA, stretches of genetic material that play regulatory roles in the cell instead of coding for proteins. Using different computer algorithms, he and his colleagues analyze the genomes of organisms to identify signature sequences in genetic material that likely indicate the presence of noncoding RNA. Among the types of non-coding RNAs they find are regulatory molecules called riboswitches. Normally, the role of a riboswitch is easy to deduce: Riboswitches are attached to the genes that they regulate. If the gene is needed to produce a certain compound, the riboswitch is usually sensitive to that compound, so when its level increases or decreases in the cell, the riboswitch can cause more or less to be made. Aside from their interest in the biology of riboswitches, Breaker's group is studying these genetic switches because they could represent new drug targets and might be used to control the activity of genes inserted into cells as gene therapies.
In a recent set of experiments, Breaker's team identified a new riboswitch that was attached to a handful of genes with vague or unknown functions. They were stumped. "We knew we had a riboswitch but we didn't know what it bound," says Breaker. "And we were very intrigued because it was one of the only non-coding RNAs we've ever found that's present in both bacteria and archaea. That suggests that it has ancient origins and an important role in the cell," he notes.
So Breaker and his colleagues put the RNA in a test tube and began to mix in different chemicals, observing whether or not they bound to the riboswitch. They worked through a long list of more common chemicals before they stumbled on fluoride. The addition of fluoride was an accident -- fluoride was a contaminant in a sample of a different chemical they were testing.
Once Breaker's group found that the riboswitch bound to fluoride, they were able to show that the genes controlled by the riboswitch are those that help the cell fight the toxicity of fluoride. Fluoride, a negatively charged ion, binds aggressively to some metabolites and essential enzymes. If fluoride floods a cell, it can quickly shut down cellular processes. The fluoride-sensing riboswitch, Breaker's team discovered, turns on a gene coding for ion channels that transport fluoride back out of the cell.
"This riboswitch is detecting fluoride buildup in the cell and turning on genes to help overcome that buildup," says Breaker. Whether or not the riboswitch is successful, and fast enough, determines whether a bacterium can fight the effects of fluoride.
"Our data not only help explain how cells fight the toxicity of fluoride, but it also gives us a sense of how we might be able to enhance the antimicrobial properties of fluoride," says Breaker. "In the future we might be able to use this knowledge to make fluoride even more toxic to bacteria."
Blocking the fluoride channel, for example, makes cells 200 times more sensitive to fluoride, the researchers showed. Finding other ways to enhance fluoride's effectsby inactivating the riboswitch or shutting off other downstream genescould make fluoride an even better antimicrobial agent.
###
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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.
Contact: Jim Keeley keeleyj@hhmi.org 301-215-8858 Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Regular use of fluoride-containing toothpaste and mouthwash has long been known to strengthen the enamel on teeth. But new research by Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) scientists finds that fluoride also has dramatic effects on bacteria inside the mouth -- including those that form plaque and can cause cavities.
HHMI researcher Ronald Breaker of Yale University has discovered the cellular chain of events that occurs inside a bacterium after it encounters fluoride in its environment. His team's findings reveal that many bacteria try to fend off fluoride which the organisms treat as a toxic substance by throwing it out. The presence of such a transport system indicates that fluoride itself has antimicrobial properties, Breaker said. The findings are published online in Science Express on December 22, 2011.
Breaker's lab studies non-coding RNA, stretches of genetic material that play regulatory roles in the cell instead of coding for proteins. Using different computer algorithms, he and his colleagues analyze the genomes of organisms to identify signature sequences in genetic material that likely indicate the presence of noncoding RNA. Among the types of non-coding RNAs they find are regulatory molecules called riboswitches. Normally, the role of a riboswitch is easy to deduce: Riboswitches are attached to the genes that they regulate. If the gene is needed to produce a certain compound, the riboswitch is usually sensitive to that compound, so when its level increases or decreases in the cell, the riboswitch can cause more or less to be made. Aside from their interest in the biology of riboswitches, Breaker's group is studying these genetic switches because they could represent new drug targets and might be used to control the activity of genes inserted into cells as gene therapies.
In a recent set of experiments, Breaker's team identified a new riboswitch that was attached to a handful of genes with vague or unknown functions. They were stumped. "We knew we had a riboswitch but we didn't know what it bound," says Breaker. "And we were very intrigued because it was one of the only non-coding RNAs we've ever found that's present in both bacteria and archaea. That suggests that it has ancient origins and an important role in the cell," he notes.
So Breaker and his colleagues put the RNA in a test tube and began to mix in different chemicals, observing whether or not they bound to the riboswitch. They worked through a long list of more common chemicals before they stumbled on fluoride. The addition of fluoride was an accident -- fluoride was a contaminant in a sample of a different chemical they were testing.
Once Breaker's group found that the riboswitch bound to fluoride, they were able to show that the genes controlled by the riboswitch are those that help the cell fight the toxicity of fluoride. Fluoride, a negatively charged ion, binds aggressively to some metabolites and essential enzymes. If fluoride floods a cell, it can quickly shut down cellular processes. The fluoride-sensing riboswitch, Breaker's team discovered, turns on a gene coding for ion channels that transport fluoride back out of the cell.
"This riboswitch is detecting fluoride buildup in the cell and turning on genes to help overcome that buildup," says Breaker. Whether or not the riboswitch is successful, and fast enough, determines whether a bacterium can fight the effects of fluoride.
"Our data not only help explain how cells fight the toxicity of fluoride, but it also gives us a sense of how we might be able to enhance the antimicrobial properties of fluoride," says Breaker. "In the future we might be able to use this knowledge to make fluoride even more toxic to bacteria."
Blocking the fluoride channel, for example, makes cells 200 times more sensitive to fluoride, the researchers showed. Finding other ways to enhance fluoride's effectsby inactivating the riboswitch or shutting off other downstream genescould make fluoride an even better antimicrobial agent.
###
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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.
As we come towards the end of the year, I wanted to write a post reflecting on what I was hoping to see next year. And of course, for inspiration, I turned to the Internet, which led me, in no particular order, to the following:
Cats, goals, dogs, fails, Lindsay Lohan, cats again, Gawker, coffee, coffee makers, naked women, and finally, Wikipedia, where I somehow wound up reading about hobos.
But the interesting thing about hobos was this ? Not only did they have their own code, (as made popular in the Mad Men episode of the same name), but they also had their own ethical code.
That?s right ? Hobos had a code of ethical conduct, one to which they tried to always adhere.
Pretty amazing, huh? They rode the rails, took work where they could get it, ate when they could, yet they tethered to a strong sense of ethical balance. When you think about it, that?s a lot more than most of our so called ?pillars of society? are doing nowadays. (How?s your jail cell, Mr. Madoff? How about yours, Mr. Blagojevich?)
With that said, here?s my recommendation for 2012: Follow the code of ethics set out by the Hobos well over a hundred years ago. If you do, chances are, you?ll do better, won?t get into trouble, and more than likely will have a good year, personally, professionally, and financially.
I?m going to try it in 2012. Will you join me? And are there any additional codes that should be added? Leave them in the comments.
The Hobo Code of Ethics:
Decide your own life, don?t let another person run or rule you. When in town, always respect the local law and officials, and try to be a gentleman at all times. Don?t take advantage of someone who is in a vulnerable situation, locals or other hobos. Always try to find work, even if temporary, and always seek out jobs nobody wants. By doing so you not only help a business along, but ensure employment should you return to that town again. When no employment is available, make your own work by using your added talents at crafts. Do not allow yourself to become a stupid drunk and set a bad example for locals? treatment of other hobos. When jungling in town, respect handouts, do not wear them out, another hobo will be coming along who will need them as bad, if not worse than you. Always respect nature, do not leave garbage where you are jungling. If in a community jungle, always pitch in and help. Try to stay clean, and boil up wherever possible. When traveling, ride your train respectfully, take no personal chances, cause no problems with the operating crew or host railroad, act like an extra crew member. Do not cause problems in a train yard, another hobo will be coming along who will need passage through that yard. Do not allow other hobos to molest children, expose all molesters to authorities, they are the worst garbage to infest any society. Help all runaway children, and try to induce them to return home. Help your fellow hobos whenever and wherever needed, you may need their help someday. If present at a hobo court and you have testimony, give it. Whether for or against the accused, your voice counts!
[unable to retrieve full-text content]The discovery of Kepler 20e and Kepler 20f may be an encouraging sign that planet hunters would someday succeed in finding other Earth-like planets.
Problems with motor control may be a key factor
in bipolar disorder
By Carrie Arnold
?|
December 16, 2011
Image: Elijas van Roon/Corbis
None of us can stand perfectly still. No matter how hard we try, our bodies constantly make small adjustments, causing us to sway slightly as we stand. A new study finds that people with bipolar disorder tend to sway more than those who are unaffected, which may lead to new ways to treat and diagnose the illness.
When psychologists diagnose bipolar disorder, they typically look for mood swings between agitated mania and bleak depression. Previous studies have linked bipolar disorder to abnormalities in the cerebellum and basal ganglia, regions of the brain that are also important for motor control. This connection led Indiana University psychologist Amanda Bolbecker and her colleagues to hypothesize that people with bipolar disorder might also have problems with motor skills.
To test their idea, Bolbecker?s team had 16 people with bipolar disorder and 16 age-matched healthy control subjects stand on a device called a force platform. The platform is similar in ap?pearance to a bathroom scale, but instead of measuring weight it calculates the pressure from different parts of the feet, which indicates how the body is swaying.
In every trial?with their eyes open or closed and with their feet different widths apart?the people with bipolar disorder wobbled more than the healthy subjects, indicating problems with motor control. The patients had the most trouble with their eyes closed, which suggests that the bipolar brain has difficulty integrating sensorimotor information, those inputs from the body and senses that assist the brain in maintaining balance and body position.
Bolbecker points out that the cerebellum, located at the base of the brain, helps to regulate movement and is also involved in emotional reactions, such as fear and pleasure. In addition, the cerebellum connects to other parts of the brain linked to cognition, mood regulation and impulse control, three areas in which patients with bipolar disorder often have difficulties. If the cerebellum is damaged at the cellular level, it may create problems with both mood and motor control.
PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea ? Papua New Guinea politics were deadlocked Thursday, with two men claiming to be prime minister, two governments saying they hold power, rival police chiefs maintaining the peace ? and no one sure who actually was in charge.
The power struggle in the most populous South Pacific island nation has exasperated the public and prompted union leaders to call on both men claiming to be prime minister to find a solution before the situation worsens.
The Supreme Court and Governor-General Sir Michael Ogio have backed 76-year-old Sir Michael Somare, who the court ruled was illegally removed as prime minister while getting medical treatment outside the country. But lawmakers loyal to his rival Peter O'Neill have passed retroactive legislation recognizing him as leader.
At a news conference Thursday, O'Neill said he had ordered police to take control of government offices, including the prime minister's office, where Somare and his followers were working. But O'Neill said he had no authority to issue arrest warrants for Somare or Somare's ministers.
Somare's spokeswoman did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Somare had been scheduled to hold a news conference earlier Thursday, but it was delayed without explanation.
"We are sick and tired of the selfish behavior by our politicians," said Michael Malabang, head of the country's Trade Union Congress, which represents tens of thousands of private and public sector workers across Papua New Guinea, a former Australian territory rich in mineral resources. "We don't want a total public service breakdown, and it is coming to that stage."
The standoff began Monday, when the Supreme Court ruled that O'Neill's election by parliament in August was unconstitutional and said Somare should be reinstated as prime minister. Lawmakers backing O'Neill stormed the gates of Ogio's official residence on Tuesday, demanding he meet with O'Neill. Ogio, who represents British Queen Elizabeth II ? the country's head of state ? said he'd decide by Wednesday who should be prime minister.
On Wednesday, Ogio swore in Somare's Cabinet. Somare insisted he did not need to be sworn in, because the Supreme Court had already reinstated him as prime minister.
But a majority of the country's 109 lawmakers voted later Wednesday to suspend Ogio and replace him temporarily with Speaker Jeffery Nape. Nape then swore O'Neill in as prime minister.
"(Ogio) has failed to swear in the new prime minister according to the advice of the Parliament," O'Neill told Parliament in proposing the motion suspending the governor-general.
Somare dismissed Ogio's suspension as corrupt.
"We're the government despite that fact Parliament is still going on," Somare told Australian Broadcasting Corp. radio from the prime minister's office.
O'Neill's lawmaker supporters have occupied Parliament since Monday when the Supreme Court ruling was issued. On Wednesday they voted to appeal that ruling.
One of Somare's first acts after the Supreme Court ordered his return to power was to reinstate former Police Commissioner Fred Yakasa and oust O'Neill's appointee, Tom Kulunga. Both police chiefs were present at the governor-general's home and held discussions with lawmakers loyal to O'Neill.
Somare has based himself at the popular Ela Beach Hotel, where he has set up a Cabinet made up mostly of ministers from his previous government.
"The only two people who can make a difference are Sir Michael and Mr. O'Neill," said Malabang, head of the trade union. "They have to calm down and come together for the sake of our people."
Somare spent five months in Singapore undergoing three heart operations before returning to parliament Sept. 6.
Australian Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd said Papua New Guinea had entered uncharted waters with the two men claiming to be prime minister.
Australia shares an important trade relationship with Papua New Guinea, which is rich in mineral resources including oil, gold and copper, and crops such as coffee and cocoa. Australia is Papua New Guinea's top export market, as well as its top source of imports. Papua New Guinea relies on Australia for fuel, food, cars and foreign aid.
Stratolaunch Systems continues a trend for Paul Allen, who has funded several different spaceflight and astronomy efforts over the years.
Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen's new spaceflight venture shouldn't come as a big surprise, because the billionaire has set his sights on the heavens before.
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Allen announced on Dec. 13 that he is forming a new company called?Stratolaunch Systems, which plans to launch payloads to orbit from a huge plane at high altitude. Stratolaunch Systems continues a trend for Allen, who has funded several different spaceflight and astronomy efforts over the years.
These ventures are the natural outgrowths of a lifelong fascination with space, said Allen, who as a boy dreamed of becoming an astronaut.
"For me, the fascination with space never ended, and I never stopped dreaming about what might be possible," Allen said during a press conference in Seattle today. [Images: Paul Allen's Giant Airplane Launch Pad]
Following SpaceShipOne
The air-launch concept behind Stratolaunch Systems is similar to that of SpaceShipOne, which won the $10 million Ansari X Prize for suborbital spaceflight in 2004.
The design of SpaceShipOne and its mothership, the White Knight, later became the basis for?Virgin Galactic's commercial spaceliner?SpaceShipTwo, which may begin carrying tourists to suborbital space as early as next year.
The similarity between the two projects is no coicidence. SpaceShipOne was a joint venture between Allen ? who reportedly invested more than $20 million in the effort ? and Scaled Composites, a California firm headed by aerospace engineer Burt Rutan.
Now, Rutan will serve on the board for Stratolaunch Systems, and Scaled will develop the new company's gigantic airplane mothership.
The multistage rocket booster used by Stratolaunch will be built by the California-based company Space Exploration Technologies, better known as SpaceX, officials said.
Funding the SETI search
Allen has also advanced research in astronomy ? specifically, the hunt for intelligent alien life in the universe. His foundation helped fund the SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) Institute's?Allen Telescope Array?(ATA), a set of 42 radio antennas located about 300 miles (500 kilometers) northeast of San Francisco.
Since 2001, Allen's foundation has given about $29 million to develop and help build and operate the array, which researchers use to scan newly discovered?alien planets?for microwave signals that could indicate the presence of intelligent civilizations.
"Paul was brave enough to go out on a limb and fund all of our technology development work for three years, because this is a new kind of telescope that no one had built before," Jill Tarter, director of the Center for SETI Research at the SETI Institute, told SPACE.com. "He has been a very good partner."
The long-term plan is to expand the array to 350 telescopes. Allen never intended to fund this larger array all by himself; he wanted some partners to come in and help out, Tarter said. That hasn't happened yet, so the SETI Institute is pressing forward with the 42 telescopes for now.
Allen also established the Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame, which opened in Seattle in 2004. His scientific interests aren't limited to spaceflight and exploration, however; they're very broad, and Allen has helped fund major research efforts in genetics, medicine and neuroscience, among other fields.
"I'm a huge fan of anything that pushes forward the boundaries of what we can do in science and technology," Allen said. "That's my history. Those are my passions."
You can follow SPACE.com senior writer Mike Wall on Twitter:?@michaeldwall. Follow SPACE.com for the latest in space science and exploration news on Twitter?@Spacedotcom?and on?Facebook.
ScienceDaily (Dec. 15, 2011) ? Roughly half the people who get a serious blood clot in the leg experience lasting damage. Norwegian researchers are the first to show that a little-used supplementary treatment can help to prevent such complications.
Pain, swelling, itching, eczema and venous ulcers are characteristic signs of post-thrombotic syndrome, a condition developed by roughly half the patients who have experienced serious deep vein thrombosis, or blood clots in the leg.
Blood clots in the leg can lead to long-term damage, but an additional treatment reduces that risk.
In a study carried out in a group of Norwegian hospitals it has been demonstrated for the first time that a treatment to dissolve blood clots prevented such complications in a substantial number of patients. The treatment is called catheter-directed thrombolytic therapy.
Based at Oslo University Hospital, the project is a collaboration between the Department of Haematology and the Department of Radiology. All the hospitals in the South-Eastern Norway Health Region have participated.
No longer experimental
Catheter-directed thrombolytic therapy has been in modest use in Norway since the early 1990s and is known in other countries as well. But it is a costly treatment and until now its effect had not been documented.
Per Morten Sandset? said "In our study we have shown for the first time that catheter-directed thrombolysis truly can reduce the long-term complications of blood clots in the legs," says project manager Per Morten Sandset, a professor at Oslo University Hospital's Department of Haematology. "This means it is no longer considered an experimental treatment and will likely be offered on a far larger scale."
Dissolves blood clots
Roughly half of the study's 209 blood-clot patients were randomly selected to receive standard treatment with blood-thinning medicine. The other half received thrombolysis in addition, administered via catheter and intended to dissolve blood clots.
The effects of the treatments were measured after six months and after two years, and will be measured again after five years. After two years, 41 per cent of patients who received both thrombolysis and conventional therapy had developed post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS) compared to 55 per cent of patients receiving conventional therapy only.
International interest
The findings were recently presented at a conference organised by the American Society of Hematology and have been published in the electronic version of the medical journal The Lancet.
In their commentary in The Lancet, radiologists Lawrence V. Hofmann and William T. Kuo of the Stanford University School of Medicine in the US hail the Norwegian study as a very important contribution to the literature on treating blood clots in the legs. They conclude that the findings should lead to the adoption of thrombolytic therapy for patients with blood clots in the legs.
The two US radiologists point out, however, that although the results are promising, the PTS rate among the thrombolysis group is still too high. Professor Sandset concurs, but believes that refinements in the therapy will be able to substantially increase the rate of patients avoiding complications.
Must work out the best method
In the study, only one treatment regime was tested. Professor Sandset also points out that the health care personnel involved had relatively little experience with the therapy.
"It is to be expected that more experience with the actual procedure would yield better results. It is also reasonable to presume there are more effective ways of administering the therapy. This is a vital topic for further research," asserts Professor Sandset, who believes the gap between the two patient groups will widen with the follow-up after five years.
Open veins lower the risks
The study's researchers observed a clear correlation between thrombolytic therapy, unobstructed veins and lower risk of developing PTS.
"Patients with unobstructed veins had a far lower risk of developing PTS," explains Professor Sandset. "It is crucial to open up the veins and get the blood flowing properly again."
In thrombolytic therapy, patients receive medication through a catheter in the blood vessel and directly into the clot. This enables physicians to use a much lower dose than with conventional treatment, which is given intravenously.
The study also identified a drawback to thrombolytic therapy: increased risk of haemorrhaging. The researchers therefore recommend not using the treatment on patients at high risk for haemorrhage.
Professor Sandset emphasises that more and larger studies are needed in this area. US researchers are now recruiting 700 patients for a similar study on thrombolysis. Those results, due in a few years, will be compared with those of Professor Sandset and his colleagues.
The study has received funding under the Research Programme on Clinical Research (KLINISKFORSKNING), administered by the Research Council of Norway.
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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by The Research Council of Norway. The original article was written by Elin Fugelsnes/Else Lie. Translation: Darren McKellep/Carol B. Eckmann.
Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.
Journal Reference:
Lawrence V Hofmann, William T Kuo. Catheter-directed thrombolysis for acute DVT. The Lancet, 2011; DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(11)61875-8
Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.
Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.
Our new pup Bella is 9 weeks old as of yesterday. She cracks me & @ZaraGreen up! A beautiful belle of energy! yfrog.com/h8ngxhtj 
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Public release date: 22-Dec-2011
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But the interesting thing about hobos was this ? Not only did they have their own code, (as made popular in the Mad Men episode of the same name), but they also had their own ethical code.
