Ubiquitous engineered nanomaterials can cause lung inflammation: Substances are used in everything from paint to sporting equipment

May 6, 2013 ? A consortium of scientists from across the country has found that breathing ultrafine particles from a large family of materials that increasingly are found in a host of household and commercial products, from sunscreens to the ink in copy machines to super-strong but lightweight sporting equipment, can cause lung inflammation and damage.

The research on two of the most common types of engineered nanomaterials is published online today in Environmental Health Perspectives, the journal of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS). It is the first multi-institutional study examining the health effects of engineering nanomaterials to replicate and compare findings from different labs across the country.

The study is critical, the researchers said, because of the large quantities of nanomaterials being used in industry, electronics and medicine. Earlier studies had found when nanomaterials are taken into the lungs they can cause inflammation and fibrosis. The unique contribution of the current study is that all members of the consortium were able to show similar findings when similiar concentrations of the materials were introduced into the respiratory system. The findings should provide guidance for creating policy for the safe development of nanotechnology.

"This research provides further confirmation that nanomaterials have the potential to cause inflammation and injury to the lungs. Although small amounts of these materials in the lungs do not appear to produce injury, we still must remain vigilant in using care in the diverse applications of these materials in consumer products and foods," said Kent Pinkerton, a study senior author and the director of the UC Davis Center for Health and the Environment."

Used for their ability to confer strength and flexibility because of their tubular and spherical structures, the ubiquitous and highly malleable materials may be composed of everything from carbon to gold. The current study examined the health effects of inhaling two types of nanomaterials, those made from forms of titanium dioxide and those made from multi-walled carbon nanotubes, a substance with a tensile strength 100 times stronger than steel.

The study was conducted as part of the NIEHS NanoGo Consortium, which includes researchers at North Carolina State University, UC Davis, East Carolina University, the Health Effects Laboratory of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, the University of Rochester, the University of Washington and the Center for Environmental Implications of Nanotechnology.

The primary concern for exposure to nanomaterials is by inhalation, although dermal, eye and ingestion exposures also may occur during the manufacture and commercial application of these materials in a wide variety of products. The researchers examined responses of the lungs to nanomaterials made from three forms of titanium dioxide and three forms of multi-walled carbon nanotubes in a mouse model.

The study's other authors are James C. Bonner and Alexia J. Taylor of North Carolina State University; Rona M. Silva of UC Davis; Jared M. Brown and Susana C. Hilderbrand of East Carolina University; Vincent Castranova and Dale Porter of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health; Alison Elder and G?nter Oberd?rster of the University of Rochester; Jack R. Harkema and Lori A. Bramble of Michigan State University; and Terrance J. Kavanagh and Dianne Botta of the University of Washington and Andre Nel the California Nanosystems Institute.

The research was funded by NIEHS grants RC2 ES018772 (JCB), RO1 ES019311 (JMB), RC2 ES018741 (AE, GO), R01 ES016189 (TJK), P30 ES007033 (TJK), and RC1 ES018232 (KEP).

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

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/7U5H7NUefvo/130506103308.htm

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Gov reflects on weight (CNN)

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Reports show gun homicides down since 1990s

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Gun homicides have dropped steeply in the United States since their peak in 1993, a pair of reports released Tuesday showed, adding fuel to Congress' battle over whether to tighten restrictions on firearms.

A study released Tuesday by the government's Bureau of Justice Statistics found that gun-related homicides dropped from 18,253 in 1993 to 11,101 in 2011. That's a 39 percent reduction.

Another report by the private Pew Research Center found a similar decline by looking at the rate of gun homicides, which compares the number of killings to the size of the country's population. It found that the number of gun homicides per 100,000 people fell from 7 in 1993 to 3.6 in 2010, a drop of 49 percent.

Both reports also found the rate of non-fatal crimes involving guns was also down by around 70 percent over that period.

But perhaps because of the intense publicity generated by recent mass shootings such as the December massacre of 20 school children and six educators in Newtown, Conn., the public seems to have largely not noticed the reductions in gun violence, the Pew study shows.

The non-partisan group said a poll it conducted in March showed that 56 percent of people believe the number of gun crimes is higher than it was two decades ago. Only 12 percent said they think the number of gun crimes is lower, while the rest said they think it remained the same or didn't know.

The trend in firearm-related homicides is part of a broad nationwide decline in violent crime over past two decades, including incidents not involving firearms.

But handguns play a major role in violent crime. The Justice study said that in 2011, about 70 percent of all homicides were committed with a firearm, mainly a handgun.

The data was released three weeks after the Senate rejected an effort by gun control supporters to broaden the requirement for federal background checks for more firearms purchases. Senate Democratic leaders have pledged to hold that vote again, and gun control advocates have been raising public pressure on senators who voted "no" in hopes they will change their minds.

Gun rights advocates have argued that people are safer when they are allowed to own and carry guns. Those supporting gun control say that with more background checks, gun violence would drop because more criminals and mentally unstable people would be prevented from getting weapons.

___

AP reporter Pete Yost contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/reports-show-gun-homicides-down-since-1990s-180334915.html

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Restless legs syndrome, insomnia and brain chemistry: A tangled mystery solved?

May 7, 2013 ? Johns Hopkins researchers believe they may have discovered an explanation for the sleepless nights associated with restless legs syndrome (RLS), a symptom that persists even when the disruptive, overwhelming nocturnal urge to move the legs is treated successfully with medication.

Neurologists have long believed RLS is related to a dysfunction in the way the brain uses the neurotransmitter dopamine, a chemical used by brain cells to communicate and produce smooth, purposeful muscle activity and movement. Disruption of these neurochemical signals, characteristic of Parkinson's disease, frequently results in involuntary movements. Drugs that increase dopamine levels are mainstay treatments for RLS, but studies have shown they don't significantly improve sleep. An estimated 5 percent of the U.S. population has RLS.

The small new study, headed by Richard P. Allen, Ph.D., an associate professor of neurology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, used MRI to image the brain and found glutamate -- a neurotransmitter involved in arousal -- in abnormally high levels in people with RLS. The more glutamate the researchers found in the brains of those with RLS, the worse their sleep.

The findings are published in the May issue of the journal Neurology. "We may have solved the mystery of why getting rid of patients' urge to move their legs doesn't improve their sleep," Allen says. "We may have been looking at the wrong thing all along, or we may find that both dopamine and glutamate pathways play a role in RLS."

For the study, Allen and his colleagues examined MRI images and recorded glutamate activity in the thalamus, the part of the brain involved with the regulation of consciousness, sleep and alertness. They looked at images of 28 people with RLS and 20 people without. The RLS patients included in the study had symptoms six to seven nights a week persisting for at least six months, with an average of 20 involuntary movements a night or more.

The researchers then conducted two-day sleep studies in the same individuals to measure how much rest each person was getting. In those with RLS, they found that the higher the glutamate level in the thalamus, the less sleep the subject got. They found no such association in the control group without RLS.

Previous studies have shown that even though RLS patients average less than 5.5 hours of sleep per night, they rarely report problems with excessive daytime sleepiness. Allen says the lack of daytime sleepiness is likely related to the role of glutamate, too much of which can put the brain in a state of hyperarousal -- day or night.

If confirmed, the study's results may change the way RLS is treated, Allen says, potentially erasing the sleepless nights that are the worst side effect of the condition. Dopamine-related drugs currently used in RLS do work, but many patients eventually lose the drug benefit and require ever higher doses. When the doses get too high, the medication actually can make the symptoms much worse than before treatment. Scientists don't fully understand why drugs that increase the amount of dopamine in the brain would work to calm the uncontrollable leg movement of RLS.

Allen says there are already drugs on the market, such as the anticonvulsive gabapentin enacarbil, that can reduce glutamate levels in the brain, but they have not been given as a first-line treatment for RLS patients.

RLS wreaks havoc on sleep because lying down and trying to relax activates the symptoms. Most people with RLS have difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep. Only getting up and moving around typically relieves the discomfort. The sensations range in severity from uncomfortable to irritating to painful.

"It's exciting to see something totally new in the field -- something that really makes sense for the biology of arousal and sleep," Allen says.

As more is understood about this neurobiology, the findings may not only apply to RLS, he says, but also to some forms of insomnia. The study was funded in part by the National Institutes of Health's National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (R01 NS075184 and NS044862), the National Institute on Aging (P10-AG21190) and the National Center for Research Resources (M01RR02719).

Allen has received honoraria serving on advisory boards from impax, Pfizer and UCB and honoraria for scientific lectures, consultancy and research support from UCB, GSK, Pfizer and Pharmacosmos.

Other Johns Hopkins researchers involved in the study include Peter B. Barker, D.Phil.; Alena Horska, Ph.D.; and Christopher J. Earley, M.D., Ph.D.

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

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/~3/gX3YKKoc4qM/130507134600.htm

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Study provides clarity on supplements for protection against blinding eye disease

May 6, 2013 ? Adding omega-3 fatty acids did not improve a combination of nutritional supplements commonly recommended for treating age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a major cause of vision loss among older Americans, according to a study from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The plant-derived antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin also had no overall effect on AMD when added to the combination; however, they were safer than the related antioxidant beta-carotene, according to the study published online today in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

"Millions of older Americans take nutritional supplements to protect their sight without clear guidance regarding benefit and risk," said NEI director Paul A. Sieving, M.D., Ph.D. "This study clarifies the role of supplements in helping prevent advanced AMD, an incurable, common, and devastating disease that robs older people of their sight and independence."

The Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS), which was led by NIH's National Eye Institute and concluded in 2001, established that daily high doses of vitamins C and E, beta-carotene, and the minerals zinc and copper -- called the AREDS formulation -- can help slow the progression to advanced AMD. The American Academy of Ophthalmology now recommends use of the AREDS formulation to reduce the risk of advanced AMD. However, beta-carotene use has been linked to a heightened risk of lung cancer in smokers. And there have been concerns that the high zinc dose in AREDS could cause minor side effects, such as stomach upset, in some people.

In 2006 the NEI launched AREDS2, a five-year study designed to test whether the original AREDS formulation could be improved by adding omega-3 fatty acids; adding lutein and zeaxanthin; removing beta-carotene; or reducing zinc. The study also examined how different combinations of the supplements performed. Omega-3 fatty acids are produced by plants, including algae, and are present in oily fish such as salmon. Lutein and zeaxanthin are carotenoids, a class of plant-derived vitamins that includes beta-carotene; both are present in leafy green vegetables and, when consumed, they accumulate in the retina. Prior studies had suggested that diets high in lutein, zeaxanthin, and omega-3 fatty acids protect vision. Before the AREDS2 study finished, manufacturers began marketing supplements based on the study design.

In AREDS2, participants took one of four AREDS formulations daily for five years. The original AREDS included 500 milligrams vitamin C, 400 international units of vitamin E, 15 milligrams beta-carotene, 80 milligrams zinc, and two milligrams copper. Other groups took AREDS with no beta-carotene, AREDS with low zinc (25 milligrams), or AREDS with no beta-carotene and low zinc. Participants in each AREDS group also took one of four additional supplements or combinations: these included lutein/zeaxanthin (10 milligrams/2 milligrams), omega-3 fatty acids (1,000 milligrams), lutein/zeaxanthin and omega-3 fatty acids, or placebo. Progression to advanced AMD was established by examination of retina photographs or treatment for advanced AMD.

AMD breaks down cells in the layer of tissue called the retina in the back of the eye that provide sharp central vision, which is necessary for tasks such as reading, driving, and recognizing faces. Advanced AMD can lead to significant vision loss and, in the United States, is the leading cause of blindness. About 2 million Americans have advanced AMD; another 8 million are at risk.

In the first AREDS trial, participants with AMD who took the AREDS formulation were 25 percent less likely to progress to advanced AMD over the five-year study period, compared with participants who took a placebo. In AREDS2, there was no overall additional benefit from adding omega-3 fatty acids or a 5-to-1 mixture of lutein and zeaxanthin to the formulation. However, the investigators did find some benefits when they analyzed two subgroups of participants: those not given beta-carotene, and those who had very little lutein and zeaxanthin in their diets.

"When we looked at just those participants in the study who took an AREDS formulation with lutein and zeaxanthin but no beta-carotene, their risk of developing advanced AMD over the five years of the study was reduced by about 18 percent, compared with participants who took an AREDS formulation with beta-carotene but no lutein or zeaxanthin," said Emily Chew, M.D., deputy director of the NEI Division of Epidemiology and Clinical Applications and the NEI deputy clinical director. "Further analysis showed that participants with low dietary intake of lutein and zeaxanthin at the start of the study, but who took an AREDS formulation with lutein and zeaxanthin during the study, were about 25 percent less likely to develop advanced AMD compared with participants with similar dietary intake who did not take lutein and zeaxanthin."

Because carotenoids can compete with each other for absorption in the body, beta-carotene may have masked the effect of the lutein and zeaxanthin in the overall analysis, Chew said. Indeed, participants who took all three nutrients had lower levels of lutein and zeaxanthin in their blood compared to participants who took lutein and zeaxanthin without beta-carotene

Removing beta-carotene from the AREDS formulation did not curb the formulation's protective effect against developing advanced AMD, an important finding because several studies have linked taking high doses of beta-carotene with a higher risk of lung cancer in smokers. Although smokers were not given a formulation with beta-carotene in AREDS2, the study showed an association between beta-carotene and risk of lung cancer among former smokers. About half of AREDS2 participants were former smokers. "Removing beta-carotene simplifies things," said Wai T. Wong, M.D., Ph.D., chief of the NEI Neuron-Glia Interactions in Retinal Disease Unit and a co-author of the report. "We have identified a formulation that should be good for everyone regardless of smoking status," he said. Adding omega-3 fatty acids or lowering zinc to the AREDS formulation also had no effect on AMD progression.

More than 4,000 people, ages 50 to 85 years, who were at risk for advanced AMD participated in AREDS2 at 82 clinical sites across the country. Eye care professionals assess risk of developing advanced AMD in part by looking for yellow deposits called drusen in the retina. The appearance of small drusen is a normal part of aging, but the presence of larger drusen indicates AMD and a risk of associated vision loss. Over time, the retina begins to break down in areas where large drusen are present during a process called geographic atrophy. AMD can also spur the growth of new blood vessels beneath the retina, which can leak blood and fluid, resulting in sudden vision loss. These two forms of AMD are often referred to as dry AMD and wet AMD respectively.

In a separate study, published online today in JAMA Ophthalmology, the AREDS2 Research Group evaluated the effect of the various AREDS formulas on cataract, a common condition caused by clouding of the eye's lens. Globally, cataract is the most common cause of blindness and is a major health problem in areas where cataract surgery is unavailable or unaffordable. About 24.4 million Americans are directly affected by cataract.

As reported in 2001, the original AREDS formulation does not protect against cataract. In AREDS2, none of the modified formulations helped reduce the risk of progression to cataract surgery, although a subgroup of participants with low dietary lutein and zeaxanthin gained some protection. "While a healthy diet promotes good eye health and general well-being, based on overall AREDS2 data, regular high doses of antioxidant supplements do not prevent cataract," Chew said.

Many factors contribute to the development of AMD and cataract, including genetics, diet, and smoking. Scientists are unsure how supplements in the AREDS formulation exert their protective effects. However, an April 2013 report in the journal Ophthalmology by the AREDS Research Group shows the beneficial effects of taking the AREDS vitamins are long-lasting. The report describes a follow-up study of AREDS participants. Those who took the AREDS formulation during the initial five-year trial were 25 to 30 percent less likely to develop advanced AMD -- mostly due to a reduction in the number of neovascular, or wet, AMD cases -- over the next five years, compared with participants who took placebo during AREDS. Seventy percent of all participants were taking the original AREDS formula by the end of the follow-up period.

"Long-term use of AREDS supplements appears safe and protective against advanced AMD," said Chew. "While zinc is an important component of the AREDS formulation, based on evidence from AREDS2 it is unclear how much zinc is necessary. Omega-3 fatty acids and beta-carotene clearly do not do not reduce the risk of progression to advanced AMD; however, adding lutein and zeaxanthin in place of beta-carotene may further improve the formulation."

The AREDS2 study results provide physicians and patients with new information about preventing vision loss from AMD. People over 60 years old should get a dilated eye exam at least once a year and should discuss with their eye care professional whether taking AREDS supplements is appropriate.

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

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/health_medicine/nutrition/~3/KUnojQB2CdI/130506095619.htm

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Thousands of Islamist Protesters In Bangladesh Demand Anti-Blasphemy Laws (Voice Of America)

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RolePlayGateway?

Hello there,

I'm looking for the idea, the partner or even the players, to start a roleplay!

But first, let me introduce myself. My pseudonym is Minion, I'm 17 years old and I unfortunately have a runaway imagination which craves some sort of stimulation. Thus I have come here.
I like roleplaying, I've been doing it for most of my childhood and well into my teenage life too. It's quite hard to suppress the habit.

Most themes and roleplaying styles fall into my taste, though as of lately I've started resenting romance and supernatural romance, as it brings unbalance to the comicbook store I frequent and as such, the genre sticks out like a sore thumb when I try finding good books.

A pair of ideas I find to be dear to me are the following;

The Third World War - Many a novel has been written, but my ultimate favourite is "Two Suns Rose" by Niels E. Nielsen. The story of a colonel from the NATO, who's been sent over the Russian steppes after the third world war broke out in 1973. After destroying city upon city, he finds himself stranded in Tienshan, more than 7000 kilometers from home, and his journey home must begin, so that he may see his family again.
This story can be played in two ways. Either when going to war, where people can play as members of the 21st Tactical Missile Brigade, or as a journey back to Europe through the wartorn steppes of Communist Russia and the ruins of former Europe.
Climate change, hunger, mania/fear and loneliness would be dominating themes in this kind of roleplay.

You're always Right if you're Left! - Inspired by many books and series about intrigues in the political world. A player has just been elected president, and senators, PMs and important leaders come to the parliament and to the presidential resident to do business with the president and his party.
This roleplay leaves for many interesting choices and epic story lines. Who wouldn't want to do another Clinton? Who wouldn't go on a smear campaign to defame the opposition?
Intrigue, personal beliefs and peer pressure is what will dominate this kind of game.

La Carosello - Inspired by a rather new game; Bioshock Infinite and by several short stories on the idea of a time paradox, this roleplay would be about just that. A flaw in logic and in time and space. Something done so awfully wrong that the event must repeat until the knot is untied.
History repeats itself. The actors are new every time, but the play is as old as time. An even will repeat itself, sometimes in a different setting, sometimes with new people. But the crucial is, that the outcome always is the same, until the circle is broken and the events course can unfold.

So if you find these interesting, then we would probably be well off. But if you've got that particular storyline you wish for or possibly even hunger for, the fear not!
As I stated I am open to almost anything! As long as the werewolves and vampires are left out of the picture. Pirates, high fantasy or mafiosi. As long as there's a possibility that I get to write.

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The First Entirely 3D-Printed Gun Is Here - Business Insider

Well, it's finally happened.

Defense Distributed, a group focused on making easily printable weapons, has succeeded.

It made a handgun using a 3D-printer, according to Andy Greenberg at Forbes, who was given early access to the process.

Defense Distributed calls its gun the "Liberator."

The gun is made of sixteen pieces each of which was "printed with a Stratasys Dimension SST printer in ABS plastic, with the exception of a single nail that?s used as a firing pin," Greenberg reports. (That just means it was printed with plastic, and a nail was added.)

He adds, "The gun is designed to fire standard handgun rounds, using interchangeable barrels for different calibers of ammunition."

Once Defense Distributed is done fully testing its homemade handgun, it's going to put the blueprints on the web so anyone can print out the design and make their own guns at home.

Defense Distributed also inserts a strip of metal into the gun to make sure metal detectors pick it up.

But, as Greenberg points out the people that print out the design might not be inclined to put metal strips in their guns, thus making them much harder to detect.

Read the whole thing at Forbes >

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/the-first-entirely-3d-printed-gun-is-here-2013-5

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Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR

By Jim Fisher

The Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR ($199.95 direct) is the standard kit lens for APS-C Nikon D-SLR cameras. Buying it along with a body halves your out of pocket costs to acquire the lens, but owners of older Nikon D-SLRs bundled with its non-stabilized predecessor may consider it as an upgrade. It produces a field of view that is roughly equivalent to 27-83mm in terms of full-frame photography.

The lens is light at 9.3 ounces and measures just 3.1 by 2.9 inches (HD). It accepts 52mm filters, but the front element does rotate when focus is adjusted, so using a rotating circular polarizing filter can be tricky. Nikon keeps the weight down by using a plastic mount, rather than the more common metal variety, which is more prone to wear and tear over the years. There's an internal focus motor, which is speeider than older screw-drive systems, but because the front element rotates during focus it can be a bit noisy. A bayonet lens hood is available to reduce flare and improve contrast, but is not included?you'll have to spend another $23.50 if you want it.

I used?Imatest?to check the sharpness of that lens when paired with the 24-megapixel D5200. The lens managed a very impressive 2,362 lines per picture height at 18mm f/3.5 using our center-weighted testing method, with edge sharpness hovering around 1,600 lines. We declare an image with an 1,800-line center-weighted score to be acceptably sharp. Stopping down to f/5.6 improves the overall score only marginally to 2,410 lines, but edges sharpen up to 1,850 lines. There is noticeable barrel distortion at 18mm, about 3.3 percent. This will make straight lines noticeably curve outward, and is typical for an 18-55mm design. It can be corrected with software if it distracts from your photos.

Zooming to 35mm narrows the maximum aperture to f/5 and reduces the distortion to a negligible 0.4 percent. The lens scores 2,410 lines here, again with edges around 1,600 lines. Stopping down to f/8 improves overall sharpness to 2,683 lines, with edge sharpness at 2,111 lines. Zoom all the way in to 55mm and the maximum aperture is f/5.6, with an irrelevant 0.2-percent distortion figure. You'll get sharp photos at that setting as well; the lens manages 2,474 lines overall, but is again a little soft at the edges. Stopping down to f/8 improves edge performance to just under 1,800 lines, so your photos will be acceptably sharp from edge to edge.

The Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR is one of the sharpest 18-55mm D-SLR lenses that we've tested, but it's not without its limitations. The narrow aperture limits your ability to shoot in lower light without a flash, and it won't blur the background like an f/2.8 zoom or an f/2 prime lens. It's a good starter lens, but it's one that you'll likely want to upgrade down the road. Nikon offers zoom lenses with longer telephoto reach, like the AF-S DX Nikkor 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G IF-ED ($399.95), and ones with faster apertures so that you can capture more light like the pro-grade AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED ($1,539.95), but neither are as affordable as this basic 18-55mm optic.

By Jim Fisher Senior Analyst, Digital Cameras

Jim Fisher is the digital camera analyst for the PCMag consumer electronics reviews team. He is a graduate of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, where he concentrated on documentary video production. Jim's interest in photography really...

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Color-Changing Gloves Alert Lab Workers To Invisible Toxins

The trickiest part of avoiding exposure to toxic substances is that they're often invisible, odorless, and undetectable to our five senses. And as an alternative to expensive detectors and other electronic sensors, researchers at the Fraunhofer Research Institution for Modular Solid State Technologies EMFT in Regensburg have created a simple pair of gloves that turn color in the presence of toxic airborne materials.

The gloves are covered in a specially synthesized indicator dye that reacts to toxic substances by changing color. And the dye's chemical makeup can be tweaked to detect various toxins, like carbon monoxide or hydrogen sulfide.

The tricky part of developing the gloves has been engineering a color-changing dye that will adhere to the fabric even through washes, so that they don't lose their effectiveness and miss a potential risk. But once perfected the gloves could also be used to detect issues and contamination in food packaging facilities, or allow inspectors to easily find dangerous leaks in gas lines. All I want is a pair that detects the common cold so I know not to shake someone's hand in the winter. [Fraunhofer]

Source: http://gizmodo.com/color-changing-gloves-alert-lab-workers-to-invisible-to-489199811

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With New Service, Any Device Could Run Almost Any Program From Anywhere

In the near future, the only difference between a smartphone, tablet, and a laptop will be the size of the screen. Hardcore gamers could play 3D intensive games in a smartphone, and Michael Bay could render “Transformers 4″ from his iPad. Otoy, an LA-based software company, has discovered a way to stream any application to any device, completely through a web browser. It’s difficult to overestimate the potential disruptiveness of Otoy, as a breakthrough streaming service could, in the near future, end the need for app stores and computer upgrades (see a demo below). Otoy has a habit of impressing the tech press with its surprising ability to stream 3D intensive graphics to devices that shouldn’t be able to run them. Since Otoy’s 2009 demo, there’s been a rush of companies in the ever more crowded “cloud” services industry, such as Onlive’s streaming video gaming. Up until now, video games were shackled to certain consoles, mobile apps to particular app stores, and software to particular operating systems. If we didn’t own an iPhone, Windows, and or an Xbox, we couldn’t use a lot of cool applications. But, every device runs Internet browsers, and specifically, the JavaScript which Otoy utilizes to render the software. Soon, the monopoly that iOS, Windows, and Xbox wields over users will end, and the freedom to use any piece of software on any device will become the norm. Even cooler, we may no longer need to shell out $3,000 on a high-end laptop to run games or graphics software. At Otoy’s media event with Mozilla and Autodesk at San Francisco headquarters, we saw the graphics-hungry first person shooter, Unreal, run seamlessly on an iPhone. In essence, Otoy brings a supercomputer to your phone or tablet. “That’s going to have huge implications in my business” said celebrity talent agent and Otoy investor, Ari Emanuel, who sees the ability of more filmmakers to make movies in less time and for less money. Currently, it takes an entire day to render movie-quality scenes. With Otoy, globally distributed teams could work in real time (some at the beach) without having to stagger their work for an entire day between revisions. So, how much will it cost if Otoy completely replaces my computer needs? About $300, estimates Urbach, based on 8 hours of use per day for consumer applications (Otoy charges by computing power and is currently targeting artists). There is

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Minnesota medical marijuana supporters to push for legalization next year (Star Tribune)

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Obama OK with morning-after pill sales at age 15

MEXICO CITY (AP) ? President Barack Obama said Thursday he was comfortable with his administration's decision to allow over-the-counter purchases of a morning-after pill for anyone 15 and older.

The Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday had lowered the age at which people can buy the Plan B One-Step morning-after pill without a prescription to 15 ? younger than the current limit of 17. The FDA decided that the pill could be sold on drugstore shelves near condoms, instead of locked behind pharmacy counters.

Obama, speaking at a news conference while in Mexico, said the FDA's decision was based on "solid scientific evidence."

What's still unclear is whether the administration will prevail on its appeal of a court order that would lift all age limits on purchasers of the pill.

That decision to appeal set off a storm of criticism from reproductive rights groups, who denounced it as politically motivated and a step backward for women's health.

"We are profoundly disappointed. This appeal takes away the promise of all women having timely access to emergency contraception," Susannah Baruch, Interim President & CEO of the Reproductive Health Technologies Project, said in a statement late Wednesday.

"It is especially troubling in light of the Food and Drug Administration's move yesterday to continue age restrictions and ID requirements, despite a court order to make emergency contraception accessible for women of all ages. Both announcements, particularly in tandem, highlight the administration's corner-cutting on women's health," Baruch said. "It's a sad day for women's health when politics prevails."

After the appeal was announced late Wednesday, Terry O'Neill, president of the National Organization for Women, said, "The prevention of unwanted pregnancy, particularly in adolescents, should not be obstructed by politicians." She called it a "step backwards for women's health."

Last week, O'Neill noted, Obama was applauded when he addressed members of Planned Parenthood and spoke of the organization's "core principle" that women should be allowed to make their own decisions about their health.

"President Obama should practice what he preaches," O'Neill said.

In appealing the ruling Wednesday, the administration recommitted itself to a position Obama took during his re-election campaign that younger teens shouldn't have unabated access to emergency contraceptives, despite the insistence by physicians groups and much of his Democratic base that the pill should be readily available.

The Justice Department's appeal responded to an order by U.S. District Judge Edward Korman in New York that would allow girls and women of any age to buy not only Plan B but its cheaper generic competition as easily as they can buy aspirin. Korman gave the FDA 30 days to comply, and the Monday deadline was approaching.

In its filing, the Justice Department said Korman exceeded his authority and that his decision should be suspended while that appeal is under way, meaning only Plan B One-Step would appear on drugstore shelves until the case is finally settled. If Korman's order isn't suspended during the appeals process, the result would be "substantial market confusion, harming FDA's and the public's interest" as drugstores receive conflicting orders about who's allowed to buy what, the Justice Department concluded.

Reluctant to get drawn into a messy second-term spat over social issues, White House officials insisted Wednesday that both the FDA and the Justice Department were acting independently of the White House in deciding how to proceed. But the decision to appeal was certain to irk abortion-rights advocates who say they can't understand why a Democratic president is siding with social conservatives in favor of limiting women's reproductive choices.

Current and former White House aides said Obama's approach to the issue has been heavily influenced by his experience as the father of two school-age daughters. Obama and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius have also questioned whether there's enough data available to show the morning-after pill is safe and appropriate for younger girls, even though physicians groups insist that it is.

Rather than take matters into his own hands, the Justice Department argued to the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that Korman should have ordered the FDA to reconsider its options for regulating emergency contraception. The court cannot overturn the rules and processes that federal agencies must follow "by instead mandating a particular substantive outcome," the appeal stated.

Social conservatives were outraged by the FDA's move to lower the age limits for Plan B ? as well as the possibility that Korman's ruling might take effect and lift age restrictions altogether.

"This decision undermines the right of parents to make important health decisions for their young daughters," said Anna Higgins of the Family Research Council.

If a woman already is pregnant, the morning-after pill has no effect. It prevents ovulation or fertilization of an egg. According to the medical definition, pregnancy doesn't begin until a fertilized egg implants itself into the wall of the uterus. Still, some critics say Plan B is the equivalent of an abortion pill because it may also be able to prevent a fertilized egg from attaching to the uterus, a contention that many scientists ? and Korman, in his ruling ? said has been discredited.

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Associated Press writers Lauran Neergaard, Josh Lederman and Pete Yost in Washington contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/obama-ok-morning-pill-sales-age-15-224748793.html

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Rubio: Immigration now or never for GOP

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla. (AP file photo)

In preparation for a new round of Senate hearings on bipartisan legislation to overhaul the nation's immigration system, bill co-author Florida Sen. Marco Rubio is urging skeptical conservatives who oppose it to instead work to toughen measures such as border security.

Rubio, a Republican with one of the most conservative voting records in the chamber?and who rose to power with support from the tea party?has faced intense scrutiny from some conservative groups for his willingness to work with Democrats on writing the bill. On Friday, Rubio published an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal that called on them to work with him to rework the language in the bill. If they don't work with him on the legislation, Rubio warned, they will leave immigration reform to liberal Democrats, who he argued would legalize unlawful immigrants without balancing their approach with tougher border security.

"Conservatism has always been about reforming government and solving problems, and that's why the conservative movement should lead on immigration reform," he wrote. "The immigration-reform bill in the Senate is a solid starting point for solving this problem, and I believe it can be made even better as Congress begins to actively work on it in committee next week. But defeating it without offering an alternative cannot be the conservative position on immigration reform. That would leave the issue entirely in the hands of President Obama and leave in place the disastrous status quo."

Rubio is part of a bipartisan group of eight Senate lawmakers who last month released the initial language for an immigration bill that supporters hope will pass as early as this summer.

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Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/rubio-pitch-conservatives-immigration-reform-don-t-act-140103261.html

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Turkish Airlines expands Gatwick operation | Buying Business Travel

Turkish Airlines is expanding its flights from Gatwick by adding a new route to Istanbul?s second airport.

The carrier, which already flies to Istanbul?s main hub of Ataturk from Gatwick, is introducing services to Sabiha Gokcen airport from Friday (May 3). The route will initially operate three times per week before going daily from June 1.

Osman Battal, director for Turkish Airlines at Gatwick, said: ?Gatwick is an important airport in the London region and this increasing capacity will meet current and future demands in the area ? flying to Sabiha Gokcen offers new and exciting opportunities.?

Gatwick?s chief commercial officer Guy Stephenson said: ?Turkey is an incredibly important market for both business and leisure travellers so we are delighted that Turkish Airlines will now offer more direct services from Gatwick.

?Istanbul is a key destination thanks to its status as one of the world?s most dynamic cities for business but also because it offers excellent onward connections to the Middle East and Asia in particular.?

turkishairlines.com

gatwickairport.com

Source: http://buyingbusinesstravel.com/news/0220667-turkish-airlines-expands-gatwick-operation

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