WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Veterinarians at the National Zooartificially inseminated the zoo's female giant panda, Mei Xiang, on Saturday after natural breeding failed to occur, zoo keepers said.
Mei Xiang was put under general anesthesia and inseminated with a combination of fresh semen and frozen semen collected from the zoo's male giant panda, Tian Tian.
The Washington zoo said scientists performed a second and final insemination later on Saturday evening.
"It will be several months before we know if she is pregnant," the National Zoo said in a tweet.
Veterinarians detected a rise in hormone levels on Tuesday, indicating Mei Xiang was ready to breed but said "no competent breeding" between the panda pair had occurred.
"We are hopeful that our breeding efforts will be successful this year, and we're encouraged by all the behaviors and hormonal data we've seen so far," said Dave Wildt, head of the Center for Species Survival at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute.
Scientists will continue to monitor Mei Xiang's hormone levels in the coming months and conduct ultrasounds to determine whether she is pregnant. A pregnancy lasts between 95 and 160 days, they said.
Mei Xiang has given birth to two cubs. One died a week after its birth last year. The other, Tai Shan, was born in 2005 and is now at the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda in Wolong.
(Reporting by Jane Sutton; editing by Jackie Frank and Sandra Maler)
While I think it's safe to assume that the average Lifehacker reader knows their Wi-Fi password off the top of their head, the same can probably not be said for most of our friends and family members.
When you visit with someone a little less tech-savvy, make a point to find their Wi-Fi password and write it on a piece of masking tape. Just stick the tape to the back or the bottom of their router, and they'll always have it nearby if they need to share if with a house guest or service technician. This will also come in handy if you're trying to remotely diagnose their connection issues over the phone.
Of course, if this is your own router we're talking about, it's much cooler to use a QR code for easy password sharing.
A Quick and Easy Wi-Fi Password Reminder Solution | Apartment Therapy
Two supersonic NASA jets were swallowed whole by the space agency's outsized Super Guppy Transport plane in California this month so that they could be ferried to Texas.
The pair of retired T-38 jets, which are no longer airworthy, were loaded into the Guppy on March 18 at NASA Dryden Flight Research Center in Edwards, Calif.,and flown to El Paso. The jets' parts will be cannibalized and used for other T-38s that are still flying.
The loading process, which took over two hours, involved opening the Guppy's nose and hoisting the T-38s onto a specially designed pallet that was put into the Guppy's 25-foot (7.6-meter) diameter "stomach" of the NASA Super Guppy aircraft. Only the T-38s' wingtips needing to be removed so that the jets could fit inside the carrier, Johnson Space Center flight engineer David Elliott, the Guppy's project manager, said in a statement.
The Super Guppy is the last in its class of wide-bodied aircraft to have transported NASA's unwieldy cargo to their launch site, including rockets for the Apollo program and room-size modules for?the International Space Station. The plane is based at Ellington Airport in Houston, near NASA's Johnson Space Center. [See more photos of NASA's Super Guppy swallowing jets]
The first Guppy aircraft, called the Pregnant Guppy, was built from a heavily modified KC-97 Stratotanker in 1962 by the California-based company Aero Spacelines. Its 19-foot (5.8-meter) diameter cargo compartment was the largest such cavity of any aircraft at the time and it was designed to hold the second stage of a Saturn rocket for the?Apollo program.
The next generation, Dubbed the B377SG Super Guppy, was built in 1965 and was outfitted with a 25-foot (7.6-meter) diameter cargo bay, more powerful turboprop engines, a pressurized cockpit, and a hinged nose for easier loading of cargo, according to NASA.
The planes were operated by Aero Spacelines until NASA purchased the aircraft in 1981. The space agency still uses the Super Guppy Transport ? the last generation of Guppy that Aero Spacelines built. The plane is slated to bring the Orion Heat Shield from Textron Defense Systems near Boston to NASA's Kennedy Space Center at the end of March. The U.S. Department of Defense and government contractors also have used the Guppy to ferry aircraft and large components around the continent.
Follow SPACE.com on Twitter @Spacedotcom. We're also on Facebook?and Google+. Original article on SPACE.com.
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NEW YORK/CALGARY (Reuters) - A mile-long train hauling oil from Canada derailed, spilling 30,000 gallons of crude in western Minnesota on Wednesday, as debate rages over the environmental risks of transporting tar sands across the border.
The major spill, the first since the start of a boom in North American crude-by-rail transport three years ago, came when 14 cars on a 94-car Canadian Pacific train left the tracks about 150 miles northwest of Minneapolis near the town of Parkers Prairie, the Otter Tail Sheriff's Department said.
Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd, the country's second-largest railroad, said only one 26,000-gallon tank car had ruptured, adding it was a mixed freight train.
CP spokesman Ed Greenberg said he did not know if the crude was from Canada's tar sands or from conventional oil fields.
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency spokesman Dan Olson said up to three tank cars were ruptured and an estimated 20,000 to 30,000 gallons - or 475 to 715 barrels - leaked out.
Cold weather had made the crude thicker, hindering the ability to recover the oil, Olson said, adding the initial cleanup was expected to continue for a day or two.
"We are focusing on drawing up the loose (oil) ... and once that has been taken up, they will then pump up the remaining oil in the tanks," Olson said. "Because of the winter conditions, the ground is frozen and there is not any damage to surface water or ground water. After the initial recovery we will see if the oil has soaked into the soil at all."
In an updated statement, CP said just one car was compromised and other two cars leaked while being moved during the response to the derailment and were contained.
Greenburg said that the Safe clean-up efforts were progressing well and without concern.
"There have been reports that clean-up has been challenging. Our crews are taking appropriate steps in ensuring clean-up is conducted appropriately."
A photo provided by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency showed several large tank cars lying at the side of the railroad tracks in snow-covered fields, as clean-up crews examined the spill and maneuvered pump trucks into position.
"We have options to reroute traffic, so we've been able to continue to move trains while we do the thorough job of cleaning up the area," said Canadian Pacific's Greenberg.
A spokesman for the Federal Railroad Administration said two representatives of the U.S. rail regulator are investigating the incident.
CRUDE-BY-RAIL
There has been a rapid increase in rail transport of crude in the last three years as booming North American oil production has outgrown existing pipeline capacity.
Canada is the top exporter of crude to the United States, due to rising output of crude from its vast tar sands deposits.
Around 40,000 barrels per day (bpd) on average were shipped to the United States in 2012, according to data from Canada's National Energy Board.
Suncor Energy Inc SU.TO, Canada's largest oil company, pulled the plug on its long-delayed and partially built Voyageur oil sands upgrading project in northern Alberta on Wednesday, citing surging volumes of crude from the Bakken.
Environmentalists have complained about the impact of developing the reserves, and have sought to block TransCanada Corp's controversial Keystone XL project, which would carry oil produced from the oil sands to the U.S. Gulf Coast refining center.
Some experts have argued oil-by-rail carries a higher risk of accidents and spills.
"It is good business for the rails and bad safety for the public," said Jim Hall, a transportation consultant and former chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board.
"Railroads travel through population centers. The safest form of transport for this type of product is a pipeline. This accident could - and ought to - raise the issue for discussion."
Others noted that spills from rail cars are rare, and crude-by-rail has opened up opportunities for companies to develop huge volumes of oil production in places like the Bakken shale fields in North Dakota, which are not well served by pipelines.
Total shipments of petroleum on U.S. railroads rose more than 46 percent last year to 540,000 carloads, the Association of American Railroads said in January.
"It's not very good publicity, but railroads are incredibly safe, they don't spill often," said Tony Hatch, independent transportation analyst with ABH Consulting in New York who has done work for major railroads. "It should not change the opportunity railroads have to make us more energy independent."
Supporters of the Keystone XL pipeline were quick to jump on the derailment as a reason to build the pipeline.
"It should be clear that we need to move more oil by pipeline rather than by rail or truck," said Don Canton, spokesman for North Dakota Senator John Hoeven, who has been one of the chief political proponents of the line. "This is why we need the Keystone XL. Pipelines are both safe and efficient."
Hoeven has supported the line as it would help carry oil produced in North Dakota to higher priced refining centers on the coast, and could help further expand production in the state that now pumps more oil than Alaska.
(Reporting By David Sheppard, Edward McAllister, Cezary Podkul, Matthew Robinson, Eileen Houlihan, Jeanine Prezioso in New York, Jeff Jones in Calgary and NR Sethuraman in Bangalore; Editing by Gerald E. McCormick, Leslie Gevirtz, G Crosse and Michael Perry)
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) ? "Journey" arrived on top at the Game Developers Choice Awards.
The artsy video game developed by thatgamecompany swept the 13th annual ceremony Wednesday with six wins, including game of the year and the innovation award. "Journey" was also honored for best audio, game design, visual arts and as best downloadable game.
"I really think the success of 'Journey' is because we're standing on the shoulder of the giants," said "Journey" designer and thatgamecompany co-founder Jenova Chen.
The wordless but emotional downloadable PlayStation 3 game casts players as a mysterious scarfed figure that must trek across a desert, through temples and toward a towering mountain. Other players appear online in the game, but they aren't able to communicate with words or sound.
"If you've played the game, you can imagine how difficult it was for the team to go through it," said Chen. "Particularly at the mountain, right before the end. It was very, very stressful. I actually had to go see a psychiatrist."
Selected by a jury of game creators, the Game Developers Choice Awards honor the best games of the past year.
Other winners at the Moscone Convention Center ceremony included Ubisoft's island shoot-'em-up "Far Cry 3" for best technology, Telltale Games' interactive zombie drama "The Walking Dead" for best narrative, Fireproof Studios' puzzler "The Room" for best handheld/mobile game. Arkane Studios' stealthy revenge tale "Dishonored" won the inaugural audience award, which was chosen by online votes.
Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk, masterminds of such seminal role-playing games as "Baldur's Gate," ''Knights of the Old Republic" and "Mass Effect," were honored with the lifetime achievement award.
"Spacewar!" developer Steve "Slug" Russell received the pioneer award for his contribution to video games. Russell's "Spacewar!" was created in 1962 and is considered to be among the first digital computer games.
Chris Melissinos, creator of the Smithsonian American Art Museum's "The Art of Video Games" exhibit, was presented with the ambassador award, which recognizes individuals who have helped advanced the gaming industry.
"Thank you to all the game creators who have provided me with a lifetime of inspiration," Melissinos said while accepting his trophy. "You've had a much larger impact on the world than you may believe."
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Online:
http://www.gamechoiceawards.com
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Follow AP Entertainment Writer Derrik J. Lang on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/derrikjlang/ .
RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) - A Palestinian court sentenced a local journalist to a year in jail on Thursday over a picture posted on Facebook that was deemed insulting to President Mahmoud Abbas.
The ruling against Mamdouh Hamamreh, who works for the al-Quds TV channel in Bethlehem, is the second this year in which Palestinians have been given jail terms over caricatures of the president.
Journalists and media watchdogs, saying Hamamreh was only "tagged" in the photo and did not create it, criticized the ruling and curbs on media freedom by the Western-backed Palestinian Authority.
The offending image juxtaposed Abbas beside a similar-looking man who plays the part of a collaborator with French colonial forces in an old Syrian television drama.
"They resemble each other in everything," a caption read.
Many Palestinians perceive Abbas as too conciliatory to Israel and resent coordination between Israeli and Palestinian security forces overseen by Abbas.
Palestinian rights groups were critical of the ruling.
"(Hamamreh) didn't even publish the picture. When images online are criminalised, it's a very serious violation of basic rights of expression," criminalizedaid Riham Abu Aita of the Palestinian Centre for Development and Media Freedoms.
"We don't have a king, we have a president," she said.
"This issue is between the prosecutor and the court, and the president has nothing to do with its proceedings," Hassan al-Ouri, legal adviser to Abbas, told Reuters of the Hamamreh case.
A court in the northern West Bank city of Nablus in February sentenced a local man to a year in prison for creating a picture of Abbas to make him look like a football player, and entitled it "the new striker for Real Madrid".
Anas Awad, 26, denied he had intended any offence and the president promptly pardoned him.
(Additional reporting by Ali Sawafta; Editing by Michael Roddy)
Deputies take Mike McBee into custody in Tacoma, Wash. Tuesday, after he allegedly walked down the street firing guns at houses and then barricaded himself in his home. This photo was provided by the Pierce County Sheriff's Dept.
By M. Alex Johnson, staff writer, NBC News
A man who reportedly walked through a Tacoma, Wash., neighborhood spraying gunfire was taken into police custody after a standoff at his residence, Seattle TV station KING 5 reported.
Police had surrounded the home Tuesday afternoon, where the man with at least four high-powered weapons was holed up, a sheriff's official told NBC News.
Pierce County Sheriff's Department told KING that the suspect was 67-year-old Mike McBee, a Vietnam veteran.
No injuries were reported, but Pierce County sheriff's Detective Ed Troyer said several homes were hit by bullets in the neighborhood in Tacoma, about 30 miles of Seattle.
Troyer, speaking before the suspected was named, said the gunman was known to have "mental health issues" and was believed to have been drinking.
Police began firing tear gas into the house early Tuesday evening, KING reported.
KING reported that numerous residents of the neighborhood had been evacuated and that those who remained were asked to stay inside.
Troyer told KING that the suspect had substance abuse issues.
NBC News' Denise Ono and Ian Johnston contributed to this report.
This story was originally published on Tue Mar 26, 2013 9:36 PM EDT
The Soyuz-FG rocket booster with Soyuz TMA-08M space ship carrying a new crew to the International Space Station, ISS, blasts off at the Russian leased Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Friday, March 29, 2013. The Russian rocket carries Russian cosmonauts Alexander Misurkin, Pavel Vinogradov and U.S. astronaut Christopher Cassidy. (AP Photo/Dmitry Lovetsky)
The Soyuz-FG rocket booster with Soyuz TMA-08M space ship carrying a new crew to the International Space Station, ISS, blasts off at the Russian leased Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Friday, March 29, 2013. The Russian rocket carries Russian cosmonauts Alexander Misurkin, Pavel Vinogradov and U.S. astronaut Christopher Cassidy. (AP Photo/Dmitry Lovetsky)
Russian Cosmonauts Alexander Misurkin, right, Pavel Vinogradov, center, and U.S. astronaut Christopher Cassidy, crew members of the mission to the International Space Station, ISS, walk prior the launch of Soyuz-FG rocket at the Russian leased Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Thursday, March 28, 2013. (AP Photo/Dmitry Lovetsky, Pool)
The Soyuz-FG rocket booster with Soyuz TMA-08M space ship carrying a new crew to the International Space Station (ISS), blasts off at the Russian leased Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Friday, March 29, 2013. The Russian rocket carries Russian cosmonauts Alexander Misurkin, Pavel Vinogradov and U.S. astronaut Christopher Cassidy (AP Photo/Dmitry Lovetsky)
Russian Cosmonauts Alexander Misurkin, right, and U.S. astronaut Christopher Cassidy, crew members of the mission to the International Space Station, ISS, wave prior the launch of Soyuz-FG rocket at the Russian leased Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Thursday, March 28, 2013. (AP Photo/Dmitry Lovetsky, Pool)
In this picture taken through a safety glass, Russian cosmonauts Pavel Vinogradov, crew member of the mission to the International Space Station (ISS), is seen during inspection of his space suit prior the launch of Soyuz-FG rocket at the Russian leased Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Thursday, March 28, 2013. (AP Photo/Ramil Sitdikov, Pool)
BAIKONUR, Kazakhstan (AP) ? A Russian spacecraft carrying a three-man crew blasted off Friday from a launch pad in the steppes of Kazakhstan, for the first time taking a shorter path to the International Space Station.
Instead of the two-day approach maneuver used by Soyuz spacecraft in the past, this journey to the station would take NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy and Russians Pavel Vinogradov and Alexander Misurkin just under six hours.
The Soyuz TMA-08M lifted off on time from the Russian-leased Baikonur cosmodrome at 2:43 a.m. Friday (2043 GMT; 4:43 p.m. EDT Thursday). It's set to dock at the space outpost at 10:32 p.m. EDT Thursday (0232 GMT Friday).
The trio are "on a fast track to the International Space Station," NASA spokesman Josh Byerly said, adding minutes after the launch that all was going well and the spacecraft went into orbit without any problems.
The new maneuver has been tested successfully by three Russian Progress cargo ships, an unmanned version of the Soyuz used to ferry supplies to the space station.
Vinogradov joked at a pre-launch news conference at Baikonur that the journey to the station would be so quick that it could allow the crew to even carry ice cream as a present to the three men currently manning the orbiting outpost.
"It wouldn't melt in such a short time," he said.
On a more serious note, Vinogradov added that the shorter flight path would reduce the crew's fatigue and allow astronauts to be in top shape for the docking. He said that it takes about five hours for the human body to start feeling the impact of zero gravity, so the quicker flight would allow the crew to more easily adapt to weightlessness in much roomier space station interiors.
The downside of the accelerated rendezvous is that the crew will have to stay in their spacesuits, which they don hours before the launch, through the entire approach maneuver.
Other Russian cosmonauts in the past have described the two-day approach maneuver in the cramped Soyuz as one of the most grueling parts of missions to the orbiting station. The spheroid orbiting capsule allows the crew to take off their bulky spacesuits, change into more comfortable clothes and use a toilet, but its interior is extremely confined.
The ship's spartan layout lacks adequate heating and fails to provide an opportunity for the crew to get hot food. It contrasts sharply with the spacious U.S. space shuttle, whose retirement has left Soyuz as the only means to deliver crews to the space outpost.
Russian space officials said the longer approach was necessary at a time when the station was in a lower orbit required for the shuttle flights. After they ended, it was raised from 350 kilometers (217 miles) to 400 kilometers (249 miles), making a quicker rendezvous possible.
NASA is working on the development of its new generation Orion spacecraft. Orion's first trip is an unmanned mission in 2017, and the first manned mission is set for 2021.
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Associated Press writer Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow contributed to this report.
Mar. 27, 2013 ? A team of scientists from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and Northwestern University has produced 3-D images and videos of a tiny platinum nanoparticle at atomic resolution that reveal new details of defects in nanomaterials that have not been seen before.
Prior to this work, scientists only had flat, two-dimensional images with which to view the arrangement of atoms. The new imaging methodology developed at UCLA and Northwestern will enable researchers to learn more about a material and its properties by viewing atoms from different angles and seeing how they are arranged in three dimensions.
The study will be published March 27 by the journal Nature.
The authors describe being able to see how the atoms of a platinum nanoparticle -- only 10 namometers in diameter -- are arranged in three dimensions. They also identify how the atoms are arranged around defects in the platinum nanoparticle.
Similar to how CT scans of the brain and body are done in a hospital, the scientists took images of a platinum nanoparticle from many different directions and then pieced the images together using a new method that improved the quality of the images.
This novel method is a combination of three techniques: scanning transmission electron microscopy, equally sloped tomography (EST) and three-dimensional Fourier filtering. Compared to conventional CT, the combined method produces much higher quality 3-D images and allows the direct visualization of atoms inside the platinum nanoparticle in three dimensions.
"Visualizing the arrangement of atoms in materials has played an important role in the evolution of modern science and technology," said Jianwei (John) Miao, who led the work. He is a professor of physics and astronomy at UCLA and a researcher with the California NanoSystems Institute at UCLA.
"Our method allows the 3-D imaging of the local structures in materials at atomic resolution, and it is expected to find application in materials sciences, nanoscience, solid state physics and chemistry," he said.
"It turns out that there are details we can only see when we can look at materials in three dimensions," said co-author Laurence D. Marks, a professor of materials science and engineering at Northwestern's McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science.
"We have had suspicions for a long time that there was more going on than we could see from the flat images we had," Marks said. "This work is the first demonstration that this is true at the atomic scale."
Nanotechnology expert Pulickel M. Ajayan, the Benjamin M. and Mary Greenwood Anderson Professor of Engineering at Rice University complimented the research.
"This is the first instance where the three-dimensional structure of dislocations in nanoparticles has been directly revealed at atomic resolution," Ajayan said. "The elegant work demonstrates the power of electron tomography and leads to possibilities of directly correlating the structure of nanoparticles to properties, all in full 3-D view."
Defects can influence many properties of materials, and a technique for visualizing these structures at atomic resolution could lead to new insights beneficial to researchers in a wide range of fields.
"Much of what we know about how materials work, whether it is a catalyst in an automobile exhaust system or the display on a smartphone, has come from electron microscope images of how the atoms are arranged," Marks said. "This new imaging method will open up the atomic world of nanoparticles."
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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Northwestern University. The original article was written by Megan Fellman.
Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.
Journal Reference:
Chien-Chun Chen, Chun Zhu, Edward R. White, Chin-Yi Chiu, M. C. Scott, B. C. Regan, Laurence D. Marks, Yu Huang, Jianwei Miao. Three-dimensional imaging of dislocations in a nanoparticle at atomic resolution. Nature, 2013; DOI: 10.1038/nature12009
Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.
Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.
BELLINGHAM, Wash. (AP) ? Motown songwriter-producer Deke Richards has died at a hospice at age 68.
Richards, whose real name was Dennis Lussier, died Sunday at the Whatcom Hospice House, Peace Health St. Joseph Medical Center spokeswoman Amy Cloud confirmed Monday.
Richards had been battling esophageal cancer, according to a statement from Universal Music.
As leader of the Motown songwriting, arranging and producing team known as The Corporation, Richards was involved in writing and producing many Jackson 5 hits, the Universal Music release said. Those songs included the Jackson 5's first three No. 1 hits - "I Want You Back," ''ABC," and "The Love You Save."
He also co-wrote "Love Child" for Diana Ross & The Supremes, as well Ross' solo "I'm Still Waiting."
Other recording artists for whom Richards produced or wrote songs include Bobby Darin, Martha Reeves & the Vandellas.
He is survived by his wife, Joan Lussier, a brother and two nephews.
Amazon just announced the launch of CloudHSM, a new service that provides Amazon Web Services users who need to meet corporate, contractual and regulatory compliance requirements for data security a way to do so by using a dedicated Hardware Security Module (the ‘HSM’ in CloudHSM) within the Amazon cloud. Until now, Amazon argues, the only option for many companies that use its cloud services was to store their most sensitive data – or the encryption keys to it – in their own on-premise data centers. This, of course, made it hard for these companies to fully migrate their applications to the cloud. The new service, Amazon writes, can be used to support “a variety of use cases and applications, such as database encryption, Digital Rights Management (DRM), and Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) including authentication and authorization, document signing, and transaction processing.” The actual appliances are Luna SA modules from SafeNet, Inc. The new CloudHSM service uses Amazon’s Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) and the appliances are provisioned inside the user’s VPC with an IP address the user specifies. The service, Amazon says, provides businesses with secure key storage and protects these keys with “tamper-resistant HSM appliances that are designed to comply with international (Common Criteria EAL4+) and U.S. Government (NIST FIPS 140-2) regulatory standards for cryptographic modules.” Because the HSMs are located close to the user’s EC2 cloud computing instances, network latency should be very low. All of this, however, doesn’t come cheap. The upfront cost to provision a CloudHSM is $5,000 and the hourly cost are $1.88 per hour, which comes out to $1,373 on average per month. For businesses that need this kind of security, that’s probably a small price to pay, but this is clearly not a service that’s geared toward startups that just want to ensure their encryption keys and data are stored safely. The HSM client software can load balance requests across two or more CloudHSMs, though Amazon notes that it can take “several weeks” to provision more than two HSMs.
The humble thermostat isn't the hottest gadget category, but the Nest thermostat has the right combination of attractive interface and smartphone integration to actually be lust-worthy. Instead of poking at up and down buttons, the Nest shows you the current temperature on an aluminum dial and glows either blue or red if it's currently heating or cooling your home. After a week of manually setting the temperature, the Nest learns your schedule and starts to control your home temperature on its own. Plus, you can control it from your computer or smartphone. More »
Supporters of Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski's party wave party and national flags while celebrating the party's victory in local elections, in downtown Skopje, Macedonia, early Monday, March 25, 2013. Macedonians voted peacefully in local elections Sunday, boosting hopes the country is turning a page and won't repeat the political and ethnic violence that has marred past voting cycles. (AP Photo/Boris Grdanoski)
Supporters of Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski's party wave party and national flags while celebrating the party's victory in local elections, in downtown Skopje, Macedonia, early Monday, March 25, 2013. Macedonians voted peacefully in local elections Sunday, boosting hopes the country is turning a page and won't repeat the political and ethnic violence that has marred past voting cycles. (AP Photo/Boris Grdanoski)
A man takes ballots for local elections, at a polling station in Skopje, Macedonia, on Sunday, March 24, 2013. The small Balkan country hopes that free, transparent and peaceful local elections will help it strengthen its case for European Union membership. (AP Photo/Boris Grdanoski)
Supporters of Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski's VMRO-DPMNE party wave a party flag while celebrating the party's victory in local elections, in downtown Skopje, Macedonia, early Monday, March 25, 2013. Macedonians voted peacefully in local elections Sunday, boosting hopes the country is turning a page and won't repeat the political and ethnic violence that has marred past voting cycles. (AP Photo/Boris Grdanoski)
Macedonia's Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski, right, greets supporters while celebrating his party's victory in local elections, in downtown Skopje, Macedonia, early Monday, March 25, 2013. Macedonians voted peacefully in local elections Sunday, boosting hopes the country is turning a page and won't repeat the political and ethnic violence that has marred past voting cycles. (AP Photo/Boris Grdanoski)
Macedonia's Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski speaks during a press conference in celebration of his party's victory in local elections, in downtown Skopje, Macedonia, early Monday, March 25, 2013. Macedonians voted peacefully in local elections Sunday, boosting hopes the country is turning a page and won't repeat the political and ethnic violence that has marred past voting cycles. (AP Photo/Boris Grdanoski)
SKOPJE, Macedonia (AP) ? Macedonia's conservative coalition won most of the local elections in the country with outside observers approving the process, but the opposition party's leader objected, declaring the elections "were not free and fair."
Electoral Commission information from 98 percent of the votes shows the coalition "For a better Macedonia," led by Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski's VMRO-DPMNE party, won 43 of the country's 81 communities in the first round of elections Sunday. The party notably won the election in the capital, Skopje, and is favored to win 12 runoffs on Sunday.
Outside election monitors said the elections were "efficiently administered" but were also critical of some aspects.
Gruevski proclaimed victory early Monday, adding that Macedonia had organized "free, fair and democratic elections that brought victory to all citizens and Macedonia", which will help the country to strengthen its case for European Union membership.
But Social Democrat leader Branko Crvenkovski, head of the left-wing opposition and a former president of Macedonia, said the elections "were not free and fair. Until all irregularities are cleared we have all options open, including not to participate in the rerun."
The Social Democrats won five municipalities and are considered favorites to win another two in the runoffs. Members of the country's Roma, Serbian and Turkish communities each won a municipal election.
In a joint report, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and the Council of Europe approved of the administration of the elections, saying they were "highly competitive" but stopped short of total approval of the process.
"Although the campaign was active, partisan media coverage and a blurring of state and party activities did not always provide a level playing field for candidates to contest the elections. Inter-ethnic tensions overshadowed the campaign. Election day was calm, although some procedural irregularities were observed," the report said.
These "procedural irregularities" included dozens of cases described as "family voting" ? with one family member openly guiding others as to which candidate to vote for, and voters seen taking photos of their ballots with cell phones ? possibly to offer proof to people to whom they'd promised to vote a certain way.
The report also noted that "although the media ... provided extensive campaign coverage in the news, the public broadcaster and several private broadcasters displayed bias in favor of the governing coalition."
The Social Democrats had joined the elections at the last moment. They had boycotted the Parliament for more than two months but ended the boycott earlier this month after talks brokered by the European Parliament and the EU Commission. EU enlargement commissioner Stefan Fuele had said the opposition's participation in the local elections is crucial for Macedonia's EU candidacy.
Voter turnout was 67.61 percent, among the highest since Macedonia proclaimed its independence from Yugoslavia in 1991.
Mashing up two wonderful things into one ridiculously wonderful thing should be the constant goal of mankind. That's how we got smartphones. And gummy bears infused with alcohols. And designer drugs. One Minute Galactica imagined what would happen if we mashed up Star Wars and Jurassic Park and they came up with Jurat-at Park. I've watched both movies so many times that it's a no brainer that I would totally watch this movie. [Slacktory] More »
East Texas has no shortage of fun, entertaining, and even educational things to do. When you have your weekend days off,? you can find something great? to do locally to save your gas money and support local business!
Tyler - March 22 at Liberty Theater? at 7:30pm. From LibertyTyler.com: The 39 Steps" is the two-time Tony Award-winning hit show in its THIRD YEAR IN NEW YORK, which continues to be an audience-pleaser. The amazingly brilliant cast of 4 plays over 140 characters in this fast-paced romp that's great fun for ages 9 to 90. The New York Times calls it "Absurdly Enjoyable." What you will see?is an incredibly fast-paced romp through the story of Hitchcock?s film.? It is a pastiche, an affectionate and very funny transposition of the film on to the stage. The film contains set pieces that are iconic: the train top chase, the Forth Bridge escape, Mr Memory at the Palladium. Much of the joy in the show is in seeing these moments recreated through the physicality and vocal talent of the 4 performers.
It is also an evocative tribute to a 1930s Britain of cold mists, steam engines and a clearly demarcated social system where people know their place. And at its center, juxtaposed with the comedy, is a love story.
Ben Wheeler: Clay Thrash band playing at Moore's Store Friday, March 22. All music 8-11 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 903-833-5100. Country/Southern Rock/Texas Country - $5
Ben Wheeler:? Moore's Store, see BlackTop Gypsy on Saturday night at 8pm.? Americana/Country - $8 advanced tickets at www.outhousetickets.com or $10 at the door (via BenWheelerTX.com)
?Ben Wheeler- The Forge -? Friday night, see Michael O'Connor play his acoustic music at 7pm. No cover. 1610 FM 279. Playing The Forge on Saturday night, T & C Miller (acoustic/country/folk)? at 7:00 p.m.
Ben Wheeler - Library Easter Egg Hunt: Sat, March 23, 11am ? 12pm. Come hunt for eggs filled with delicious treats and see the Easter Bunny!
Edom: Saturday, March 23rd @ 7pm Movie night! (Doors open 6:30)This week's movie is "Now, Forager" with introduction and Q&A by Chale Nafus, Dir. of Programming, Austin Film Society. This film is playing at the Angelika in Dallas in March, and it appears that advance tickets are already sold out! ?So...see it here in Edom! Also note that this film has no MPAA rating, and does include a few uses of profanity. Click here for more details
Tyler: The City of Tyler and Discovery Science Place are working with Make Magazine to host the Tyler Maker Faire on March 23, 2013. The Maker Faire, to be held at Discovery Science Place at 308 N. Broadway, will open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. where guests can enjoy hands on demonstrations from approximately 25 exhibitors. Tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for children and includes admission to the museum.
The big question for most people is ?What is a maker??? A maker is anyone who makes stuff; inventors, scientists, engineers, artists and anyone who enjoys using ingenuity and creativity to bring their ideas to life.
Longview: From the Belcher Center website: Rave On! re-invents the ordinary tribute show with an electrifying, high-energy, rock n? roll extravaganza featuring America?s premiere Buddy Holly interpreter, Billy McGuigan, who is a dead-ringer for the legendary rocker. Backed by the rockin? Rave On Band, their incredible musicianship helps ignite the stage and breathe new life into the music of Buddy Holly. 7:30pm Saturday, March 23. 903-233-3080
Tyler - March 22 - 23: 32nd annual Quilt Show - Harvey Convention Center? 10am-5-m Sponsored by the?Quilters Guild of East Texas. For more information call?Jan Glover at?903-581-6176 or email?gypsyturtl@gmail.com.
Tyler:? Southwest Regional Orchid Show & Sale - 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM @ Holiday Inn South Broadway. Saturday, March 23.
Tyler: Tyler Maker Faire - 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM @ Discovery Science Museum; downtown on Broadway.
Tyler: Azalea Arts and Crafts Fair - 9am to 6pm in Bergfeld Park on Broadway. The annual event is hosted by?Tyler Parks and Recreation?and will feature more than 90 vendors on hand offering up thier hand made, hand crafted creations. Visitors will find pottery, paintings, jewelry, clothing, photography, candles, plants, quilts and a ton more from vendors from around the state.
Tyler: Vince DiMartino, a former lead and solo trumpet with such jazz greats as Lionel Hampton and Chuck Mangione, will be the clinician and guest artist for Tyler Junior College?s annual Jazz Festival set Thursday and Friday, March 21 and 22.? Performances are set 7:30 pm. Thursday and Friday, March 21 and 22, in Wise Auditorium on the TJC main campus.
Longview: Francesca Battistelli and The Afters: First Baptist Church, 209 E. South Street. 6-9 pm. Special guests Love & the Outcome and Kyle Sherman. Admission is free.
Longview: 53rd Annual Student Invitational.? Opening Reception with Music and Hors D'Oeuvres. 7 - 9 p.m. ?Exhibit runs through May 15. Longview Museum of Fine Arts. 215 E. Tyler.See site for more details:? www.lmfa.org.
Nacogdoches Azalea Trail: The Azalea Trail lasts for the entire month of March in Nacogdoches, and features 25 miles of driving routes through beautiful residential areas with gorgeous, camera-worthy landscaping. Visit azaleas.visitnacogdoches.org for more details on events.
Rusk: March 22 at First Baptist Church of Rusk: Dallas Holm in concert. 7pm-8:30pm. For more information contact Jeff Carroll at?jeff@ruskfbc.com. ?Admission is free.
Upshur County: Trade days; booths will include arts and crafts, antiques, collectibles, clothing, jewelry , gift items, and garage sale items. (903)843-2413 for more info. Held in City (Yamboree) Park.
Ore City Texas Heritage Spring Fling: March 23 from 9am to 9pm. Ore City Community Center. For more information contact Diana at?craftylady4526@hotmail.com?or?903-424-9957.
Kilgore: Celebrate the TRUE meaning of Easter. An-80 minute dramatic performance of the Gospel of Luke? (the New International Version with selections from the King James Version) by two professional actors from the Texas Shakespeare Festival: Meaghan Sullivan (Taming of the Shrew, 2011) and Matthew Simpson (Hamlet, 2011). Performed from memory with minimal staging and without an intermission.? A return engagement by popular request.? Tickets:? $25??? /??? Group of 25:? $20 Reservations (903) 983-8119? The event is a? fundraiser for the Texas Shakespeare Festival.? Your donation to the TSF Foundation is appreciated if you are unable to attend.? From the Gospel of Luke? - March 24*, 27*, 28, 28*, 29, 30*, 30. ??
Winnsboro: Murder Mystery Dinner- "Murder at Rattlesnake Gultch" Tickets on sale now $30 for single; $50 for couple. Located at Double C Steakhouse. 206 Market St. Winnsboro, TX.? 903-342-3111
Submit events to be added to WhereYouLive@kltv.com.
Firemen attempt to extinguish fires during riots in Meikhtila, Myanmar, on March 22, 2013. Unrest between Buddhists and Muslims in central Myanmar has reduced neighborhoods to ashes and stoked fears that last year's sectarian bloodshed is spreading into the country's heartland in a test of Asia's newest democracy.
Nyein Chan Naing / EPA
A riot policeman stands guard next to a burning building in Meikhtila on March 22, 2013. A curfew was imposed for the second night as riots between Buddhists and Muslims continued.
By The Associated Press
MEIKHTILA, Myanmar?? Myanmar President Thein Sein has declared a state of emergency in a central town where at least 20 people have been killed in violence between Buddhists and Muslims.
Burning fires from two days of Buddhist-Muslim violence smoldered across Meikhtila on Friday as residents cowered indoors amid growing fears the country's latest bout of sectarian bloodshed could spread.
The government's struggle to contain the unrest is proving another major challenge to Thein Sein's reformist administration as it attempts to chart a path to democracy after nearly half a century of military rule that once crushed all dissent. Read the full story.
Nyein Chan Naing / EPA
People carry their belongings as they arrive at a temporary rescue center in Meikhtila on March 22, 2013.
Soe Than Win / AFP - Getty Images
Residents sit on a railway track watching buildings burn around a mosque in riot-hit Meikhtila on March 21, 2013.
Soe Zeya Tun / Reuters
Burnt houses are seen in Meikhtila on March 21, 2013.
MEXICO CITY, Mar 22 (IPS) - Two separate bills to reform Mexico's mining laws, one from the government and the other from academics and NGOs, agree on the urgent need for major changes in the rules governing the industry.
But the two proposals part company when it comes to the mechanisms and goals of the changes to the 1992 mining law. The government's priority is to secure a greater share of the profits of the lucrative mining industry, while civil society's aim is to protect the environment and local communities in mining areas.
The bill drawn up over the space of a year by social groups and independent experts proposes a ban on opencast mining, a scheme for royalty payments on minerals and metals, and environmental remediation measures. The present law, according to its critics, offers huge incentives to mining companies and no benefits at all to the state and local communities.
"The reform must prohibit opencast mining for extracting precious metals. Priority must be given to protecting human rights, the environment, and water resources," Juan Carlos Ruiz, a researcher at the Colegio de San Luis, a public college, told IPS.
"The real cost of mineral extraction should be calculated, including the cost of water, site remediation and the economic development of the region," said Ruiz, who was involved in drafting the civil society bill.
The reform bill put forward by the government is in the hands of economy minister Ildefonso Guajardo. So far it is a declaration of the government's intentions for the new law, which the administration wants to see come into force in 2014.
Under the present legislation, Mexico has become a paradise for the mining industry, to the point that there are 25,693 concessions covering 51 million hectares, according to economy ministry statistics.
Spokespersons for the Mexican Chamber of Mines (Camimex), the industry association, told IPS that 285 companies are operating 853 mining projects in the country, generating more than 300,000 direct jobs and making a total of over seven billion dollars in investment in 2012.
In the period 2010-2012 alone, 15 new mines came into operation, while a further 22 are being built or are in the exploratory phase, the spokespersons said, adding that Camimex does not have "a public position" yet on the legal changes being discussed.
ProM?xico, the state agency for attracting foreign investment, said gross revenue from mining was 22 billion dollars in 2012, and forecast some 35 billion dollars in foreign direct investment would arrive over the next six years, mainly from Canada and the United States.
Mexico is the world's top producer of silver, in third place for bismuth, fifth for molybdenum and lead and ninth for gold, according to ProM?xico and the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC).
But mining has created friction with local communities, because of deforestation, water pollution and the generation of hazardous liquid waste, and local opposition to the mines is strong.
The economy minister said in various presentations that his ministry wishes to review the current pattern of concessions, in particular the payment of fees on commodity production and benefits for local communities.
When it comes to taxes, Guajardo said he does not think the new scheme must necessarily be based on a royalty system, although this is the international standard and is advocated as the most beneficial scheme for mining countries.
Companies operating in Mexico currently pay between 36 cents of a dollar and eight dollars a year per hectare of their concessions for extracting precious metals and minerals. The only additional tax they pay is income tax.
Reforming the mining law was one of the clauses in the Pact for Mexico, a commitment signed by conservative President Enrique Pe?a Nieto with the political parties represented in Congress when he took office in December.
The pact includes the approval of a new mining law that is to "revise the concessions scheme and payment of federal fees linked to production."
It also says "the resources arising from these fees will be used principally for the direct benefit of municipalities and communities where the mines are located."
Guajardo explained that the pillars of the new law will be: a new tax formula for mining concessions, sustainability, respect for protected natural or cultural sites, benefits for local communities and legal security for investors.
The minister is now seeking consensus on these issues before presenting his bill to Congress, where the bill proposed by the social organisations has already been tabled and will be a reference point for the debate.
ECLAC says that in Latin America, a region of vast mining wealth, the windfall revenue from the soaring minerals prices should be efficiently invested, based on the principles of social and environmental sustainability.
It also calls for building a social consensus to invest that income effectively in human capacity building, technological innovation, infrastructure and programmes for mitigation of environmental impacts.
"We have a clear understanding of the importance of mining and what it represents as the first link in the production chains of metallic and non-metallic minerals. It would be absurd to eliminate it," Ruiz, the academic, emphasised.
"But there should be effective mechanisms for society to call into question the granting of concessions, because no one ever asks the people living in an area if they agree to the concession of land," he said.
According to the Observatory of Mining Conflicts in Latin America, there are 175 socio-environmental conflicts or clashes over natural resource use ongoing in the region, involving 183 mining projects and 246 communities. Twenty-one of these conflicts are in Mexico.
ECLAC indicates that the majority of the disputes are related to silver, gold and copper mining. Agriculture is the sector most harmed by mining activity.
Pueblos y Ciudadan?a Organizada vs. la mina Esperanza Silver (People and Citizens Organised against the Esperanza Silver mine), an NGO, has collected more than 8,000 signatures on an on-line petition addressed to environment minister Juan Guerra, to put an immediate stop to the Esperanza gold mine, owned by Canada's Esperanza Silver Corporation.
This opencast mine project covers 15,000 hectares in Tetlama, in Morelos state, adjacent to Mexico City.
Environmental organisations say there are at least 25 opencast mines in Mexico, and with new concessions this figure could rise to 200, including areas where there has been no mining previously.
? Inter Press Service (2013) ? All Rights ReservedOriginal source: Inter Press Service
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Nature is really abundant when it comes to healthy recipes for drinking as well as food that can be eaten. If only man will open his eyes to the wonders nature can give, surely no man will resort to artificial ingredients anymore or at least it can be lessened. There are now so many preservatives and artificial flavourings out in the market that are not good for our body. We cannot eat anything anymore without sugar, salt and the like.
But now we will discuss nutritious homemade drinks with all natural ingredients that are easy to find and prepare. Follow the simple steps in preparing each drink and read the nutritional benefits each concoction contains.
Wheat Grass Juice in the Morning
Wheat grass is slowly gaining popularity in the alternative medicine and all natural juices and foods. It is not only easy to grow and maintain but it is also packed with essential vitamins and minerals you need to get you through a long and busy day. This mighty small plant is a good source of Vitamins C, E, K and B complex. It is also packed with minerals such as calcium, iron, cobalt and magnesium to name a few.
To make an ounce of wheat grass juice, just grab or in case you're growing your own, cut a handful, put it in your juicer and voila! You now have a recipe that is like coffee in effect but more nutritious and less expensive.
Morning Power
This homemade energy drink recipe will give you the boost that you need in the morning. Ingredients are as follows:
1 Small or medium pink grapefruit (depending on how much you need to drink), peeled
1 small apple
3-4 pieces of carrots (preferably organic)
1 tsp fresh ginger, peeled
? small lemon, peeled (preferably without seeds)
Just put all the ingredients in a juicer and you'll have yourself one heck of a power booster drink that is all natural.
Healthy Way To Lose Weight
Ingredients:
1 large cucumber preferably organic. If your cucumber is organic, no need to peel.
3-4 pieces of mint leaves (depending on how minty you want your drink should be. You can add more leaves if you want)
? lemon
In the juicer, you should be able to extract the mint in between the cucumber. Pour in a medium to tall glass and squeeze the lemon. Drink immediately.
This recipe is very ideal for those who are also trying to lose weight because of the cucumber because of its low caloric content. It is contains potassium, vitamin A, vitamin C, folate (for would-be mom's) and chlorophyll.
The Wonders of Pomelo
If you are having some problems with bowel elimination especially in the morning, this is the perfect juice for you. You only need one pomelo to solve your morning struggles. Just get one large pomelo, remove the seeds, peel but leave the white part put in a juicer and drink immediately afterwards. Recent studies show that although pomelo is acidic in nature it helps in the process of digestion. It also helps lower the body's cholesterol. It also contains enzymes that help regulate the body's overall weight.
All For Kids
If you have kids at home and you are having troubles making them eat their peas and greens, then you might want to try this tasty homemade nutritious recipe that will ensure they'll get the vitamins they need every day.
Ingredients:
I medium papaya, ripe, seeds removed and chopped
1 medium sized orange, peeled and seeds removed
1 carrot
Mix the fruits in a juicer well. Drink immediately.
All natural juices and homemade health drinks should be processed thoroughly and should be taken immediately. Live enzymes that are present in these fruits and veggies can only live a few minutes after you have processed the natural ingredients into juices and health drinks.
Breville bje200xl?has a very large center feed tube which allows easy juicing of fruits and vegetables without having to cut them, dice them, or remove the skin or rind first. Pay a quick visit to bestjuicermachinereviews.com and find out how this juicer will fit your needs.
Mar. 21, 2013 ? A new study of genetically modified immune cells by scientists from UCLA and the California Institute of Technology could help improve a promising treatment for melanoma, an often fatal form of skin cancer.
The research, which appears March 21 in the advance online edition of the journal Cancer Discovery, was led by James Heath, a member of UCLA's Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research and UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center. Heath is a professor of molecular and medical pharmacology at UCLA and also holds the Elizabeth W. Gilloon Chair in Chemistry at Caltech.
The melanoma treatment uses T cells -- immune cells that play a major role in fighting infection -- taken from patients with melanoma. The cells are then genetically modified in the laboratory so that when they are reintroduced into a patient's bloodstream, they specifically attack melanoma tumors. In early clinical trials, this treatment was shown to shrink tumors dramatically in many patients, but the positive effects were often short-lived.
The UCLA and Caltech researchers found that after the engineered T cells were returned to patients, their efficacy faded within two to three weeks. Surprisingly, however, once the engineered cells were no longer effective, a new group of non-engineered T cells arose that had a similar tumor-killing effect that lasted even longer, the scientists discovered.
Using newly developed nanotechnology chips to perform multidimensional and multiplexed immune-monitoring assays, the researchers were able to examine at high resolution single engineered T cells taken at different times from patients undergoing the therapy, each of whom had a different level of response to the treatment.
"The engineered T cells did not recover their tumor-killing effect," Heath said, "but after one month, another group of T cells appeared that did have tumor-killing effects for another 90 days. Those were not the genetically engineered T cells, and they appeared to be a byproduct of a process called 'antigen spreading' by the original engineered cells. After 90 days, those cells lost their tumor-killing ability as well."
Antigen spreading is a process by which a T cell that has been engineered to attack a particular tumor expands its immune response to other T cells in the body, which then attack the same tumor but are focused on different antigens. (Antigens are substances that trigger a response by the body's immune system.) Scientists may be able to use this process, Heath stressed, to improve T cell-based treatments for melanoma.
"Our results have led us to possible ways to improve the T cell therapy to extend its positive effect," Heath said. "We need to incorporate strategies that maintain the functional properties of the engineered T cells used for therapy. This might include modifying how we grow the T cells in the laboratory to make their tumor-killing effect last longer or make them resistant to the effects of the patient's T cells as they recover from pretreatment chemotherapy conditioning and possibly increase the antigen spreading of anti-tumor T cells."
UCLA professor of medicine Dr. Antoni Ribas was one of Heath's key collaborators on the research.
"One of the possible approaches to resolve the problem identified by this study is to use engineered blood stem cells -- instead of the peripheral blood used in the original trials -- with this therapy in the hope that the engineered blood stem cells will provide a renewable source of engineered T cells," said Ribas, a member of UCLA's Broad Stem Cell Research Center and Jonsson Cancer Center.
Caltech's Chao Ma, the study's first author, said the findings and the use of the new nanotechnology assay process hold promise for treatments of other disease as well.
"This study points to the value of these single-cell functional analyses for probing the successes and failures of a sophisticated immunotherapy," he said. "I am excited to see its use as a monitoring tool to understand a spectrum of other cellular immunotherapies in the near future."
This research was funded by the National Cancer Institute, the Jean Perkins Foundation, The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, UCLA's Broad Stem Cell Research Center, the Seaver Institute, the PhaseOne Foundation, the Garcia-Corsini Family Fund, the Caltech/UCLA Joint Center for Translational Medicine, the Melanoma Research Alliance, a Rosen Fellowship and UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center.
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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of California - Los Angeles. The original article was written by Shaun Mason.
Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.
Journal Reference:
C. Ma, A. F. Cheung, T. Chodon, R. C. Koya, Z. Wu, C. Ng, E. Avramis, A. J. Cochran, O. N. Witte, D. Baltimore, B. Chmielowski, J. S. Economou, B. Comin-Anduix, A. Ribas, J. R. Heath. Multifunctional T-cell Analyses to Study Response and Progression in Adoptive Cell Transfer Immunotherapy. Cancer Discovery, 2013; DOI: 10.1158/2159-8290.CD-12-0383
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.
While I think it's safe to assume that the average Lifehacker reader knows their Wi-Fi password off the top of their head, the same can probably not be said for most of our friends and family members.
Amazon just announced the launch of CloudHSM, a new service that provides Amazon Web Services users who need to meet corporate, contractual and regulatory compliance requirements for data security a way to do so by using a dedicated Hardware Security Module (the ‘HSM’ in CloudHSM) within the Amazon cloud. Until now, Amazon argues, the only option for many companies that use its cloud services was to store their most sensitive data – or the encryption keys to it – in their own on-premise data centers. This, of course, made it hard for these companies to fully migrate their applications to the cloud. The new service, Amazon writes, can be used to support “a variety of use cases and applications, such as database encryption, Digital Rights Management (DRM), and Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) including authentication and authorization, document signing, and transaction processing.” The actual appliances are Luna SA modules from SafeNet, Inc. The new CloudHSM service uses Amazon’s Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) and the appliances are provisioned inside the user’s VPC with an IP address the user specifies. The service, Amazon says, provides businesses with secure key storage and protects these keys with “tamper-resistant HSM appliances that are designed to comply with international (Common Criteria EAL4+) and U.S. Government (NIST FIPS 140-2) regulatory standards for cryptographic modules.” Because the HSMs are located close to the user’s EC2 cloud computing instances, network latency should be very low. All of this, however, doesn’t come cheap. The upfront cost to provision a CloudHSM is $5,000 and the hourly cost are $1.88 per hour, which comes out to $1,373 on average per month. For businesses that need this kind of security, that’s probably a small price to pay, but this is clearly not a service that’s geared toward startups that just want to ensure their encryption keys and data are stored safely. The HSM client software can load balance requests across two or more CloudHSMs, though Amazon notes that it can take “several weeks” to provision more than two HSMs.
