Online dating is usually the best ways to meet new and interesting individuals who you?d otherwise never ever encounter. Should you be like many individuals, your cultural universe is probably limited to workmates, contacts and friends of contacts. But what if these avenues just are not helping you meet folks you want to time. Using the power of online dating can be like a organic next step for connecting with a brand new dating pool. However , not necessarily everyone?s online dating encounter is similar. Why do some people satisfy someone right away whilst others try it for years, yet would not seem to meet anyone they like?
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Jan. 30, 2013 ? Winemakers have long known that blending different grape varietals can favorably balance the flavor characteristics of the wine they produce. In the future, makers of advanced biofuels might use a similar strategy, blending different feedstock varieties to balance the energy characteristics of the transportation fuel they produce.
A collaborative study by researchers with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)'s Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI), a bioenergy research center led by Berkeley Lab, and the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) has shown that an ionic liquid proven to be effective for pre-treating individual biofuel feedstocks is also effective at pre-treating multiple different feedstocks that have been mixed and densified into a blend.
"Our results show that an ionic liquid pre-treatment can efficiently handle mixed feedstocks that have been milled and densified into pellets, and can generate high yields of fermentable sugars regardless of upstream processing," says Blake Simmons, a chemical engineer who heads JBEI's Deconstruction Division. "This indicates that blending and densifying a wide range of feedstocks has significant potential for helping to make biofuels a cost-competitive transportation fuel technology."
Simmons and his JBEI colleague Seema Singh, director of JBEI's Biomass Pretreatment group, led the JBEI/INL study in which four biomass feedstocks, representing the general classes of plants well-suited to serving as fuel crops, were mixed and milled into either flour or pellets then pre-treated with 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate ([C2mim][OAc]), the ionic liquid used at JBEI as a benchmark for biomass processing. The objective was to determine the impact of mixing and densification on the efficiency at which the complex polysaccharides in cellulosic biomass could be converted into fermentable sugars for fuel production.
"Lignocellulosic biorefineries must be able to efficiently process available regional feedstocks at cost-competitive prices year round, but feedstocks markedly vary from region-to-region," Singh says. "Also, individual feedstocks within a given region are also quite variable, depending on weather conditions, handling, storage and crop variety. Blending and densifying different feedstocks to create a single uniform feedstock has been proposed as a solution, but not much scientific attention has been paid to the efficiency of converting mixtures of feedstocks into fermentable sugars and fuels."
Given that global temperatures are now setting record highs and that the burning of fossil fuels is releasing an additional 9 billion metric tons of excess atmosphere-warming carbon each year, both the planet and the American economy stand to benefit from a large-scale domestic advanced biofuels industry. Produced from the microbial fermentation of sugars in lignocellulosic biomass, advanced biofuels are clean, green and renewable, and could displace gasoline, diesel and jet fuel on a gallon-for-gallon basis and be directly dropped into today's engines and infrastructures.
The sugars in lignocellulosic biomass, however, are complex polysaccharides that are deeply embedded within a very recalcitrant material called lignin. To break apart the complex lignocellulose and help hydrolyze the released polysaccharides into sugars that can be fermented by microbes, researchers at JBEI and elsewhere have been studying biomass pretreatments with ionic liquids -- environmentally benign organic salts often used as green chemistry substitutes for volatile organic solvents.
Researchers at INL have been investigating ways to increase the energy densities of biomass feedstocks and make delivery to refineries much more economical. Milling feedstocks into flour or pellets is an effective process for large-scale energy densification, but before this latest study it was unknown as to how densification of single or mixed feedstocks would impact ionic liquid pretreatment and sugar yield.
The JBEI/INL collaboration mixed switchgrass, lodgepole pine, corn stover and eucalyptus in flour and pellets and within 24 hours of saccharification were able to obtain sugar yields of up to 90-percent for both forms. Pellets, because of their higher energy density, would be the preferred form.
"Our work is the first demonstration that ionic liquid pretreatments can effectively handle mixed and densified feedstocks," Simmons says. "We're continuing the collaboration to next identify the most economical pelletized feedstock mixtures based on targeted regions of the United States. We'' then determine how efficiently our process can convert these mixtures into fermentable sugars."
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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by DOE/Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.
Journal Reference:
Jian Shi, Vicki S Thompson, Neal A Yancey, Vitalie Stavila, Blake A Simmons, Seema Singh. Impact of mixed feedstocks and feedstock densification on ionic liquid pretreatment efficiency. Biofuels, 2013; 4 (1): 63 DOI: 10.4155/bfs.12.82
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.
Jan. 29, 2013 ? Chemotherapy is one of the most common treatments for cancer patients. However, many patients suffer from serious side-effects and a large proportion does not respond to the treatment. Researchers from the Biotech Research and Innovation Centre (BRIC) and Center for Healthy Aging, University of Copenhagen, now show that the gene FBH1 helps turn up the effect of chemotherapy.
The results were recently published in the journal Nature Communications.
"Our results show that the gene FBH1 is crucial in order for some chemotherapeutics to become active in the body and kill the cancer cells. If we can find a feasible method to increase the activity of the gene, we can use our cells' own resources to improve cancer treatment, says associate professor Claus S?rensen who has lead the team of researchers behind the results.
Own gene helps chemotherapy fight cancer
The researchers have used a method called RNA interference to study whether some of the genes in our DNA are important for cancer cells to react to certain chemotherapeutics.
"By using the method to remove single genes from cancer cells and then exposing the cells to chemotherapy, we found that FBH1 is important for the effect of the chemotherapy. Actually, the presence of the gene was an absolutely requirement in order to effectively kill the cancer cells with the type of chemotherapeutics we have studied, says postdoc Kasper Fugger who has led the experimental part of the investigation.
Chemotherapy act by exposing cancer cells to a kind of extreme stress when they divide. The result is detrimental damage to the cells' DNA that cannot be repaired, causing the cells to die. The new results show that it is in fact FBH1 that contributes to the formation of DNA damage when treating with chemotherapy and this knowledge can be used to optimize cancer therapy.
Selection of patients for chemotherapy
In the last decade it has become clear that targeted treatment to individual cancer patients is crucial for an effective treatment with least possible side-effects. By assessing the presence of FBH1 in a tumour the doctors can get an indication of whether the patient will benefit from chemotherapy.
"Our results could help indicate that patients with low or no FBH1 in the cancer cells will not benefit from certain types of chemotherapy, but should be administered another type of treatment. So by using the genetic fingerprint of a tumour doctors can adjust the treatment to individual patients, says Claus S?rensen.
The next step -- finding the FBH1 volume knob
The next step for the research team is to investigate the presence of changes, so-called mutations in FBH1. Identifying mutations rendering cancer cells resistant to certain chemotherapeutics can be used to target the treatment even better to individual patients. Another goal for the researchers is to find a way to turn up the activity of FBH1 in cancer cells.
"Our hope is to find a method to boost the activity of the FBH1 gene in cancer cells since this will make them more sensitive to chemotherapy. Alternatively, we may find a way to simulate an effect similar to that of FBH1, which can be used as additional treatment in order to sensitise cancer cells to chemotherapy. If we achieve this, more patients will benefit from the treatment, says Kasper Fugger.
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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Copenhagen.
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Journal Reference:
Kasper Fugger, Wai Kit Chu, Peter Haahr, Arne Nedergaard Kousholt, Halfdan Beck, Miranda J. Payne, Katsuhiro Hanada, Ian D. Hickson, Claus Storgaard S?rensen. FBH1 co-operates with MUS81 in inducing DNA double-strand breaks and cell death following replication stress. Nature Communications, 2013; 4: 1423 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms2395
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.
In this Jan. 28, 2013 photo released by Korean Central News Agency via Korea News Service, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, center, delivers opening remarks at the Fourth Meeting of Secretaries of Cells of the Workers' Party of Korea, in Pyongyang, North Korea. Kim convened top security and foreign affairs officials and ordered them to take "substantial and high-profile important state measures," state media said Sunday, fueling speculation that he plans to push forward with a threat to explode a nuclear device in defiance of the United Nations.(AP Photo/Korean Central News Agency via Korea News Service) JAPAN OUT UNTIL 14 DAYS AFTER THE DAY OF TRANSMISSION
In this Jan. 28, 2013 photo released by Korean Central News Agency via Korea News Service, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, center, delivers opening remarks at the Fourth Meeting of Secretaries of Cells of the Workers' Party of Korea, in Pyongyang, North Korea. Kim convened top security and foreign affairs officials and ordered them to take "substantial and high-profile important state measures," state media said Sunday, fueling speculation that he plans to push forward with a threat to explode a nuclear device in defiance of the United Nations.(AP Photo/Korean Central News Agency via Korea News Service) JAPAN OUT UNTIL 14 DAYS AFTER THE DAY OF TRANSMISSION
In this Jan. 28, 2013 image made from video, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un delivers opening remarks at the Fourth Meeting of Secretaries of Cells of the Workers' Party of Korea, in Pyongyang, North Korea. Kim convened top security and foreign affairs officials and ordered them to take "substantial and high-profile important state measures," state media said Sunday, fueling speculation that he plans to push forward with a threat to explode a nuclear device in defiance of the United Nations. (AP Photo/KRT via AP Video) NORTH KOREA OUT, TV OUT
A girl looks at a display on assessment about impact of supposed nuclear attack on Seoul at the Korea War Memorial Museum in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2013. North Korea appears all set to detonate an atomic device, but confirming the explosion when it takes place will be virtually impossible for outsiders, specialists said Tuesday. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
A boy attaches a message wishing unification and peace of the two Koreas to a tree at the Korea War Memorial Museum in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2013. North Korea appears all set to detonate an atomic device, but confirming the explosion when it takes place will be virtually impossible for outsiders, specialists said Tuesday. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
Visitors watch a giant screen showing a South Korean national flag at the Korea War Memorial Museum in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2013. North Korea appears all set to detonate an atomic device, but confirming the explosion when it takes place will be virtually impossible for outsiders, specialists said Tuesday. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) ? North Korea appears all set to detonate an atomic device, but confirming the explosion when it takes place will be virtually impossible for outsiders, specialists said Tuesday.
The best indication of a test will be seismic tremors and abnormal radiation in the air, but even that can be masked if North Korea wants to. In all likelihood the first word of the test will come from Pyongyang itself, just as it happened when the country conducted nuclear tests in 2006 and 2009.
Last week, North Korea warned a third nuclear test is planned to protest toughened international sanctions meant to punish it for firing a long-range rocket in December. The world sees the launch a ballistic missile test banned by the U.N. while Pyongyang says it only shot a satellite aboard the rocket into orbit as part of a peaceful space development program.
The U.S., South Korea and their allies pressed the North to scrap its nuclear test plans, saying that will only worsen the country's decades-old international isolation.
The threats have placed scientists and experts in South Korea on high alert as any test is likely to aggravate the already high tensions on the divided Korean Peninsula.
South Korea's Defense Ministry said Tuesday it believes North Korea has nearly completed nuclear test plans, confirming satellite analysis last week by the U.S.-Korea Institute, a research group at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.
Its satellite images of the Punggye-ri site ? where the previous two nuclear tests were conducted ? reveal that the North Koreans may have been sealing the tunnel into a mountainside where a nuclear device would be detonated.
In the event of such an underground nuclear test, earthquake monitoring stations in South Korea can detect seismic tremors accompanied by low-frequency sound waves. While earthquakes trigger seismic waves they don't produce sound waves.
But this is at best a strong indication of the test and not an absolute confirmation.
An earthquake expert at the state-run Korea Meteorological Administration said his office aims to find out the magnitude of the tremor, the time it started and the exact location on the map within 10 minutes of the explosion. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to speak to media.
Experts also note that an artificial earthquake, such as created by a nuclear explosion, rarely triggers the same wave patterns as natural quakes.
North Korea can also try to deceive and give the impression that it exploded a nuclear device by simply exploding sophisticated conventional weapons that would trigger the same seismic waves as ones produced by a nuclear test, said Chi Heoncheol, an earthquake specialist at the government-funded Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources.
By raising tensions this way, North Korea may hope to wrest concessions or aid in return for promises to scale back its unproven nuclear capability.
"Even if they bring truckloads of high-powered conventional explosives, put them (into an underground tunnel) and explode them, they will generate the same seismic wave and sound wave," Chi said. Only difference is no radioactivity would be detected from the explosion of conventional weapons, he said.
The best course for scientists would be to collect air samples to look for increased radioactive activities but the process could take days. Even if the wind is favorable ? and assuming North conducts the test at Punggye-ri in the country's northeastern corner ? it will take more than one day for airborne radioactive isotopes like xenon to reach South Korea, according to an official at the government-run Nuclear Safety and Security Commission.
The official, who requested anonymity citing the sensitive nature of the subject, acknowledged it may be impossible to confirm a test if the wind doesn't blow southward or if North Korea plugs the underground tunnel so tightly that no radioactive gas escapes.
South Korea confirmed increased radiation levels following the North's 2006 nuclear test but didn't find anything in 2009.
And if North Korea decides to conduct a so-called subcritical test, there would be no release of radioactivity at all.
A sub-critical test only works on the properties of plutonium but stop short of creating a critical mass, the point at which a self-sustaining nuclear reaction occurs. Such an experiment requires a "very difficult technology" that only a few countries like the U.S., Russia and England have acquired, said nuclear expert Whang Joo-ho of Kyung Hee University.
"I believe North Korea's technology has not reached to that level," Whang said.
North Korea said its upcoming atomic explosion will be a "high-level" test and many analysts said that refers to a device made from highly enriched uranium, which gives the country a second source to manufacture bombs in addition to plutonium.
Whether North Korea detonates a uranium- or plutonium-based device, there won't be much difference in how easily scientists can detect tests. The only difference is they produce different radioactive gases, Whang said.
He also said a uranium-based test explosion means North Korea's nuclear stockpile can continue to be enlarged at a time when there is no evidence of continued production of plutonium at its main Yongbyon nuclear complex.
North Korea watchers in South Korea are speculating diverse dates for a possible nuclear test, with some predicting that could happen as early as this week and others choosing the days just before the Feb. 16 birthday of late North Korean leader Kim Jong Il.
There is no way to find out when North Korea would conduct a nuclear test, said analyst Shim BeomChul at the state-run Korea Institute for Defense Analyses in Seoul. U.S. spy satellites "can detect objects 15 centimeters (5.91 inches) in size on the ground but they cannot detect what's happening in underground."
The BenQ MW519 is a likable data projector most fitting for classroom use. Its data image quality, which is best over a digital connection, is fine for typical presentations, while video quality is suitable for shorter clips. Some appealing features include 3D readiness, long lamp life, and several eco-friendly features.
This DLP-based projector is rated at 2,800 lumens of brightness, and has native WXGA (1,280 by 800) resolution. It has large and responsive metal zoom (1.2:1) and focus rings. Its design is simple yet handsome, with matte-black sides and a glossy black top. One downside to the glossy sheen is that it tends to be a "fingerprint magnet," though the prints it collected could be cleaned off easily enough with a cloth. The projector measures 4.4 by 11.9 by 8.7 inches (HWD) and weighs a reasonably portable 5 pounds, although it lacks a carrying case.
The MW519 has a solid selection of ports, including HDMI; composite video/audio; S-video; two VGA inputs to connect with computers and one to connect with a monitor; two audio-in and one audio-out jack, an RS232 jack, and a USB type B connector for connecting with a computer.
Performance I tested the projector in our studio, doing the official tests in theater-dark conditions but also viewing images and video in varying conditions of ambient light. The image filled our test screen (about 60 inches diagonal) with the projector about 6 feet away from the screen. The image was able to stand up to considerable ambient light without it looking degraded.
I did our data image testing (using the DisplayMate ?suite of projector tests) when connected to a computer over a VGA connection, and then repeated the tests over an HDMI connection. Although in both cases the data image quality was suitable for typical classroom presentations, in several areas the HDMI results were superior.
A strong point over both connections was the MW519's ability to display type that was readable down to our smallest test size. There was slight tinting with both connections, with some white areas showing a hint of yellow, while actual yellows looked dull or mustardy in all color modes.
With VGA, some grays?particularly ones with hatched patterns?looked green in all color modes, although less so in Presentation mode. ?Over the HDMI connection, the grays looked fine, and a slight pixel jitter visible in some textured images over VGA disappeared when I switched to HDMI. With HDMI, it was also much easier to distinguish very light shades of gray.
With both connections, in some bright areas against dark backgrounds I notices the rainbow artifacts frequently seen in DLP projectors, in which little rainbow-like flashes can be seen by people sensitive to the effect, especially when one moves one's head, or in moving images. It's generally less of a problem with data images than with video, and even people somewhat sensitive to it aren't likely to be bothered by it in the MW519's still images.
Video Quality As is often the case, the rainbow effect was more of an issue in video. Although the effect wasn't unusually severe for a DLP projector, rainbow artifacts were apparent enough in some darker scenes that people who are sensitive to the effect are likely to be distracted by it, making the projector best for shorter clips.
Also effectively limiting the MW519 to shorter clips (or to use in a small room for video) is the feeble 2-watt audio system. It was sometimes difficult to hear, even at full volume, when I sat fairly close to the projector.
The projector has several eco-friendly features that can increase lamp life to as much as 6,500 hours. EcoBlank mode lets teachers easily take a break from a presentation, blanking the screen out and lowering energy consumption up to 70% while paused. The projector will also automatically enter EcoBlank mode after 3 minutes without a signal. SmartEco mode automatically adjusts lamp brightness depending on lighting conditions.
The MW519 is also 3D-capable, with support for 3D Blu-Ray via HDMI,?as well as NVIDIA?3DTV?Play, enabling it to display 3D content from NVIDIA 3D Vision. The active shutter 3D glasses are not included, and can cost up to $70 per pair. One other nice feature is built-in closed captioning for displaying subtitles.
The ViewSonic PJD6553w, also a DLP-based projector with WXGA resolution, is brighter than the MW519 at 3,500 rated lumens. It not only showed very good data image quality, it had better than average video quality for a DLP projector thanks to a minimal rainbow effect, and a more powerful 10W audio system.
The Editors' Choice Epson PowerLite 1835 XGA 3LCD Projector has a slightly higher price and a lower (XGA, 1,024 by 768) native resolution than the MW519, but it's brighter (3,500 lumens), has very good data and video image quality (as an LCD-based projector, it's immune to the rainbow effect), and a loud audio system (though it didn't have the best sound quality).
The BenQ MW519 is a likable projector for classroom use, with good data image quality, especially over an HDMI connection, and power-saving features that can extend lamp life. It's bright enough for use in mid-sized rooms, although its audio is faint. It is 3D capable, but outfitting an entire class with 3D glasses might prove a tough sell to the school administrators. It's best for use mostly with data presentations; there are better choices if video and audio quality are priorities.
Early menopause may occur in women with BRCA gene, new study findsPublic release date: 29-Jan-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Elizabeth Fernandez elizabeth.fernandez@ucsf.edu 415-502-6397 University of California - San Francisco
Women with harmful mutations in the BRCA gene, which put them at higher risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer, tend to undergo menopause significantly sooner than other women, allowing them an even briefer reproductive window and possibly a higher risk of infertility, according to a study led by researchers at UC San Francisco.
Moreover, the study showed that carriers of the mutation who are heavy smokers enter menopause at an even earlier age than non-smoking women with the mutation.
While the authors note that further research is needed, given the size and demographics of the study, women with the abnormal gene mutation should consider earlier childbearing, and their doctors should encourage them to initiate fertility counseling along with other medical treatments, the scientists said.
The study will be published online in Cancer on January 29, 2013.
This is the first controlled study to explore the association between BRCA1 and BRCA 2 and the age at onset of menopause, the authors said.
"Our findings show that mutation of these genes has been linked to early menopause, which may lead to a higher incidence of infertility,'' said senior author Mitchell Rosen, MD, director of the UCSF Fertility Preservation Center and associate professor in the UCSF Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences. "This can add to the significant psychological implications of being a BRCA1/2 carrier, and will likely have an impact on reproductive decision-making,'' Rosen said.
Mutations in either of the genes BRCA 1 or BRCA 2 can produce a hereditary, lifetime risk of developing breast cancer and ovarian cancer. Some women decide to reduce their risk by undergoing prophylactic surgery to remove at-risk tissue, including their breasts and ovaries. The abnormal genes are the most identified inherited cause of breast cancer carriers are five times more likely to develop breast cancer than those without the mutations, according to the National Cancer Institute.
The new study was designed to determine whether women with the BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation have an earlier onset of menopause compared with unaffected women.
The researchers looked at nearly 400 female carriers of mutations in the BRCA gene in northern California and compared their onset of menopause to that of 765 women in the same geographic area without the mutation. Most of the women in the study were white because almost all of the BRCA1/2 carriers within the UCSF cancer risk registry are white.
The scientists found that women with the harmful mutation experienced menopause at a significantly younger age 50 years -- compared to age 53 for the other midlife women.
Heavy smokers (more than 20 cigarettes a day) with the abnormal gene had an even earlier onset of menopause -- 46 years. By comparison, only seven percent of white women in northern California had undergone menopause by that age, said the authors. Smoking has been shown to alter menstrual cycles and estrogen status, among other impacts.
The authors point out that while their study shows a possible increased risk of infertility for the mutation carriers, further study is needed. They also said that data regarding the age of natural menopause is limited because most women with the mutation are recommended to undergo risk-reducing surgery after they complete childbearing.
"Women with the mutation are faced with challenges in reproductive choices,'' said study co-author Lee-may Chen, MD, a professor in the UCSF Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Services. "These data may help women understand that their childbearing years may be even more limited by earlier menopause, so that they can make decisions about their reproductive choices and cancer risk-reducing surgery.''
###
The first author of the study is Wayne T. Lin, MD, MPH, who at the time of the research was a resident at UCSF and is now a fellow at the Brigham and Women's Hospital at Harvard Medical School. Other authors include Marcelle Cedars, MD, a UCSF professor and director of the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Services ; and Mary Beattie, MD, clinical professor in the UCSF Department of Medicine. Study data was collected from the Cancer Risk Program at UCSF and the northern California site of the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation, a project of the University of California Davis and Kaiser Permanente.
Funding for the study was provided by National Institutes of Health grants NR004061, AG012505, AG012535, AG012531, AG012539, AG012546, AG012553, AG012554, and AG012495. Support was also provided by the UCSF Cancer Risk Program Patient Registry, which is supported by the UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center. The Study of Women's Health Across the Nation has grant support from the NIH, Department of Health and Human Services through the National Institute on Aging, the National Institute of Nursing Research, and the NIH Office of Research on Women's Health.
UCSF is a leading university dedicated to promoting health worldwide through advanced biomedical research, graduate-level education in the life sciences and health professions, and excellence in patient care.
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Early menopause may occur in women with BRCA gene, new study findsPublic release date: 29-Jan-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Elizabeth Fernandez elizabeth.fernandez@ucsf.edu 415-502-6397 University of California - San Francisco
Women with harmful mutations in the BRCA gene, which put them at higher risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer, tend to undergo menopause significantly sooner than other women, allowing them an even briefer reproductive window and possibly a higher risk of infertility, according to a study led by researchers at UC San Francisco.
Moreover, the study showed that carriers of the mutation who are heavy smokers enter menopause at an even earlier age than non-smoking women with the mutation.
While the authors note that further research is needed, given the size and demographics of the study, women with the abnormal gene mutation should consider earlier childbearing, and their doctors should encourage them to initiate fertility counseling along with other medical treatments, the scientists said.
The study will be published online in Cancer on January 29, 2013.
This is the first controlled study to explore the association between BRCA1 and BRCA 2 and the age at onset of menopause, the authors said.
"Our findings show that mutation of these genes has been linked to early menopause, which may lead to a higher incidence of infertility,'' said senior author Mitchell Rosen, MD, director of the UCSF Fertility Preservation Center and associate professor in the UCSF Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences. "This can add to the significant psychological implications of being a BRCA1/2 carrier, and will likely have an impact on reproductive decision-making,'' Rosen said.
Mutations in either of the genes BRCA 1 or BRCA 2 can produce a hereditary, lifetime risk of developing breast cancer and ovarian cancer. Some women decide to reduce their risk by undergoing prophylactic surgery to remove at-risk tissue, including their breasts and ovaries. The abnormal genes are the most identified inherited cause of breast cancer carriers are five times more likely to develop breast cancer than those without the mutations, according to the National Cancer Institute.
The new study was designed to determine whether women with the BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation have an earlier onset of menopause compared with unaffected women.
The researchers looked at nearly 400 female carriers of mutations in the BRCA gene in northern California and compared their onset of menopause to that of 765 women in the same geographic area without the mutation. Most of the women in the study were white because almost all of the BRCA1/2 carriers within the UCSF cancer risk registry are white.
The scientists found that women with the harmful mutation experienced menopause at a significantly younger age 50 years -- compared to age 53 for the other midlife women.
Heavy smokers (more than 20 cigarettes a day) with the abnormal gene had an even earlier onset of menopause -- 46 years. By comparison, only seven percent of white women in northern California had undergone menopause by that age, said the authors. Smoking has been shown to alter menstrual cycles and estrogen status, among other impacts.
The authors point out that while their study shows a possible increased risk of infertility for the mutation carriers, further study is needed. They also said that data regarding the age of natural menopause is limited because most women with the mutation are recommended to undergo risk-reducing surgery after they complete childbearing.
"Women with the mutation are faced with challenges in reproductive choices,'' said study co-author Lee-may Chen, MD, a professor in the UCSF Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Services. "These data may help women understand that their childbearing years may be even more limited by earlier menopause, so that they can make decisions about their reproductive choices and cancer risk-reducing surgery.''
###
The first author of the study is Wayne T. Lin, MD, MPH, who at the time of the research was a resident at UCSF and is now a fellow at the Brigham and Women's Hospital at Harvard Medical School. Other authors include Marcelle Cedars, MD, a UCSF professor and director of the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Services ; and Mary Beattie, MD, clinical professor in the UCSF Department of Medicine. Study data was collected from the Cancer Risk Program at UCSF and the northern California site of the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation, a project of the University of California Davis and Kaiser Permanente.
Funding for the study was provided by National Institutes of Health grants NR004061, AG012505, AG012535, AG012531, AG012539, AG012546, AG012553, AG012554, and AG012495. Support was also provided by the UCSF Cancer Risk Program Patient Registry, which is supported by the UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center. The Study of Women's Health Across the Nation has grant support from the NIH, Department of Health and Human Services through the National Institute on Aging, the National Institute of Nursing Research, and the NIH Office of Research on Women's Health.
UCSF is a leading university dedicated to promoting health worldwide through advanced biomedical research, graduate-level education in the life sciences and health professions, and excellence in patient care.
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Hiring by employers likely held steady in January, pointing to modest growth in the economy despite worries that budget battles in Washington could derail the recovery.
Nonfarm payrolls are expected to have risen 160,000, a marginal step up from December's 155,000 job gain, according to a Reuters survey of economists. The unemployment rate is seen holding steady at 7.8 percent.
Many economists think companies would create more jobs if Washington could resolve a seemingly intractable fight over how to tame the federal budget deficit.
Politicians reached a deal this month to soften the blow from a so-called "fiscal cliff" of austerity measures, but the government is still on track to hurt the economy by slashing spending in March.
A deadlock over spending plans that could lead most government operations to shut down in March also looms, as does the possibility the government might default later this later year and trigger another recession.
"The removal of the uncertainty posed by the fiscal cliff is unlikely to prompt a surge in hiring when there remains so much political uncertainty," said Paul Dales, an economist at Capital Economics in London.
The Labor Department will release the January jobs data on Friday at 8:30 a.m. (1330 GMT).
The recent pace of hiring has been too slow to quickly bring down the country's jobless rate or convince the Federal Reserve, which meets on Wednesday, to abandon its easy money policies.
If economists are on the mark, January would mark another month of slow but steady gains in the long recovery from the 2007-09 recession, reinforcing expectations the Fed will continue buying assets into next year in a bid to lower interest rates and boost the economy. A report due on Wednesday is expected to show economic growth slowed in the fourth quarter.
Still, the expected payroll reading would match the average gains posted over the six months through December, suggesting some of the economy's underlying momentum carried over into the New Year.
Indeed, many economic indicators have pointed to growing economic strength. Retail sales were buoyant in December, and the number of new jobless claims has recently fallen to the lowest in five years.
In addition, a mild winter could be helping to boost employment at construction sites.
"Unseasonably mild weather and improving jobless claims point to an above-trend result," economists at Morgan Stanley, who forecast 185,000 new jobs in January, said in a research note.
Manufacturing employment likely grew by 10,000 jobs in January, according to the Reuters poll. Average hourly earnings are seen edging higher and the length of the average workweek is seen steady.
As part of the employment report, the government will release revisions to recent payroll estimates based on analysis of tax receipts from March 2012. This data could help explain why the U.S. jobless rate fell more than many expected in 2012 given lackluster growth in payrolls, said Jim O'Sullivan, an economist at High Frequency Economics in Valhalla, New York.
On average, payrolls added 153,000 jobs a month last year, a level many economists consider just enough to keep up with population growth and not enough to explain the 0.5 percentage point fall in the jobless rate during the year.
In a preliminary estimate given in September, the Labor Department said the economy likely created 386,000 more jobs than initially thought in the 12 months through March last year.
With the data on Friday, the government will provide a firmer reading on the employment level for March 2012 and use its new understanding on the health of the labor market to revise its figures for other months as well.
A big upward revision of payroll gains, especially in the second half of 2012, would point to a stronger trend in job creation, helping to explain why the jobless rate tumbled last year and perhaps making future declines more plausible.
"If the trend in employment is 180,000 or 185,000 a month instead of 160,000 a month, it's certainly easier to get the unemployment rate down," said O'Sullivan.
Apple has released a software update?? iOS 6.1 ? which gives you the ability to purchase movie tickets through?Fandango using Siri, supports LTE?capabilities?for a bunch of carriers around the world?and adds the ability to download individual songs from iCloud.
You can find a complete list of the newly supported LTE-capable carriers on Apple's website.?(There's now support for LTE connectivity for 36 additional iPhone carriers and 23 additional iPad carriers around the world.)?
iOS 6.1 is available is compatible with the?iPhone 5, iPhone 4S, iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, third- and fourth-generation?iPad, iPad Mini, iPad 2,?and fourth- and fifth-generation?iPod Touch. You can snag it by?connecting your device to iTunes and hitting the "check for updates" button. (Alternatively, head into your gadget's "Settings" menu, select the "General" tab, and tap the "Software Updates" option to download the update over?the air.)
Want more tech news?or interesting?links? You'll get plenty of both if you keep up with Rosa Golijan, the writer of this post, by following her on?Twitter, subscribing to her?Facebook?posts,?or circling her?on?Google+.
Carl Pavano's spleen was removed last week after the pitcher was injured when he fell in the snow.
The 37-year-old right-hander was hurt in mid-January at his home in Vermont and has been in a Connecticut hospital for nearly two weeks.
"He lost a lot of blood. It was very, very serious," agent David Pepe said Monday.
Pepe said Pavano didn't think he was seriously injured after the fall, then didn't feel well following a workout a few days later in Connecticut.
"He felt bad enough that he went to the hospital and he ended up getting admitted, and they realized he had a lacerated spleen," Pepe said. "They tried to control the bleeding. They did all they could to not take it out and, unfortunately, he didn't stop bleeding and he's been in the hospital since."
Pepe hopes Pavano will be released from the hospital this week. He would not put a timetable on the free agent's possible return to baseball.
"To be quite honest, I think he's very fortunate that he caught this thing. He had the presence of mind to go to a hospital," Pepe said. "It could have been a lot worse. He's just got to get his strength back and worry about baseball later."
Pavano spent the past 3 1-2 seasons with the Minnesota Twins, going 2-5 with a 6.00 ERA in 11 starts last year. He didn't pitch after June 1 because of a strained right shoulder.
A heralded free agent after the 2004 season, Pavano signed a $39.95 million, four-year contract with the New York Yankees but then was sidelined by injuries to his shoulder, back, buttocks, elbow and ribs and became a target of criticism for Yankees fans and New York media. He went 9-8 with a 5.00 ERA in just 26 starts over the four years.
Pavano's career revived after he left New York. He went a combined 14-12 for Cleveland and Minnesota the following year, then was 17-11 for the Twins in 2010 before sliding to 9-13 in 2011.
Because it?s dedicated to all my lovely READERS :*In the previous chapters I made some readers tear, smile, and laugh. but in this chapter I decided to unlock my heart for you.. I just wish that the words I?ll say will touch your hearts?First, i want all of you to know something, EVERYONE in this universe suffers from certain kind of issues, so please don?t think you?re suffering all alone by yourself .. and NEVER wish to die because your life sucks! I know that some ppl wish death, but come on, let face it? Are you READY to meet allah? .. I know that most of you are not.. so don?t wish death, and always think of Palestine, Syria and other countries who?re suffering much more than you! I?ll ask you few questions and I won?t you to answer with yes or no, okay?Do you have something to eat?Do you have something to wear?If all your answers YES!! Then thank allah for this. Because other people have lost everything. I once read a TRUE event happened to a young girl she lost her family and home in seconds !! her house was burn and her family died because of the burning fire, while this girl survived alone, allah ketb lha 3umer, but She lost her home and family. And a lot of other events I read in news paper, well I don?t read news paper, actually my mom told me, cause she?s the one reading ;p anyway, she told me about a car accident, both parents died and their baby son the only one survived :?) he lost his parents at very young age.. So, ALWAYS thank allah for what he gave you, I use to do something to make me feel better I?ll share it with you, actually, 2 things. First, I use to bring a sheet of paper and divide it in to two parts, the first part I?ll write down all the ?ne3m? that allah gave it to me, but the other part I write all the things that ?en7rmt?mnhm .. and I found that what allah gave me is much more than what allah took from me. I won?t you all to try it,? 100 % sure you?ll find same my results.Second thing I do to make me feel better, when I get pissed off or depressed, I PRAY to god, just let your heart speak! Cause NO ONE in this world knows shkthr you?re suffering except allah sub7anah. Trust me you?ll feel much better after this.Here?s another thing I want to talk about, you are ALL special, but each person on their own way! I know that some of you are good in arts stuff, while other in sports, some are talented in writing, and many other talents, you just have to search for that talent and improve it! The most important don?t listen to what others say about your talent, KEEEP MOVING FORWARD. Tadrouun lish? 7achyy ELNAS la ywady wla iyeebb. And people are just jealous from you ;) Shofaw, most of the ppl ely naj7een ib 7ayat?hm ma hamhm 7achy elnas! They simply ignore it.And yeah, I don?t want to see anyone sad, SMILE, because you have beautiful one that others are dying to see it. SMILE, because you have supportive friends and family, SMILE, because you are one of a kind, SMILE, because you are much better than others, SMILE, because I?m here for you, SMILE because i love you and I know that you love me back? :p YUUUBAAA SMILEEEEEE :D :D :Dsome of you thought I might leave blogging world right?... hmm well the truth is I CAN?T leave my sisters suffer and go LIVE my life! Well, yeah many girls asked me for a certain advice either through dm or ask or kik. But there are these girls who always keeps asking me for advice and I NEVER got bored from listening to them. And there?s the third type of girls I met they became so close to me, they?re so sweet, lovely, friendly than some people I met in real life .. they became my sisters<3 .. ?so I can?t leave now, I might but not now. I?ll not post daily, I might post 2 or 3 chapters a week, sorry but I really can?t, I have other issues to deal with. But you can always find me through ask or dm.I want to thank all of you, because YOU ARE the reason of letting me continue blogging <3in the end, I want to say, well I wish the world will hear this from the deepest of my heart. I have the most amazing, supportive, friendly READERS ever <3 I love you all.And remember, I?m always here for you, I won?t let you down xCan you provide me with your feedbacks please? xx
ROME/MILAN (Reuters) - Monte dei Paschi di Siena said on Sunday it was seeking a financial investor as the political storm over a derivatives scandal at the ailing bank intensified ahead of next month's Italian election.
Italy's third-biggest lender, which needs state loans to stay afloat, this week revealed opaque derivatives trades, conducted between 2006 and 2009, that could cost it some 720 million euros.
The scandal has turned the spotlight on Monte Paschi's close political ties with the center left and on possible oversight failings by the Bank of Italy (BOI), then led by current European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi.
"I would like to have a long-term financial investor," Monte Paschi Chairman Alessandro Profumo told Italian business daily Il Sole 24 Ore on Sunday. "Nationality is not a problem. The important thing is that it believes in our project".
Profumo was appointed head of a new management team last year to try to turn around the world's oldest bank.
At the root of Monte Paschi's problems is the acquisition in 2007 of smaller rival Antonveneta for a massive 9 billion euros in cash, stretching its finances to the limit just months before the global financial crisis hit.
Siena prosecutors are investigating why the bank paid such an inflated price for Antonveneta shortly after Spain's Santander had purchased it from ABN Amro for just 6.6 bln euros.
After an all-day board meeting on Saturday, the Bank of Italy gave approval to Monte Paschi's request for 3.9 billion euros ($5.3 bln) of state loans, to be issued by end-February, though one leading politician said they should now be blocked.
The Tuscan bank was forced to seek state aid last year for the second time since 2009 after becoming one of just four European lenders that failed to meet tougher capital requirements set by regulators.
Under the loan scheme Monte Paschi will issue 3.9 billion euros of bonds to the Treasury, with just under half of these replacing 1.9 bln euros of loans made under a previous plan.
Profumo on Sunday rejected suggestions the bank will be nationalized and said he was confident it would be able to pay back the loans and interest in cash over the next five years.
"We believe in this. The objective is to return to profits already during the course of this year," he said.
However the scandal surrounding Monte Paschi is dominating the Italian media and has shot to the head of the campaign for the Feb 24-25 election.
"NO LONGER SUSTAINABLE"
Corriere della Sera daily on Sunday published excerpts from the minutes of Monte Paschi meetings in 2011 showing several board members expressing concern about the bank's portfolio, overladen with long-term Italian government bonds.
"The situation is no longer sustainable, we must take steps to reduce these positions," said former vice chairman Francesco Caltagirone in September 2011 as Italian government bond yields soared during the apex of the euro zone debt crisis.
Among complex instruments used to finance the Antonveneta deal were convertible loans known by the acronym FRESH (Floating Rate Equity-Linked Subordinated Hybrid Preferred Securities).
Advisory group Rothschild on Sunday denied a press report that it had assisted with the operation.
Monte Paschi's new management have said the main loss-making derivatives it uncovered involved Japanese bank Nomura and Deutsche Bank .
Center-right politicians are seeking maximum political capital from the bank's close ties to the Democratic Party (PD), which has a shrinking but still comfortable lead in the polls.
Siena has been a left-wing stronghold for decades and the bank's biggest shareholder is a charitable foundation controlled by PD politicians accustomed to using dividends from the bank for local initiatives to bolster their support.
"The PD can't even run a bank, so how can we trust them to run the country," said center-right leader Silvio Berlusconi on Saturday.
PD leader Pier Luigi Bersani threatened to "tear apart" anyone who suggested his party was responsible for wrongdoing at Monte Paschi but Angelino Alfano, a top official in Berlusconi's People of Freedom party said the PD was "in it up to its neck."
Roberto Maroni, head of the pro-devolution Northern League, attacked Prime Minister Mario Monti, who is heading a centrist alliance at the vote, and said state loans to Monte Paschi must be blocked until criminal investigations were concluded.
"If the bank has done things against the law it can't receive public money, that is so simple and obvious that even the prime minister should understand it."
Logitech will continue to make PC gaming peripherals despite severing its console peripheral and remote businesses.
On Wednesday Logitech announced its third quarter results for fiscal 2013, reporting that sales were $615 million, down 14-percent from $715 million in Q3 fiscal 2012. Net loss for Q3 fiscal 2013 was $195 million ($1.24 per share) compared to a net income of $55 million ($0.32 per share) in Q3 fiscal 2012.
"As we articulated when we started the third quarter, continued weakness in the global PC market was the primary factor in our disappointing Q3 results," said Bracken P. Darrell, Logitech president and chief executive officer. "These results are unacceptable and we are taking decisive action as an outcome of my strategic review."
He went on to say that Logitech plans to expand its presence in the growing tablet accessories category. However the company also plans to sustain its leadership in PC platform-related products where it has engineering, distribution and scale advantages.
"Our goal with PC-platform products is to maximize profitability, while investing selectively in growing categories," he said. "We have also identified a number of product categories that no longer fit with our current strategic direction. As a result, we have initiated the process to divest our remote controls and digital video security categories, and we plan to discontinue other non-strategic products, such as speaker docks and console gaming peripherals, by the end of Calendar Year 2013."
The first to go will be Logitech's Harmony remote business. Sales were reportedly down 24-percent with units declining by 55-percent. The high end of this market increased only 4-percent, fueled by the recently-launched Harmony Touch high-end remote.
And as stated, also out the door will be the company's line of console peripherals. These have seemingly already disappeared from Logitech's site save for the G27 and Driving Force GT racing wheels which are compatible with the PlayStation 3 and Windows PC. Most of what Logitech offers now is focused on Windows and Mac-based gaming.
"We are NOT exiting PC gaming, only console accessories," Logitech confirmed on Twitter. "PC gaming continues to be a priority for the company."
Darrell added on Wednesday that his goal is to get Logitech back to sustained profitability as quickly as possible, "This requires unwavering focus on developing great products both for large and for fast-growing markets, removing unnecessary costs and a commitment to move at least as fast as the markets in which we participate," he said.
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Long-Life Lamp This multi-position LED lamp stands 10-Inch tall and functions as a desk lamp, hand-held flashlight, or hanging light, and runs for 20-plus hours on a single set of (3) alkaline D-cell batteries. (Will also take a 4.5VDC female center plug adapter if you?ve got one.) Has (20) LEDs in a 4-Inch by 2-3/4-Inch oval reflective face that ratchets up and down. Includes a switch to choose all or just (10) of the LEDs. Silver and black plastic, its life span makes it a perfect emergency light.
Two cats were adopted into loving homes earlier this month through the Fuzzy Pet Foundation event in Newport Beach. This weekend the group will be trying to find forever homes for more pets.
The pet adoptions will be held Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. at JustFoodForDogs in Newport Beach. The adoptions are being hosted by the Fuzzy Pet Foundation, an all-breed, no-kill rescue organization, committed to stopping animal overpopulation and shelter killings.? Sheila Choi, founder of TFPF, said at the last event, two cats -- Puddin' and Raini -- were adopted by local families.
"A really nice family saw her photo and bio on Patch, and came to our event wanting to adopt her," Choi said about Puddin'. "Puddin' is in a phenomenal home where she will be loved for life, and we were able to fill Puddin's spot with another animal in need."
Another group of dogs and cats are hoping to be adopted this Sunday. Candy, a one-year-old dog, was rescued from a family who could no longer afford a pet. According to TFPF, Candy enjoys walking with her harness on, loves being held, and likes car rides.
TFPF is dedicated to rescuing dogs and cats from the lonely streets and from death row at animal shelters to give them another chance to be loved by a new owner. The group also rehabilitates sick and paralyzed pets.
The adoption fee for cats ranges from $175 - $200 and includes spay/neuter, shots, de-worming, de-fleaing, fecal exam, microchip, and FeLV/FIV test. The adoption fee for dogs ranges from $175 - $300 and includes?spay/neuter, shots, de-worming, de-fleaing, fecal exam, and microchip.?
Interested pet adopters can fill out an application at the event, and it will be processed within 48-72 hours. JustFoodForDogs is located at 500 W. Coast Highway in Newport Beach.
President Barack Obama gestures as he speaks in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Friday, Jan. 25, 2013, where he announced that he will name current Deputy National Security Adviser Denis McDonough as his next chief of staff. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
President Barack Obama gestures as he speaks in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Friday, Jan. 25, 2013, where he announced that he will name current Deputy National Security Adviser Denis McDonough as his next chief of staff. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
White House press secretary Jay Carney gesture as he speaks during his daily news briefing at the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2013. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
WASHINGTON (AP) ? Reviving an issue that has languished for years, President Barack Obama will launch a campaign next week aimed at overhauling the nation's flawed immigration system and creating legal status for millions, as a bipartisan Senate group nears agreement on achieving the same goals.
The proposals from Obama and lawmakers will mark the start of what is expected to be a contentious and emotional process with deep political implications. Latino voters overwhelmingly backed Obama in the 2012 election, leaving Republicans grappling for a way to regain their standing with an increasingly powerful pool of voters.
The president will press his case for immigration changes during a trip to Las Vegas Tuesday. The Senate working group is also aiming to outline its proposals next week, according to a Senate aide.
Administration officials say Obama's second-term immigration push will be a continuation of the principles he outlined during his first four years in office but failed to act on. He is expected to revive his little-noticed 2011 immigration "blueprint," which calls for a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants that includes paying fines and back taxes; increased border security; mandatory penalties for businesses that employ unauthorized immigrants; and improvements to the legal immigration system, including giving green cards to high-skilled workers and lifting caps on legal immigration for the immediate family members of U.S. citizens.
"What has been absent in the time since he put those principles forward has been a willingness by Republicans, generally speaking, to move forward with comprehensive immigration reform," White House press secretary Jay Carney said. "What he hopes is that that dynamic has changed."
The political dynamic does appear to have shifted following the November election. Despite making little progress on immigration in his first term, Obama won more than 70 percent of the Latino vote, in part because of the conservative positions on immigration that Republican nominee Mitt Romney staked out during the GOP primary. Latino voters accounted for 10 percent of the electorate in November.
The president met privately Friday morning with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus to discuss his next steps on immigration. Among those in the meeting was Rep. Linda Sanchez, D-Calif., who said Obama told lawmakers "immigration reform is his number one legislative priority."
That could bump back the president's efforts to seek legislation enacting stricter gun laws, another issue he has vowed to make a top second term priority.
The Senate immigration group is also pressing for quick action, aiming to draft a bill by March and pass legislation in their chamber by August, said the aide, who requested anonymity in order to discuss private deliberations. The Republican-controlled House would also need to pass the legislation before it went to the White House for the president's signature.
Senate lawmakers working on the immigration effort include Democrats Charles Schumer of New York, Dick Durbin of Illinois and Robert Menendez of New Jersey; and Republicans John McCain of Arizona, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Marco Rubio of Florida, according to Senate aides.
Democrat Michael Bennet of Colorado, and Republicans Jeff Flake of Arizona and Mike Lee of Utah have also been involved. It's not clear whether all those involved will sign on to the principles the group hopes to roll out next week.
Those principles are expected to include a process toward legalizing the status of unauthorized immigrants already in the country; border security; verification measures for employers hiring workers and ways for more temporary workers to be admitted into the country.
It's unclear whether the group will back the pathway to full citizenship that the president is seeking. Schumer and Graham have previously supported requiring illegal immigrants to admit they broke the law, perform community service, pay fines and back taxes, pass background checks and learn English before going to the back of the line of immigrants already in the system in order to legalize their immigration status.
Several of the senators negotiating the immigration principles are veterans of the failed comprehensive immigration reform effort under then-President George W. Bush. That process collapsed in 2007 when it came up well-short of the needed votes in the Senate, a bitter outcome for Bush and the late Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, the Democrats' leader on the legislation.
Some Republicans still lament that result as a missed opportunity for the party that could have set the GOP on a different path to reach more Latino voters.
Rubio is a relative newcomer to Senate negotiations on the issue, but he's seen as a rising star in his party and a potential 2016 presidential candidate. As a charismatic young Hispanic leader his proposals on immigration have attracted wide notice in recent weeks. And as a conservative favorite, unlike McCain or Graham, his stamp of approval could be critical to drawing in other conservative lawmakers.
A Republican aide said that Rubio has made clear in his interactions with the Senate group that he couldn't sign on to proposals that deviated from the principles he himself has been laying out in recent media interviews, including border security first, a guest-worker program, more visas for high-tech workers and enforcement in the workplace.
As for the illegal immigrants already in the country, Rubio would have them pay a fine and back taxes, show they have not committed crimes, prove they've been in the country for some time and speak some English and apply for permanent residency. Ultimately citizenship too could be in reach but only after a process that doesn't nudge aside immigrants already in line, and Rubio hasn't provided details on how long it all might take.
___
Associated Press writer Luis Alonso Lugo contributed to this report.
Recently, Halloo unveiled a new feature called ?social phone systems?. While Halloo already has plenty of great cloud-based telephony services, the addition of social phone systems is about to change the game quite a bit.
The basic principle behind Halloo?s new social phone systems is that, when calls come into the phone system, it essentially adds a face to incoming calls. That?s a good start, but by doing this, it allows businesses to see phone calls as larger conversations. Social phone systems can not only put that face and name to conversations, but also track the overall course of conversations with various customers. And, with the ability to easily put customer activity into one central organization field, it makes the overall activity of the organization move more efficiently.
It?s somewhat similar to adding a layer of Facebook to a phone system. Many have already seen the value in using screen pops to provide that little extra shot of information during a phone call, and Halloo already offers that. But, with social phone systems, it steps up the value even further by putting the face to the names and the information. It takes the sound value principle that is represented by screen pops and makes it even better. More information, presented in a manageable fashion that?s easy to work with, gives businesses extra room to work with.
It?s that combination of better effectiveness in the field, better presentation of more information, and the ability to better connect with customers that makes social phone systems an overall powerhouse in terms of helping small businesses operate, especially those that deal regularly with large numbers of individual customers or business customers. It will help keep the various names straight and have the added effect of making the contacts that are made better quality contacts overall. Nothing makes a business?or a customer?more amenable toward working with you than getting their name and circumstances right every time.
But while Halloo?s offerings in terms of cloud-based telephony are sound without social phone systems, they?re even better with. Bringing in screen pops to add even more information, and call recording systems to protect the business against errors can make an already potent customer service apparatus even better overall.
Those interested can get in contact right away with Halloo and ask how to get social phone service set up with their own operations.
Related keywords: Facebook, cloud-based telephony, social media, marketing
Twitter's Vine officially launched on Thursday and things have already been fairly rough for the?new video-sharing service. First we noticed that it seems to lack any proper privacy settings or features and now it seems as if Facebook's preventing Vine from finding any friends.
As the Verge's Jeff Blagdon points out, some Twitter users are calling attention to an error message which appears when they attempt to find Facebook friends on Vine. "Vine is not authorized to make this Facebook request," the message explains.
We reached out to both Facebook and Twitter to find out more about this error message. A Twitter spokesperson responded with a polite message pointing us to a post on the official Facebook developers blog. (Yes, yes. This made us chuckle for a moment, too.)
In the blog post, Facebook's Justin Osofsky, director of platform partnerships and operations, clarifies some of the social network's platform policies.?He basically explains that most apps use Facebook's platform to give people an easy way to log into apps, easily share content and so on. But, he writes, there is a small number of apps which are "using Facebook to either replicate [its] functionality or bootstrap their growth in a way that creates little value for people on Facebook."
"[W]e?ve had policies against this that we are further clarifying today," he writes, linking to the social network's platform policies page, which explains why Vine's cut off:
Facebook Platform enables developers to build personalized, social experiences via the Graph API and related APIs. If you use any Facebook APIs to build personalized or social experiences, you must also enable people to easily share their experiences back with people on Facebook. [...]?You may not use Facebook Platform to promote, or to export user data to, a product or service that replicates a core Facebook product or service without our permission.
In other words: No, Vine. You can't make friends by leaning on Facebook.
Of course, this siliness?is just the latest skirmish in a long battle over "friends" between Facebook and Twitter.?Facebook blocked Twitter's access to the social network's in-app friend finder in mid-2010 and Twitter later killed Instagram's ability to find friends easily. (Instagram, as you may remember, is now owned by Facebook.
Guess it's Twitter's turn to do something again.
Want more tech news?or interesting?links? You'll get plenty of both if you keep up with Rosa Golijan, the writer of this post, by following her on?Twitter, subscribing to her?Facebook?posts,?or circling her?on?Google+.
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Public release date: 29-Jan-2013
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