After enjoying a seven-game slate of early 2012 NFL picks action, ?Save the best for last? would be the motto for today?s 4PM games! Week 4 will consist of five 4 PM games, each with a chance to win big bucks!
Jumping right into things, under normal circumstances, the biggest game in this block would be the one taking place at the Lambeau Field, as the (1-2) Packers host the (0-3) Saints. Nevertheless, the Saints have gotten off to such an ominous start, that people aren?t as interested in this game as they would under ?normal? circumstances.
I believe it is exactly the opposite: the fact that New Orleans is winless after three weeks gives this team all the motivation needed to make a push before the season is lost. In addition, when you take into account that things haven?t exactly gone ideally for Aaron Rodgers & Co., then you have the makings of a great game!
Green Bay enters this game listed as -7.5 favorites over New Orleans [+7.5]. I?m telling you right now, no matter who wins this game, it will not be by more than a field goal. You can expect fireworks in this one, no doubt, but this will be one of the best games of the young season.
Although I see Green Bay winning this 2012 NFL picks week 4 4PM game, I do not see them covering that ridiculous spread. Believe it or not, you?re going to take the New Orleans Saints with a 7.5-point cushion on the road against the Green Bay Packers and win!
Another game with serious winning potential happens in the desert, University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, AZ, to be exact, as the (1-2) Miami Dolphins visit the surprising (3-0) Arizona Cardinals. The home team is listed as -5.5 favorites in this one and the OVER/UNDER is set at a combined total of 40.5 points.
The Cards defense has gotten off to one of its best starts in franchise history. At the present time, Arizona?s ?D? ranks in the top 10 in three of the four major statistical categories: Points 13.3 (Rank: 2nd), Yards 316.0 (Rank: 10th) and Passing yards 210.0 (Rank: 9th). Click here to see a complete list of 2012 NFL?Odds for week 4!
The only area in which the Cardinals defense has struggled this season has been stopping the run, where they rank 19th in the league surrendering 106 rushing yards per game. Now, for the Fins, their best bet to win this game -- or lose by less than 6 points -- is to run the ball successfully down the Cardinals? throats. In order to do that, they need Reggie Bush to have a monster game.
Although Bush will likely play, how many touches and his efficiency are a huge question mark. Bush suffered a knee injury in last week?s loss to the Jets and did not return to the game. He has been tweeting all weekend that he will play today, but like I said, how much he will contribute remains a huge question mark.
Because of that alone, I find it hard to pick Miami even at +6, although I truly believe that Arizona is taking them lightly. Look for Arizona to win this game on special teams and with interceptions, but it may not be the blowout that everyone expects it will be! Sign up to receive NFL?expert picks from some of the best football predictions specialists in the country!
Here are my 2012 NFL Picks Week 4 4PM Games:
New Orleans Saints [+7.5] vs Green Bay Packers
Miami Dolphins vs Arizona Cardinals [-5.5]
Oakland Raiders vs Denver Broncos [-7]
Cincinnati Bengals [-1] vs Jacksonville Jaguars
Washington Redskins vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers [-2]
If you're looking for the inside edge, subscribe to our free sports picks newsletter and get the insight you need to make an informed decision from the top 2012 NFL picks week 4 4PM games & handicapping experts before every sports wager!
Submitted by Anthony Mason on Sun, 09/30/2012 - 9:00am.
Common RNA pathway found in ALS and dementiaPublic release date: 30-Sep-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Debra Kain ddkain@ucsd.edu 619-543-6163 University of California - San Diego
Two proteins previously found to contribute to ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, have divergent roles. But a new study, led by researchers at the Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, shows that a common pathway links them.
The discovery reveals a small set of target genes that could be used to measure the health of motor neurons, and provides a useful tool for development of new pharmaceuticals to treat the devastating disorder, which currently has no treatment or cure.
Funded in part by the National Institutes of Health and the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), the study will be published in the advance online edition of Nature Neuroscience on September 30.
ALS is an adult-onset neurodegenerative disorder characterized by premature degeneration of motor neurons, resulting in a progressive, fatal paralysis in patients.
The two proteins that contribute to the disease FUS/TLS and TDP-43 bind to ribonucleic acid (RNA), intermediate molecules that translate genetic information from DNA to proteins. In normal cells, both TDP-43 and FUS/TLS are found in the nucleus where they help maintain proper levels of RNA. In the majority of ALS patients, however, these proteins instead accumulate in the cell's cytoplasm the liquid that separates the nucleus from the outer membrane, and thus are excluded from the nucleus, which prevents them from performing their normal duties.
Since the proteins are in the wrong location in the cell, they are unable to perform their normal function, according to the study's lead authors, Kasey R. Hutt, Clotilde Lagier-Tourenne and Magdalini Polymenidou. "In diseased motor neurons where TDP-43 is cleared from the nucleus and forms cytoplasmic aggregates," the authors wrote, "we saw lower protein levels of three genes regulated by TDP-43 and FUS/TLS. We predicted that this, based on our mouse studies, and found the same results in neurons derived from human embryonic stem cells."
In 2011, this team of UC San Diego scientists discovered that more than one-third of the genes in the brains of mice are direct targets of TDP-43, affecting the functions of these genes. In the new study, they compared the impact of the FUS/TLS protein to that of TDP-43, hoping to find a large target overlap.
"Surprisingly, instead we saw a relatively small overlap, and the common RNA targets genes contained exceptionally long introns, or non-coding segments. The set is comprised of genes that are important for synapse function," said principal investigator Gene Yeo, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine and the Institute for Genomic Medicine at UC San Diego and a visiting professor at the Molecular Engineering Laboratory in Singapore. "Loss of this common overlapping set of genes is evidence of a common pathway that appears to contribute to motor neuron degeneration."
In an effort to understand the normal function of these two RNA binding proteins, the scientists knocked down the proteins in brains of mice to mimic nuclear clearance, using antisense oligonucleotide technology developed in collaboration with ISIS Pharmaceuticals. The study resulted in a list of genes that are up or down regulated, and the researchers duplicated the findings in human cells.
"If we can somehow rescue the genes from down regulation, or being decreased by these proteins, it could point to a drug target for ALS to slow or halt degeneration of the motor neurons," said Yeo.
These proteins also look to be a central component in other neurodegenerative conditions. For example, accumulating abnormal TDP-43 and FUS/TLS in neuronal cytoplasm has been documented in frontotemporal lobar dementia, a neurological disorder that has been shown to be genetically and clinically linked to ALS, and which is the second most frequent cause of dementia after Alzheimer's disease.
###
The team was led by Gene Yeo, PhD and Don W. Cleveland, PhD, professor and chair of the UCSD Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine and head of the Laboratory of Cell Biology at the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research. Additional contributors include Anthony Q. Vu, Michael Baughn, Stephanie C. Huelga, Kevin M. Clutario, Shuo-Chien Ling, Tiffany Y. Liang and John Ravits, UC San Diego; Curt Mazur, Edward Wancewicz, Aneeza S. Kim, Andy Watt, Sue Freier and Frank Bennett, Isis Pharmaceuticals, Carlsbad, CA; Geoffrey G. Hicks, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada; and John Paul Donohue and Lily Shiue, UC Santa Cruz.
This work was supported by grants from the US National Institutes of Health (R37NS27036 to Cleveland and K99NS075216 to Polymenidou). Polymenidou is the recipient of a long-term fellowship from the international Human Frontier Science Program Organization. Lagier-Tourenne is the recipient of a Career Development Award from the Muscular Dystrophy Association and the Milton-Safenowitz post-doctoral fellowship from the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Association. D.W.C. receives salary support from the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research. Huelga is funded by a US National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship. This work was also supported by grant number R01NS075449 from the US National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, and was partially supported by grants from the US National Institutes of Health (HG004659 and GM084317) and the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (RB1-01413 and RB3-05009) to Yeo. Yeo is a recipient of the Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellowship.
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Common RNA pathway found in ALS and dementiaPublic release date: 30-Sep-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Debra Kain ddkain@ucsd.edu 619-543-6163 University of California - San Diego
Two proteins previously found to contribute to ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, have divergent roles. But a new study, led by researchers at the Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, shows that a common pathway links them.
The discovery reveals a small set of target genes that could be used to measure the health of motor neurons, and provides a useful tool for development of new pharmaceuticals to treat the devastating disorder, which currently has no treatment or cure.
Funded in part by the National Institutes of Health and the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), the study will be published in the advance online edition of Nature Neuroscience on September 30.
ALS is an adult-onset neurodegenerative disorder characterized by premature degeneration of motor neurons, resulting in a progressive, fatal paralysis in patients.
The two proteins that contribute to the disease FUS/TLS and TDP-43 bind to ribonucleic acid (RNA), intermediate molecules that translate genetic information from DNA to proteins. In normal cells, both TDP-43 and FUS/TLS are found in the nucleus where they help maintain proper levels of RNA. In the majority of ALS patients, however, these proteins instead accumulate in the cell's cytoplasm the liquid that separates the nucleus from the outer membrane, and thus are excluded from the nucleus, which prevents them from performing their normal duties.
Since the proteins are in the wrong location in the cell, they are unable to perform their normal function, according to the study's lead authors, Kasey R. Hutt, Clotilde Lagier-Tourenne and Magdalini Polymenidou. "In diseased motor neurons where TDP-43 is cleared from the nucleus and forms cytoplasmic aggregates," the authors wrote, "we saw lower protein levels of three genes regulated by TDP-43 and FUS/TLS. We predicted that this, based on our mouse studies, and found the same results in neurons derived from human embryonic stem cells."
In 2011, this team of UC San Diego scientists discovered that more than one-third of the genes in the brains of mice are direct targets of TDP-43, affecting the functions of these genes. In the new study, they compared the impact of the FUS/TLS protein to that of TDP-43, hoping to find a large target overlap.
"Surprisingly, instead we saw a relatively small overlap, and the common RNA targets genes contained exceptionally long introns, or non-coding segments. The set is comprised of genes that are important for synapse function," said principal investigator Gene Yeo, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine and the Institute for Genomic Medicine at UC San Diego and a visiting professor at the Molecular Engineering Laboratory in Singapore. "Loss of this common overlapping set of genes is evidence of a common pathway that appears to contribute to motor neuron degeneration."
In an effort to understand the normal function of these two RNA binding proteins, the scientists knocked down the proteins in brains of mice to mimic nuclear clearance, using antisense oligonucleotide technology developed in collaboration with ISIS Pharmaceuticals. The study resulted in a list of genes that are up or down regulated, and the researchers duplicated the findings in human cells.
"If we can somehow rescue the genes from down regulation, or being decreased by these proteins, it could point to a drug target for ALS to slow or halt degeneration of the motor neurons," said Yeo.
These proteins also look to be a central component in other neurodegenerative conditions. For example, accumulating abnormal TDP-43 and FUS/TLS in neuronal cytoplasm has been documented in frontotemporal lobar dementia, a neurological disorder that has been shown to be genetically and clinically linked to ALS, and which is the second most frequent cause of dementia after Alzheimer's disease.
###
The team was led by Gene Yeo, PhD and Don W. Cleveland, PhD, professor and chair of the UCSD Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine and head of the Laboratory of Cell Biology at the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research. Additional contributors include Anthony Q. Vu, Michael Baughn, Stephanie C. Huelga, Kevin M. Clutario, Shuo-Chien Ling, Tiffany Y. Liang and John Ravits, UC San Diego; Curt Mazur, Edward Wancewicz, Aneeza S. Kim, Andy Watt, Sue Freier and Frank Bennett, Isis Pharmaceuticals, Carlsbad, CA; Geoffrey G. Hicks, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada; and John Paul Donohue and Lily Shiue, UC Santa Cruz.
This work was supported by grants from the US National Institutes of Health (R37NS27036 to Cleveland and K99NS075216 to Polymenidou). Polymenidou is the recipient of a long-term fellowship from the international Human Frontier Science Program Organization. Lagier-Tourenne is the recipient of a Career Development Award from the Muscular Dystrophy Association and the Milton-Safenowitz post-doctoral fellowship from the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Association. D.W.C. receives salary support from the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research. Huelga is funded by a US National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship. This work was also supported by grant number R01NS075449 from the US National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, and was partially supported by grants from the US National Institutes of Health (HG004659 and GM084317) and the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (RB1-01413 and RB3-05009) to Yeo. Yeo is a recipient of the Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellowship.
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
WEST POINT, N.Y. -- It was halftime Saturday afternoon?at Michie Stadium, and Stony Brook had quieted an Army crowd of 31,006 by taking a 13-point lead. The?Seawolves' first-ever win over an FBS school in five tries was so close they could taste it, but they were mindful of what happened two weeks earlier at Syracuse, when a three-point halftime lead dissolved into an 11-point loss.
This time the Seawolves (4-1) left no doubt. They took the second-half kickoff and held the ball for 16 plays and a season-high 8:23, driving 75 yards for Miguel Maysonet's second touchdown to send them on their way to a dominant 23-3 victory over the Black Knights (0-4).
Describing the mood in the halftime locker room, Stony Brook left tackle Scott Hernandez said: "It goes back to Week 3 against Syracuse. We came out as an offense and did not finish that game, and that left a bitter taste in our mouths. We told ourselves, 'We're not going to let that happen again. We're going to finish this game and play harder than we've ever played before.' And that's exactly what we did."
Maysonet capped that epic drive with a 1-yard scoring run to go with the 49-yard TD he scored on the Seawolves' fourth play of the game. For the second straight week, the senior rushed for a career high, carrying 32 times for 220 yards as SBU controlled the ball for 38:06.
"I'm excited for us to be able to say that we were the first team to in Stony Brook history," an exultant Maysonet said. "I love those 'firsts.' "
SBU's offense played defense by controlling the ball to keep an Army running attack that led the nation in rushing with 399.0 yards per game off the field. The Seawolves' opening 74-yard drive lasted only four plays as Maysonet broke over the left side to score from 49 yards for a 7-0 lead, but the drives that resulted in three Wes Skiffington field goals of 27, 44 and 25 yards took 11 plays, 12 plays and 10 plays.
Coach Chuck Priore made a?subtle?halftime adjustment, adding two running plays involving tight end Chris Fenellon in the blocking scheme, and they fueled the opening drive of the second half.
"That drive reflected those adjustments," Priore said. "It was two things we didn't work on all week . . . We put a drive together that showed we had arrived."
Army's triple-option running game was deceptive, but Stony Brook held the Knights to 273 yards, 126 below their average, forcing and recovering four fumbles and producing a goal-line stand. Army had a pair of 100-yard rushers in each of its first three games but was topped by 89 yards from quarterback Trent Steelman and 81 from Raymond Maples.
Rover back Dan Mulrooney recovered one fumble and stopped Steelman for no gain on fourth-and-1 at the Stony Brook 4-yard line in the first quarter to protect the 7-0 lead.
"Playing an option team, you know the ball is going to be on the ground," Mulrooney said. "We were 4-for-4 on fumble recoveries. When you have that stat, it's hard to lose."
Indeed, this was the complete game the Seawolves and Priore believed they could play, especially after the way they came back to win the previous week against Colgate.
"I told them before the game, I think this team rode last year's team up until the second half of last week," Priore said. "I told them, 'If you really want it to be your team, you have to do something today.' "
By Agence France-Presse Saturday, September 29, 2012 17:57 EDT
?
A Chinese rocket on Saturday successfully launched a Venezuelan earth-observation satellite into orbit, state media said.
The satellite, dubbed ?Generalissimo Francisco de Miranda? after the major Venezuelan independence figure, was launched from the northwest Jiuquan base in the Gobi desert using a ?Long March? class rocket, said Xinhua.
The launch comes four years after the first-ever Venezuelan satellite, named ?Simon Bolivar? , which was built with Chinese help, was also put into orbit using a Chinese rocket.
Last year, Venezuela announced the new $140 million satellite would be used to monitor troop movements on the country?s borders and illegal mining, as well as study climate change and the environment.
The two countries have forged close economic ties in recent years as leftist Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has sought to reduce dependence on Washington, with top officials overseeing agreements worth billions of dollars in the oil, energy, construction, and technology sectors.
They signed an agreement last week to develop together Las Cristinas in southern Venezuela, one of the world?s biggest gold mines, with plans to exploit both the yellow metal and cooper there.
Beijing has extended some $30 billion in credit to Caracas, and Venezuela in turn sells some 640,000 barrels of oil a day to China.
In many ways, graphene is one of technology's sickest jokes. The tantalizing promise of cheap to produce, efficient to run materials, that could turn the next page in gadget history has always remained frustratingly out of reach. Now, a new process for creating semiconductors grown on graphene could see the super material commercialized in the next five years. Developed at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, the patented process "bombs" graphene with gallium, which forms droplets, and naturally arranges itself to match graphene's famous hexagonal pattern. Then, arsenic is added to the mix, which enters the droplets and crystallizes at the bottom, creating a stalk. After a few minutes of this process the droplets are raised by the desired height. The new process also does away with the need for a (relatively) thick substrate to grow the nanowire on, making it cheaper, more flexible and transparent. The inventors state that this could be used in flexible and efficient solar cells and light emitting diodes. We say forward the revolution.
What CEOs from Steve Jobs to Tim Cook to Mark Zuckerberg and Reed Hastings reveal in apologies for corporate miscues.
See full story.
Market rally lands U.S. stock funds in the money
Every major U.S. stock mutual-fund category logged strong third-quarter gains, with some rising double digits.Yet the obstacles Wall Street hurdled still block investors? path, writes Rachel Koning-Beals.
See full story.
Market rally lands U.S. stock funds in the money
Every major U.S. stock mutual-fund category logged strong third-quarter gains, with some rising double digits.Yet the obstacles Wall Street hurdled still block investors? path, writes Rachel Koning-Beals.
See full story.
2013 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500
In the 2013 Shelby GT500, Ford?s Special Vehicle Team has produced, under license with the legendary Carroll Shelby?s company, the most potent factory-built Mustang yet ? a rocket that will top out at 202 mph, says Ron Amadon.
See full story.
Ten brands that may disappear in 2013
MarketWatch partner 24/7 Wall St.?s provocative annual predictions of notable businesses and brands on their way to the graveyard range from American Airlines to Avon to the Oakland Raiders.
See full story.
MARKETWATCH COMMENTARY
The Republican candidate wants to talk tough but comes across as sounding reckless, writes media columnist Jon Friedman
See full story.
MARKETWATCH PERSONAL FINANCE
A guide to choosing the best carrier and a plan for Apple?s newest model, the iPhone 5.
See full story.
Music making apps for the iPad are ten-a-penny, but when it's the brainchild of a super-producer like Brian Eno, you have to take notice. Scape is the third of his collaborations with Peter Chilvers after Bloom and Trope, an app that lets you generate ambient music with Eno's own sounds on a colorful, conceptual interface. Unlike standard beats'n'loops setups, each sound is tied to a series of rules -- including the time of day -- that ensures the tunes you create never play the same way twice. It's available from iTunes for $5.99 / £3.99, and who knows, maybe in a few years time, Coldplay'll come calling for your professional expertise.
WebOS loyalists have been waiting a long, long time for HP's September launch of Open webOS, but the company has made good on its promise with not a moment to spare. Open webOS 1.0 is now available with core browser and e-mail apps, the Enyo 2.0 framework and enough hooks to allow porting to a platform of choice. To prove this last point, HP has gone so far as to port the software to a TouchSmart all-in-one -- a device just a tad larger than a Veer 4G. Lest anyone be hasty and get visions of developing a custom build for the TouchPad, though, they'd do well to remember both HP's disclaimer ruling out legacy support as well as word of the holes that exist in the current Open webOS release. The company needs time to offer open-sourced media support, a Bluetooth stack, advanced network management, faster rendering and newer versions of both Qt and WebKit. The curious can nonetheless try the OS in an emulator today, and intrepid developers can start building their own projects with the code and tools found at the source link.
It seems that sponsoring the Olympics wasn't enough for Samsung. The South Korean company has reportedly signed a deal for their smartphones and tablets to appear on the X Factor UK starting this Saturday, Sept. 29.
The new partnership will also see online advertising on the X Factor website in the form of Samsung banners and in addition there will be a dedicated Android application for the Samsung Galaxy Note II.
Samsung Electronics UK and Ireland head of brand and communications Avikar Jolly said: “We’re excited to be working with ITV and FremantleMedia Enterprises on this partnership for The X Factor. We pride ourselves on our devices being innovative and industry-leading so the fact this is a ‘first’ fits perfectly with our own ethos and ambitions as a brand.”
ITV sales director Mark Trinder said: “We are delighted to be working with Samsung and this initiative is a key part of a wider and integrated multiplatform partnership. Editorial integrity remains at the heart of what we do, and we feel this is an excellent brand fit.”
the X Factor has a huge audience in the UK, so it'll be interesting to see how 'in your face' the product placement will be. Any crazy tie-in ideas? Shout out in the comments.
'Semi-dwarf' trees may enable a green revolution for some forest cropsPublic release date: 27-Sep-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Steve Strauss steve.strauss@oregonstate.edu 541-737-6578 Oregon State University
CORVALLIS, Ore. The same "green revolution" concepts that have revolutionized crop agriculture and helped to feed billions of people around the world may now offer similar potential in forestry, scientists say, with benefits for wood, biomass production, drought stress and even greenhouse gas mitigation.
Researchers at Oregon State University recently outlined the latest findings on reduced height growth in trees through genetic modification, and concluded that several advantageous growth traits could be achieved for short-rotation forestry, bioenergy, or more efficient water use in a drier, future climate.
This approach runs contrary to conventional wisdom and centuries of tree breeding, which tried to produce forest trees that grow larger and taller, the researchers note. But just as the green revolution in agriculture helped crops such as wheat and rice produce more food on smaller, sturdier plants, the opportunities in forestry could be significant.
"Research now makes it clear that genetic modification of height growth is achievable," said Steven Strauss, an OSU professor of forest genetics. "We understand the genes and hormones that control growth not only in crop plants, but also in trees. They are largely the same."
In a study published in Plant Physiology, researchers inserted a number of genes into poplar trees, a species often used for genetic experiments, and valuable for wood, environmental and energy purposes. They described 29 genetic traits that were affected, including growth rate, biomass production, branching, water-use efficiency, and root structure. All of the changes were from modified gibberellins, plant hormones that influence several aspects of growth and development.
The range and variation in genetic modification can be accurately observed and selected for, based on hormone and gene expression levels, to allow production of trees of almost any height.
For example, for ornamental purposes it would be possible to grow a miniature poplar, or even a Douglas-fir, as a potted plant.
And because height growth, in competition for sunlight, is a primary mechanism that trees use to compete for survival, there would be reduced concern about use of such genetically modified trees in a natural environment. On a long-term basis they would be unable to compete, shaded by larger trees and ultimately they would die out.
Scientists could also produce trees that might have a larger root mass, which should make them more drought-resistant, increase water use efficiency, increase elimination of soil toxins and better sequester carbon. This could be useful for greenhouse gas mitigation, bioremediation or erosion control.
Smaller trees could also be selected that have sturdier trunks for some uses in short-rotation plantation forestry, significantly reducing the number of trees blown down by wind. And shorter, thicker and straighter trunks might create higher-value wood products in many tree species, Strauss said.
Some semi-dwarf trees produced by conventional tree breeding techniques are already an important part of the horticulture industry, allowing easier harvesting of fruit and higher yields. Genetic modification could add new characteristics and more scientific precision to the process, researchers said.
"The main limitation is the onerous regulatory structure for genetically-modified plants in the United States," Strauss said. "Even short, safe and beneficial trees are unlikely to be able to bear the high costs and red tape inherent to obtaining regulatory approval."
###
This research has been supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Science Foundation, and industry members of the Tree Biosafety and Genomics Research Cooperative at OSU.
Editor's Note: A digital images of transgenic trees is available to illustrate this story: http://bit.ly/Ph3IyK
The study this story is based on is available online: http://bit.ly/RVsIAH
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
'Semi-dwarf' trees may enable a green revolution for some forest cropsPublic release date: 27-Sep-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Steve Strauss steve.strauss@oregonstate.edu 541-737-6578 Oregon State University
CORVALLIS, Ore. The same "green revolution" concepts that have revolutionized crop agriculture and helped to feed billions of people around the world may now offer similar potential in forestry, scientists say, with benefits for wood, biomass production, drought stress and even greenhouse gas mitigation.
Researchers at Oregon State University recently outlined the latest findings on reduced height growth in trees through genetic modification, and concluded that several advantageous growth traits could be achieved for short-rotation forestry, bioenergy, or more efficient water use in a drier, future climate.
This approach runs contrary to conventional wisdom and centuries of tree breeding, which tried to produce forest trees that grow larger and taller, the researchers note. But just as the green revolution in agriculture helped crops such as wheat and rice produce more food on smaller, sturdier plants, the opportunities in forestry could be significant.
"Research now makes it clear that genetic modification of height growth is achievable," said Steven Strauss, an OSU professor of forest genetics. "We understand the genes and hormones that control growth not only in crop plants, but also in trees. They are largely the same."
In a study published in Plant Physiology, researchers inserted a number of genes into poplar trees, a species often used for genetic experiments, and valuable for wood, environmental and energy purposes. They described 29 genetic traits that were affected, including growth rate, biomass production, branching, water-use efficiency, and root structure. All of the changes were from modified gibberellins, plant hormones that influence several aspects of growth and development.
The range and variation in genetic modification can be accurately observed and selected for, based on hormone and gene expression levels, to allow production of trees of almost any height.
For example, for ornamental purposes it would be possible to grow a miniature poplar, or even a Douglas-fir, as a potted plant.
And because height growth, in competition for sunlight, is a primary mechanism that trees use to compete for survival, there would be reduced concern about use of such genetically modified trees in a natural environment. On a long-term basis they would be unable to compete, shaded by larger trees and ultimately they would die out.
Scientists could also produce trees that might have a larger root mass, which should make them more drought-resistant, increase water use efficiency, increase elimination of soil toxins and better sequester carbon. This could be useful for greenhouse gas mitigation, bioremediation or erosion control.
Smaller trees could also be selected that have sturdier trunks for some uses in short-rotation plantation forestry, significantly reducing the number of trees blown down by wind. And shorter, thicker and straighter trunks might create higher-value wood products in many tree species, Strauss said.
Some semi-dwarf trees produced by conventional tree breeding techniques are already an important part of the horticulture industry, allowing easier harvesting of fruit and higher yields. Genetic modification could add new characteristics and more scientific precision to the process, researchers said.
"The main limitation is the onerous regulatory structure for genetically-modified plants in the United States," Strauss said. "Even short, safe and beneficial trees are unlikely to be able to bear the high costs and red tape inherent to obtaining regulatory approval."
###
This research has been supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Science Foundation, and industry members of the Tree Biosafety and Genomics Research Cooperative at OSU.
Editor's Note: A digital images of transgenic trees is available to illustrate this story: http://bit.ly/Ph3IyK
The study this story is based on is available online: http://bit.ly/RVsIAH
[ | E-mail | Share ]
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Use and distribution of this article is subject to our Publisher Guidelines
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Description: Children?s Writing and Scottish Theatre (2.58 KB) ? 3 minutes 34 seconds 4. Writing Good Ome?More Description: Children?s Writing and Scottish Theatre (2.58 KB) ? 3 minutes 34 seconds 4. Writing Good Omens with Terry Pratchett (3.94 KB) ? 5 minutes 32 seconds 5. Advice for aspiring writers (0.80 KB) ? 1 minute 7 seconds Read about Neil?s trip to Singapore ? Video Rating: 4 / 5
Arts and culture website The Space will be screening Alfred Hitchcock's newly restored silent comedy, Champagne ? thanks to the BFI. Bring your bubbly to the computer on Thursday, September 27 at 3:30?p.m. ET for a look at Hitch's eighth film about a spoiled heiress named Betty (Betty Balfour) living off daddy's trust fund. Pops is in the champagne business and isn't a fan of Betty's gold-digging boyfriend so he devises a plan to get rid of him. Hitch wasn't in the business of killing off his characters in 1928, so the shady Romeo lives to tell about it.
In an interview with Fran?ois Truffaut, the director expressed his unhappiness with the story, stating that "the film had no story to tell." Initial reviews of the film were mixed to negative, but Hitch's visuals dazzled audiences as expected. A newly commissioned score performed live by award-winning artist Mira Calix will accompany the restoration. She is known for her electronic music compositions, and classical orchestration contributions to art installations, film soundtracks, theater and opera.?
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See a still from the restoration, below. Then, head to BFI's website to find out the full details about the process. If a glass of champagne doesn't get you in the mood for more Hitch, visit The Space where you can watch several documentaries about the director. [via Movieline]
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) ? Japan and China are taking small steps to dampen a bitter dispute over a group of small islands in the East China Sea following an intense but seemingly controlled confrontation over the islands' sovereignty that introduced wildcard Taiwan in the fray.
Foreign ministers from Tokyo and Beijing met late Tuesday on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York to discuss the issue, two weeks after the Japanese government's purchase of some of the islands from private owners sparked bitter anti-Japanese protests in China and raised tensions between the two Asian giants to their highest level in years.
Vice foreign ministers from the two countries met the same day in Beijing.
Despite the promise of the meetings, it is still too early to conclude that the crisis has passed. China is almost certain to send its own vessels to challenge Japanese control of the islands, raising the possibility of armed conflict arising from mistake or miscalculation.
Tuesday's Japan-China meetings came just hours after Japanese and Taiwanese coast guard cutters exchanged water cannon blasts just off the islands, known as the Senkakus in Japan and the Diaoyu or Diaoyuitai in China and Taiwan. Taiwan also claims the islands, which sit astride rich fishing waters and potentially large reserves of natural gas.
Taiwan, which split from China amid civil war in 1949 but has been drawing ever closer to Beijing in the 4 ? years since Ma Ying-jeou became president, has become a wild card in the Japan-China dispute, staking out what it claims is an independent stance to assert its sovereignty over the islands.
But reflecting its claim that Taiwan is part of its territory, China has gone out of its way to suggest that Taipei's interest in the islands is identical with its own. Following Tuesday's confrontation between the two coast guards, China's state-controlled media offered clear validation of the Taiwanese actions, presenting detailed coverage of the presence of some 50 Taiwanese fishing boats and 12 coast guard vessels in the disputed island area.
During the confrontation, the two sides used water cannon for the first time, an apparent escalation in their previously low-key tactics. But the almost ritualistic nature of the exchange ? the sides separated after only a few minutes, and the Taiwanese flotilla returned to Taiwan ? suggested that Tokyo and Taipei were operating within carefully prescribed parameters and they had no interest in letting things get out of hand.
Neither Tokyo nor Beijing has released a full account of the New York meeting, though the mere fact it occurred raises hopes of a peaceful solution to the crisis between an ascendant China, flush with tens of billions of dollars of foreign exchange reserves and a rapidly expanding military, and a Japan that seems eager to prove that despite long years of economic drift it still remains a power to be reckoned with.
China's official Xinhua News Agency reported that Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi told Japanese counterpart Koichiro Gemba that the Japanese government's island purchase constituted "a serious challenge to the post-war international order."
"China will not tolerate the Japanese side taking any unilateral action on the Diaoyu Islands," the Xinhua report said. "China will continue to take firm measures to safeguard its territorial integrity and sovereignty."
Earlier, senior Japanese Foreign Ministry official Naoko Saiki repeated Japan's claims to the islands, and said that while compromise with Beijing would likely be difficult, the two sides should keep talking.
"We don't want to have any wars or battles or use of force," she told reporters. "We have to stabilize the situation through dialogue in a peaceful manner, in accordance with international law."
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Associated Press writer Louise Watt in Beijing contributed to this report.
The first time we took our son?trick or treating he was petrified. The neighborhood we lived in, went all out with their gory Halloween decor and I think he was scarred for life.? Since that experience we decided to start a tradition in our family, to host?a Halloween/Harvest Party?in our home for our friends.
In the past I have tried to get creative in my decorating and crafts, by coming up with some kid friendly Halloween fun ideas?and staying away from?bloody body parts and other scary things. These are some of the?kid friendly?Halloween party ideas I have?come up with and?the others are from BHG.? Check out all the great fun and cute printables!
Last year, I went with the purple, orange and black theme?and the year before it was a Pumpkin Patch theme lots of pumpkin and hay, shown below.? I am still not sure what this years will look like.
images via BHG
KID CRAFTS:
We had a large group so we did some prep work ahead of time to get our pumpkin spiders ready for our guest. Use a melon baller and?make a?hole?in the middle big enough for a tea candle. Glue?googly eyes to the pumpkin and ahead of time make 4 small?holes on the bottom to insert pipe cleaners for the legs.
FOOD:
Candy Corn printable labels link is below. Apple wedges sandwiched with caramel and marshmallows for teeth
Store bought Orange Punch and with a sharpie made pumpkin faces. You can also download this printable for the cute owl soda drinks.? See link below.
Worm Juice- Gummy worms on the edges of?the punch bowl. I taped eyes to the outside of the bowl.
lollipops covered in orange tissue paper and pumpkin faces drawn on. Lollipop spiders printables link is below.
Hotdogs wrapped in frozen biscuit dough or dinner roll, crescent rolls also works and then bake. I used food writing pens to make the eyes.
healthy snack- mandarin pumpkins
Pumpkin cupcakes using chocolate chips for the face and green fondant for the stem.
ACTIVITIES
Photo Booth Dress up
Hang a picture frame from the ceiling and add lots of props for fun pictures
Decorate your pumpkin station- We had markers, feathers, tissue paper, pipe cleaners and paint out on the table for kids to do whatever they wished with their pumpkins
Caramel Apple Biting Contest- Hang apples from ceiling or tree and have kids try to bite the caramel apple without using their hands. It?s quite entertaining to watch!
If you go to BHG here they have a list of all the free printables I mentioned above plus more for you to choose from. All professional images shown above are from BHG.
BEIJING (Reuters) - China's ruling Communist Party took a big step towards sealing the fate of fallen politician Bo Xilai on Monday, when a court jailed his former police chief for 15 years over charges that indicated Bo tried to derail a murder inquiry.
The court in southwest China handed down the sentence against Wang Lijun after finding him guilty on four charges, including seeking to cover up the November 2011 murder of a British businessman, Neil Heywood, by Bo's wife, Gu Kailai.
The verdict ended the career of one of China's most controversial police officers and moved the party closer to deciding the fate of Bo, whose downfall has shaken a leadership handover due at a party congress as early as next month.
"Wang Lijun exposed clues of major law-breaking and crimes by others," said the court verdict, according to the Xinhua news agency. It did not say who those other people were.
"He rendered a major contribution, and according to the law he can receive a lighter sentence," said the court. Wang could have received life imprisonment, or even a death sentence.
The relatively mild sentence, following official confirmation that Wang gave incriminating leads and that Bo beat him after Wang confronted him over the murder allegations, gave credence to predictions that the party will also move to jail Bo, said Li Weidong, a political commentator in Beijing.
"I'd guess now that even within a week the party could announce that he has been handed over to legal authorities," said Li, a former magazine editor who has closely followed the scandal around Bo. "I think he'll certainly face trial."
Experts have offered divided views over whether the party will put Bo before a criminal court or spare him and the leadership that disgrace by simply meting out lighter disciplinary punishment within the party.
Some still see that latter course as more likely.
Before Chinese authorities can launch a criminal investigation, the party leadership must first hear the results of an internal investigation and decide whether to hand Bo over.
That could happen at a leadership conclave that must take place before the bigger party congress convenes.
"If there's not a decision on that (Bo case) soon, then it could be difficult to hold the party congress by mid-to-later October," said Li, the political commentator.
THE SLAP THAT CHANGED HISTORY
The Intermediate People's Court of Chengdu in southwest China said Wang, former police chief of southwestern Chongqing municipality, received the sentence for "bending the law for selfish ends, defection, abuse of power and bribe-taking", according to state-run Xinhua.
"Wang Lijun stated to the court that he will not appeal," it said. Wang's lawyer, Wang Yuncai, was not immediately available for comment.
The scandal that felled both men erupted after Gu murdered Heywood in Chongqing, where Bo was the flamboyant party chief.
As well as the conviction for sabotaging an investigation into the murder, Wang was found guilty of defecting to a U.S. consulate, taking bribes and conducting illegal surveillance.
Officials have said the murder arose from a business dispute in Chongqing, which Bo and Wang ran as their fiefdom.
After first helping Gu evade suspicion of poisoning Heywood, Wang then hushed up evidence of the murder, according to the official account of Wang's trial. In late January, Wang confronted Bo with the allegation that Gu was suspected of killing Heywood. But Wang was "angrily rebuked and had his ears boxed".
Days later, Bo stripped Wang of his post as Chongqing police chief. The court verdict said that several of Wang's subordinates were "illegally investigated".
Wang, fearing for his safety, fled to the U.S. consulate in Chengdu where he hid for more than 24 hours until Chinese officials coaxed him out.
In August, Gu was sentenced to a suspended death sentence, which effectively means life in prison.
Wang sealed his fate at a trial a week ago by admitting the charges, Xinhua said. Only official media outlets were allowed inside the courtroom.
"As for the crimes that the prosecution has alleged, I understand them, I admit them and I am repentant for them," Wang told the court in Chengdu, about 300 km (190 miles) from Chongqing, according to that earlier account.
In March, Bo was sacked as Chongqing party boss, and in April he was suspended from the party's Politburo, a powerful decision-making council with two dozen active members. So far, Bo has been accused only of breaching internal party discipline, and his defenders have accused foes of exploiting the charges against Gu to topple Bo.
"The prosecutors said Wang exposed leaders to major crimes by others," said Li Zhuang, a Beijing lawyer who opposed Wang and Bo for mounting a sweeping crackdown on foes in the name of fighting organized crime. Bo was the likely target of Wang's allegations, said Li.
"That was a slap around the ears that changed history," Li said of Bo's action against Wang. "Otherwise, Bo might still be in power and hoping to rise higher."
(Additional reporting by Sally Huang and Terril Yue Jones; Editing by Mark Bendeich and Nick Macfie)
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Public release date: 30-Sep-2012
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