Hear to see: New method for the treatment of visual field defects

ScienceDaily (May 30, 2012) ? Patients who are blind in one side of their visual field benefit from presentation of sounds on the affected side. After passively hearing sounds for an hour, their visual detection of light stimuli in the blind half of their visual field improved significantly. Neural pathways that simultaneously process information from different senses are responsible for this effect. ?We have embarked on a whole new therapy approach? says PD Dr. J?rg Lewald from the RUB?s Cognitive Psychology Unit.

Together with colleagues from the Neurological University Clinic at Bergmannsheil (Prof. Dr. Martin Tegenthoff) and Durham University (PD Dr. Markus Hausmann), he describes the results in PLoS ONE.

Passive listening rather than extensive visual training

To investigate the effectiveness of the auditory stimulation, the research team carried out a visual test before and after the acoustic stimulation. Patients were asked to determine the position of light flashes in the healthy and in the blind field of vision. While performance was stable in the intact half of their field of vision, the number of correct answers in the blind half increased after the auditory stimulation. This effect lasted for 1.5 hours. ?In other treatments, the patients undergo arduous and time-consuming visual training? explains Lewald. ?The therapeutic results are moderate and vary greatly from patient to patient. Our result suggests that passive hearing alone can improve vision temporarily.?

The origin of visual field defects

If strokes or injuries cause damage to the area of the brain that processes the information of the visual sense, this results in a visual field defect. The area most commonly affected is the primary visual cortex, the first processing point for visual input to the cerebral cortex. The more neurons die in this brain area, the bigger the visual deficit. Usually the entire half of the visual field is affected, a condition known as hemianopia. ?Hemianopia restricts patients immensely in their everyday life? says Lewald. ?When objects or people are missed on the blind side, this can quickly lead to accidents.?

How the brain integrates sensory information

?There is increasing evidence that processing of incoming sensory information is not strictly separated in the brain?, says Lewald. ?At various stages there are connections between the sensory systems.? In particular the nerve cells in the so-termed superior colliculus, part of the midbrain, process auditory and visual information simultaneously. This area is not usually affected by visual field defects, and thus continues to analyse visual stimuli. Therefore, remaining visual functions are retained in the blind half, which the patients, however, are not aware of. ?Since the same nerve cells also receive auditory information, we had the idea to use acoustic stimuli to increase their sensitivity to light stimuli? says Lewald.

New research issues

The team of researchers now aims to further refine their therapy approach in order to reveal sustained improvement in visual functioning. They will also investigate whether the stimulation of the sense of hearing also has an effect on more complex visual functions. Finally, they aim to explore the mechanisms that underlie the effect observed.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Ruhr-Universitaet-Bochum, via AlphaGalileo.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

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Journal Reference:

1. J?rg Lewald, Martin Tegenthoff, S?ren Peters, Markus Hausmann. Passive Auditory Stimulation Improves Vision in Hemianopia. PLoS ONE, 2012; 7 (5): e31603 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0031603

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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.

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Economic growth, or a slowdown in US productivity?

Economic growth, or a slow down in overall productivity? Analyst Karlsson argues that what many economists had announced as an uptick in employment growth late last year and early this year was actually a slowing of US productivity.

By Stefan Karlsson,?Guest blogger / May 31, 2012

President Barack Obama pauses in White House on his way to sign the reauthorization of the Export-Import Bank Act of 2012 on May 30, 2012. Karlsson argues that what many economists heralded as an uptick in economic growth last year was actually a slowing down of US productivity.

Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP

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It now appears that there wasn't much of a growth acceleration in the US after all. Terms of trade adjusted GDP rose a mere 1.2% at an annualized rate and national income was only slightly stronger during the first quarter.

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This means that the somewhat higher employment growth we saw during late last year and early this year didn't really reflect as most people thought, an acceleration of economic growth from the "so low it feels like a recession" level that the "Obama recovery" of the last three years has been characterized by. Instead it simply reflected a decline in productivity

The Christian Science Monitor has assembled a diverse group of the best economy-related bloggers out there. Our guest bloggers are not employed or directed by the Monitor and the views expressed are the bloggers' own, as is responsibility for the content of their blogs. To contact us about a blogger, click here. This post originally ran on stefanmikarlsson.blogspot.com.

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Infrared Residential Saunas Offer Hot List of Health Benefits ...

Rancho Santa Margarita, CA, May 29, 2012 ?(PR.com)? The hottest weight loss tool around, Sunlighten infrared saunas offer a safe, at-home detox experience. The residential saunas employ far infrared therapy that penetrates deeply into joints, muscles and tissues, providing a variety of health benefits, including weight loss, detoxification, help with blood sugar regulation, mood elevation, pain management, skin purification and stress management.

?Creating your own persona health spa at home, the Sunlighten far infrared saunas offer the highest quality of residential saunas,? said John Spencer Ellis, founder of John Spencer Ellis Enterprises, a personal development and fitness solutions company. ?Offering deep natural healing, these residential saunas are truly amazing, which is why I?m so happy to personally vouch for their many health benefits.?

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?Far infrared heat can penetrate deeply and provide that natural warmth and healing from within,? Ellis added. ?Residential saunas give you a great opportunity to take charge of your health in the privacy and comfort of your home.?

The #1 recommended sauna brand by doctors, the Sunlighten saunas are completely safe, and users can sit in them for hours without concerns about burns. The residential saunas also offer a variety of options and programs, depending on your overall goals.

About John Spencer Ellis Enterprises and Sunlighten Residential Infrared Saunas

John Spencer Ellis Enterprises is a solutions provider for fitness and coaching professionals around the world, providing education, turn-key business programs, coaching and resources for new and advanced fitness and coaching professionals. For more information about John Spencer Ellis Enterprises or for more information on Sunlighten Residential Infrared Saunas, please visit http://infrared-sauna-saunas.com/

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Chemical fingerprinting tracks the travels of little brown bats

ScienceDaily (May 29, 2012) ? They?re tiny creatures with glossy, chocolate-brown hair, out-sized ears and wings. They gobble mosquitoes and other insect pests during the summer and hibernate in caves and mines when the weather turns cold. They are little brown bats, and a deadly disease called white-nose syndrome is threatening their very existence.

A novel technique using stable hydrogen isotopes?a kind of chemical fingerprint found in tissues such as hair?has enabled researchers at Michigan Technological University to determine where hibernating bats originated. Knowing that could help predict and ultimately manage the spread of white-nose syndrome.

In the July issue of the journal Ecological Applications, Joseph Bump, an assistant professor at Michigan Tech?s School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science, and a former undergraduate student in his lab, Alexis Sullivan, report on their use of stable hydrogen isotopes to identify the likely origins of the little brown bats that hibernate in three mines of Michigan?s western Upper Peninsula.

Sullivan, who is first author on the paper, is now working on dual Master of Science degrees in Forest Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology at Michigan Tech and the Swedish University of Agricultural Science. She will receive degrees from both universities as part of the ATLANTIS Program, a transatlantic educational project jointly funded by the US Department of Education and the European Union.

Sullivan, Bump and colleagues Rolf Peterson and Laura Kruger studied the little brown bats that winter in the Quincy Mine in Hancock, Mich., the Caledonia Mine near Ontonagon, Mich., and the Norway Mine in Norway, Mich. They collected bat hair and tested it to identify the hydrogen fingerprint of the water where the bat grew the hair. Ecologists have developed maps of the distinctive hydrogen fingerprints of water from different locations, so the chemical fingerprints from the bat hair can be matched to the flying mammals? probable origins.

Up to now, stable hydrogen isotopes have been used mostly to track migratory birds.

?Relatively little is known about bat-to-bat interactions or how far bats travel between seasonal habitats,? Sullivan explains. Earlier attempts to use hydrogen isotopes with bats stalled because most hibernating bats don?t make dramatic seasonal migrations, and they have unclear molt patterns, making it difficult to connect their hair to a given habitat, she adds.

In their latest study, Sullivan, Bump and colleagues were able to estimate with 95 percent certainty the summer origins of the tens of thousands of bats that hibernate in the Quincy Mine, the 23,000 bats in the Norway Mine and the estimated quarter of a million bats that call the Caledonia Mine their winter home. Using the hydrogen ?fingerprints? from hair samples, they located the geographic areas from which the bats migrate?some as far as 565 kilometers (351 miles) from their hibernation mine.

?This novel application of stable hydrogen isotopes can help predict which hibernation sites are likely to exchange bats,? says Bump. Bat-to-bat contact is believed to be the way white-nose syndrome is spread, so understanding the bats? movements can help us know which hibernation sites are connected and how disease could potentially be transmitted among locations.?

Although white-nose syndrome has not been seen among bats in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan yet, it is decimating bat populations in the northeastern US.

And why should anyone care what happens to these reclusive winged creatures that weigh less than half an ounce and average 3.4 inches long?

?First, they are amazing mammals. Second, we should care about little brown bats because they eat millions of things for which we care much less, like mosquitos,? says Bump.

This research was funded by the National Park Service Great Lakes Network and the Ecosystems Science Center and the School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science at Michigan Tech.

A preprint of the paper is available at http://www.esajournals.org/doi/abs/10.1890/11-1438.1

Michigan Technological University (mtu.edu) is a leading public research university developing new technologies and preparing students to create the future for a prosperous and sustainable world. Michigan Tech offers more than 130 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in engineering; forest resources; computing; technology; business; economics; natural, physical and environmental sciences; arts; humanities; and social sciences.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Michigan Technological University, via Newswise. The original article was written by Jennifer Donovan.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

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Journal Reference:

1. Alexis R. Sullivan, Joseph Bump, Laura Kruger, Rolf O. Peterson. Batcave catchment areas: using stable isotopes (?D) to determine the probable origins of hibernating bats. Ecological Applications, 2012; : 120319110450009 DOI: 10.1890/11-1438.1

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.

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Advisers still shaky on social media policy

(Reuters) - As the securities industry finally warms up to using social media sites such as Facebook and LinkedIn, regulators are discovering that brokerages and investment advisers are off to a rocky start.

Some firms are making major missteps as they ramp up their presence on the sites, and many do not even have social networking policies. Or if they do, many have inadequate guidelines.

And while many brokerages and investment advisers were once reluctant to use social media for their work, a growing number find they cannot ignore the marketing opportunity. They are increasingly using social media sites to increase their presence among customers and to recruit new business from investors.

A recent survey by the Massachusetts Securities Division found that 44 percent of the state's investment advisers use at least one social media site. More are expected to use social media within the next year.

Social networking sites, however, have caused a great deal of angst for compliance departments at firms. Many compliance professionals have worried that using social media would expose their firms to scrutiny from regulators for, among other things, not saving copies of the messages sent through the sites.

But findings from industry regulators suggest that some firms are not taking that scrutiny as seriously as they once did, and brokerages that still prohibit social media use can be sloppy about making their policies known.

For example, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, the retail brokerage industry's self-funded regulator, asked questions about social media in more than 1,000 brokerage examinations since mid-2010. Not having a social media policy in place - even one prohibiting the use of social media - was the most common violation of industry regulations, according to Amy Sochard, director of advertising regulation at FINRA.

But simply adopting a policy does not guarantee a smooth examination, a periodic regulatory review for brokerages. Failing to enforce existing social media policies, whether through record keeping or the storage of electronic communications, was the second most common violation, Sochard said at a recent FINRA conference.

Similar problems are cropping up at registered investment advisers, which are regulated by the SEC and by state regulators.

HOW ONE FIRM FELL SHORT

A recent follow-up letter to a registered investment adviser examined by a state regulator gives clues about the scrutiny firms can expect as they ramp up social media communications.

In the letter, obtained by Reuters, the regulator said the investment adviser did not create and outline proper procedures for social media use and did not adequately train employees. Simple guidelines, however, such as what types of posts were allowed or not, did not exist.

The source who provided the letter to Reuters asked that neither the firm nor the state involved be identified.

The firm, whose employees often used LinkedIn and Facebook, also fell short by not checking up on their activities there, even though it hired an outside company to save messages employees sent through the sites. The regulator suggested mapping out a periodic review of those details.

Investment firms "are shooting themselves in the foot," said Scott Peterson, co-founder of Relay Station Social Media LLC, a Washington-based consultancy. "Social media is its own kind of animal" and requires a policy of its own, he said.

Regulators typically send so-called "exam deficiency" letters after examinations of both brokerages and investment advisers to outline compliance problems that a firm needs to correct.

Another issue for compliance professionals is crafting a clear policy to require prior approval of employees' posts to the site, or spelling out procedures for ensuring that employees are acting in the best interests of their clients, in the event employees post investment recommendations.

WHAT DOES 'LIKE' MEAN?

An ongoing struggle for advisers is uncertainty over whether investors who click the "like" button on an adviser's Facebook pages are effectively giving testimonials, or a positive endorsement about the adviser. Similar questions also apply to recommendations clients may write for an adviser on professional networking sites, such as LinkedIn.

Use of client testimonials about an adviser's investment skills is a heavily regulated area.

The practice is severely restricted for brokerages and not even permitted for registered investment advisers. Still, there is little clarity from regulators about whether they may construe a "like" as a "testimonial." The SEC, in guidance from examination results it published in February, mentioned the concern, but left the question open.

Firms that are already concerned about clients "liking" their advisers on Facebook may be even more jittery after seeing how that detail was addressed during the state examination.

The state regulator asked the adviser to provide an explanation about why it does not consider a "like" on Facebook to be considered a testimonial.

If the adviser cannot provide that explanation, it will have to disable the "like" button, according to the letter.

One state that is among the few that are more specific is Massachusetts. Guidance released by Massachusetts securities regulators in January concluded that clicking the "like" button on Facebook, without further client commentary, is not considered a testimonial.

But uncertainty over "liking" and more social media issues in other jurisdictions will eventually lead to additional input from regulators, said Paul Cox, chief executive of Business Compliance Partners, a San Diego-based compliance consulting firm.

"At the current volume of social media deficiencies discovered during examinations, creating new rules and issuing new guidance will be warranted and required in the future," Cox said.

(Reporting By Jason Wallace of Thomson Reuters Accelus and Suzanne Barlyn; Editing by Walden Siew and Leslie Adler)

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5 Inquiries to Request an Devices Financing Firm When Fighting for ...

May 28, 2012 by Mason

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Character Relations (For the new start)

[REOPENED]Olympus Academy, a safe haven for a number of demi-gods, works to instruct young demigods in all major subjects, and helping them learn to control their gifts, and become great warriors, worthy of the godly blood that runs through their veins.

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Insight: European firms plan for Greek unrest and euro exit

LONDON (Reuters) - British electrical retailer Dixons has spent the last few weeks stockpiling security shutters to protect its nearly 100 stores across Greece in case of riot.

The planning, says Dixons chief Sebastian James, may look alarmist but it's good to be prepared.

Company bosses around Europe agree. As the financial crisis in Greece worsens, companies are getting ready for everything from social unrest to a complete meltdown of the financial system.

Those preparations include sweeping cash out of Greece every night, cutting debts, weeding out badly paying customers and readying for a switch to a new Greek drachma if the country is forced to abandon the euro.

"Most companies are getting ready and preparing for a Greek exit and have looked at cash, treasury and currency issues," said Roger Bayly, a partner at advisory and accountancy firm KPMG.

Europe's No 2 electrical retailer Dixons owns Greece's market leading but loss-making Kotsovolos chain, which has a 25-percent market share selling iPads and laptops as well as washing machines, televisions and air conditioning units.

Chief Executive James says the company has contingency plans to shutter up its 69 wholly owned and 29 franchised Greek stores and close them in the short term to protect against any threat of civil unrest and prepare for a switch to a new drachma.

Greece accounts for just over 3 percent of Dixon's annual sales of around 8.2 billion pounds. The company competes with Europe's No 1 electrical chain Metro and with a number of local players which James says may struggled to survive in a crisis.

"We know it would put paid to quite a lot of our competitors and give us an opportunity to get more of a market share. So we are ready and we would be very interested to see how it would turn out," said James.

LOOTERS' BOOTY

Dixons, using its experience of dealing with riots in London and other British cities last summer - big flat-screen televisions were the looters' booty of choice - has ordered enough shutters to protect its stores and is working with the Greek police and security groups.

The group's sales dipped 9 percent in Italy, Greece and Turkey in the year to late April. The group does not split out Greek sales, but these three nations make up around 7 percent of the group's annual sales.

Diageo, the world's biggest spirits group and the name behind Johnnie Walker whisky and Smirnoff vodka, has reacted by slashing its marketing spend in Greece, reducing stock levels and pulling cash quickly out of the country after it saw its Greek sales halve in the last three years to less than 100 million pounds.

Diageo has weekly meetings aimed at cutting its exposure to Greece, protecting remaining sales by bolstering its own in-house distribution network, halting supplies to some small bars and focusing on high-end hotels and clubs.

Diageo's Chief Marketing Officer Andy Fennell says its Greek sales are still falling. The once big Johnnie Walker market has already shrunk and now accounts for less than one percent of the group's 10 billion pound annual turnover.

"There could be a marked impact on Greece but the big question is what happens elsewhere across the eurozone," Fennell said with an eye on Diageo's bigger troubled markets inside the eurozone such as Spain and Ireland.

The London-based Association of Corporate Treasurers says businesses should take precautions such as demanding cash on delivery and writing sales contracts in another currency such as pounds or dollars.

"Businesses need to build in protection by checking payment terms, sweeping cash out of subsidiaries and into other currencies and check on the vulnerability of suppliers," said Martin O'Donovan, ACT's deputy policy and technical director.

KPMG's Bayly advises his clients to check the six Cs when preparing for a possible Greek euro exit: cash, contracts, continuity, counterparties, control and commercial. He believes that automotive companies, tour operators and pharmaceutical groups would see the biggest immediate disruption from an early euro exit by Greece.

He argues most companies are well prepared on cash issues and contracts with suppliers, but less so on how they would cope with business continuity in the immediate aftermath of a euro exit.

GUARD AGAINST FAILURE

Bayly also warns companies to guard against the failure of key suppliers or counterparties, to tighten up on controls to avoid errors and fraud, and also to be clear on how they would be affected commercially by possible future changes in patterns of government and consumer spending.

The world's biggest luxury car group BMW says it is already prepared for the worst after seeing a quarter of Greek BMW dealerships go out of business since 2008 and its national annual deliveries slashed by more than two thirds from a peak of around 7,000.

"We're very good at scenarios. Clearly we've thought through what it would mean to us," said BMW board member and global sales chief Ian Robertson. "We're absolutely sure that the euro has a long future ahead of it. That doesn't necessarily mean that it remains in its current structure."

Holiday firm TUI AG took early action last November when it asked Greek hoteliers to sign new contracts to pay them in drachmas if a new currency were introduced using an exchange range which would be set by the Athens government.

It also has contingency plans to move customers to other destinations if civil unrest does break out, similar to measures it put into place last year following turmoil in North Africa during the Arab Spring revolutions.

Major drugmakers such as Britain's GlaxoSmithKline and Switzerland's Roche are working with European authorities on emergency plans to keep vital medicines flowing into Greece if it exits the euro.

They know that turning off the supply tap is not an option as this can lead to protests and damage to their reputations as many see them under a moral obligation to continue to supply medicines.

Mobile phone giant Vodafone says it has plans to cope if the Greek banking system is frozen and civil unrest breaks out. It says the experience of recent unrest in Egypt showed it how it had to protect its buildings and make pre-paid top-up phones a priority.

"We need to be sure that we have the billing capability, the right people in the right places, the fuel and the money. The switching of the currency is an IT thing, we switched from the old currency to the euro," said Chief Executive Vittorio Colao.

British banknote printer De La Rue is drawing up plans to print new drachma notes in the event of a Greek euro exit, according to an industry source with knowledge of the matter. The world's biggest security firm G4S expects to be involved in distributing notes around the country.

De La Rue, which as the world's biggest commercial banknote printer produces more than 150 currencies, has made no comment. Analysts say Greece could have to turn to outside printers because of the sheer quantity of banknotes needed.

"Our fastest growing business last year in European cash services was Greece and clearly our biggest contingency issue would arise if the country were to leave the euro and go back to the drachma because basically we would be involved in the whole roll out of the currency," G4S Chief Executive Nick Buckles said.

(Reporting by Drazen Jorgic, Laurence Frost, Victoria Bryan, Ben Hirschler, Kate Holton and Neil Maidment; Editing by Giles Elgood and Janet McBride)

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Discovery promises unique medicine for treatment of chronic and diabetic wounds

ScienceDaily (May 28, 2012) ? A unique new medicine that can start and accelerate healing of diabetic and other chronic wounds is being developed at Ume? University in Sweden. After several years of successful experimental research, it is now ready for clinical testing.

Behind this new medicine is a group of researchers at the Department of Medical Chemistry and Biophysics who have made the unique finding that the protein plasminogen is a key-regulator that initiates and accelerates wound healing by triggering the inflammatory reaction. Their discovery is now being published in the journal Blood.

?Today we have the knowledge needed to develop a medicine,? says Professor Tor Ny, one of the authors of the article. ?The bulk of the preclinical research has been completed, and we have had meetings with the Medical Product Agency to discuss a program for clinical testing.?

Plasminogen is a well-known plasma protein that is produced in the liver and found in all bodily fluids. The Ume? researchers have now re-assessed its role and managed to show that the concentration of plasminogen increases dramatically in and around wounds, which is an important signal to start the inflammatory reaction required for healing. In diabetic wounds the level of plasminogen does not increase in the same way, and this seems to be the reason why these wounds do not heal. In diabetic mice and rats the researchers were able to show that the healing process starts immediately when plasminogen is injected around the wound, which then heals fully.

A cell line for producing plasminogen on a larger scale has also been developed, and the goal is to start clinical testing as soon as funding can be arranged. The researchers have high hopes, as plasminogen is an endogenous protein that can be assumed not to produce side effects.

The need for a biologics for treating chronic wounds is urgent. Diabetic wounds that do not heal are the most severe type of chronic wounds, affecting millions of people annually. Many of the roughly 350 million diabetes patients in the world develop foot ulcers, and in 10-15 million cases this ultimately leads to amputation. Today?s treatment of diabetic wounds consists primarily of traditional wound care, with compresses and bandages; there is no effective medication.

The Ume? researchers are initially concentrating on diabetic wounds, but plasminogen also has great potential for working on other types of wounds. This includes tympanic membrane perforations and periodontitis. Being a pro-inflammatory activator, plasminogen has moreover been shown to be effective in combating antibiotic-resistant bacteria (MRSA).

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Ume? universitet, via AlphaGalileo.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

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Journal Reference:

1. Y. Shen, Y. Guo, P. Mikus, R. Sulniute, M. Wilczynska, T. Ny, J. Li. Plasminogen is a key pro-inflammatory regulator that accelerates the healing of acute and diabetic wounds. Blood, 2012; DOI: 10.1182/blood-2012-01-407825

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.

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How Web Application Development Can Boost Your Business ...

If you are about to launch your business online or looking to get your website design, one of the biggest decisions that you will be making will be choosing a reputed and professional web application development company that specializes in everything from website creation to web hosting, and from web promotion to ecommerce software solutions.

In short, the custom web application company will be assisting you to get the website of your business created and make it accessible and popular among existing and potential customers, besides to the world at large.

Since all these site-related tasks are extremely specialized in nature, it is very important for you to select a website application development company that has been in the industry for years and successfully helped thousands of clients by developing user and search engine friendly websites, without any bugs.

Moreover, the company should enjoy a good reputation in the online world and must have a team of expert professionals that emphasize heavily on customer satisfaction and high levels of quality.

This is mainly because the website will be the online face or representative of your business on the internet and customers will use the site as a medium to know more about your business and its products and services. Moreover, the site will be helping the customers to make informed decisions and let your business optimize and reap the true advantages of online presence.

One of the biggest advantages of choosing a web application development that specializes in custom web application and ecommerce software solutions is that while the customers will be able to easily navigate and buy products and services while feeling assured, your business will be able to promote itself better on the internet and extend its reach to niche opportunities and markets.

If you are already running an online business, the company will help in getting your Web Design according to the industry standards and optimize your site according to search engine marketing and website promotion guidelines so that your site enjoys popularity among the targeted audience and search engines and it is rewarding to upgrade your business?s online profile in quick time.

If you are about to launch your business into the online world, the company will help you develop the website for the business and enrich it with custom web applications, unique content, and best keywords for your business so that it is easy for your business to reach new markets and customers. All you need to do is to find a reputed and professional web application development and concentrate on the core activities of your business.

Original article

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The Benefits of Renting an RV | Prodaja Traktora

The recreational vehicle (RV), motor home, coach or no matter else you may decision it, is actually a luxury ?toy.? it is differently to show off for friends and associates, some way to entertain while traveling in vogue. But, must you rush out to shop for one because you can? let us contemplate a couple of reasons why you may want to assume twice before shopping for, and contemplate renting instead.

First of all, they?ll be reasonably expensive. anything new can price you well higher than $100k. while that?s but the average house on the market, there are different prices concerned. Fuel to urge around and power the RV, maintenance price and engine repairs, and the hassle of finding a parking spot when you don?t seem to be driving, are all things that will affect your budget. If your budget is as important to you because it is to me, than it is continually an honest follow to judge your options.

??? Fuel or Propane. Of course, if you rent an RV, you still have to cover the price of fuel, but many RV rental lots can embody a precise range of ?free miles? and ?generator hours? along with your trip. this is great for weekend outings or one to a pair of week vacations. Unless you plan to measure in your RV year spherical, there is no use in keeping all the appliances running. Things like your refrigerator and air con units can keep running your propane levels down, and if you?re plugged up, the price of electricity used should be calculated.

??? Repairs and Maintenance. Any RV owner can tell you that repairing one thing as intricate as a motor house is no inexpensive task. Taking chances creating repairs yourself may even price you a lot of. If you rarely use your RV, the price of maintenance should be significantly low, but however, if you rarely use your RV, that?s another excuse you must be renting.

??? RV Parking. With the laws changing virtually per annum regarding RV Parks, legal RV parking spaces, and different statutes, it has become virtually impossible to own anything longer than 20 feet. Neighbors complain because your category C Motor Home ?almost? reaches the side walk and that they cannot see down the block. town commissioners are voting on whether or not it is legal to ?live? in an RV not parked in an RV park. If you are doing realize a park or storage lot, it will most likely price you more than storing a TV and a few previous furniture. Finding a location when not in use is one more reason to rent your mobile home and provides it back when you are done.

I could most likely take a survey of RV owners and determine a lot of reasons why it?d be preferable to rent an RV, but these reasons higher than are most likely the strongest. One last reason is that the responsibility of keeping it clean is barely yours while you utilize it. Some RV sales lots which also have units available to rent, make certain the carpets are shampoo?d, the plumbing is flawless, and your experience may be targeted on enjoying yourself. But, if you?d like a lot of reason to think about before creating a decision, or you still are interested in purchasing, contact your local RV dealer

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Review RAP: Guides for word nerds and language wranglers

Words to live and write by

BY RICHARD PACHTER

Word nerds (like me) usually look askance at most tomes on writing and language. After all, pedantic autodidacts and over-educated sesquipedalians already know how to wrangle language and massage messages. Oh, occasionally something like the bestselling Eats Shoots and Leaves catches our collective fancy, but that was merely an amusement, a momentary distraction. Genuine lingo gringos unfailingly poo-poo prosaic word books as beneath them (or us). Unless it's our Bible ? not the Pentateuch, but the Associated Press Stylebook or The Chicago Manual of Style (according to your faith) ? why bother?

Here's a look at the latest edition of the holy word and a recent would-be contender.

Stylebook and Briefing on Media Law. Associated Press/BasicBooks. 465 pages. (Also available by online subscription and as an app for mobile devices.)

I've never heard it called by its proper name, but the "AP Style Guide'' is used by businesses and publications throughout the country. This new version caused a bit of a buzz when it was announced that "Website'' would no longer be capitalized. Trust me, this was a very big deal, though "Internet'' inexplicably remains capitalized. (Huh?) But a technical writer of my acquaintance was VERY excited about this quantum leap, as if her world was now a brighter and happier place. Such is the power of this humble volume!

This resource is used in newspapers throughout the English-speaking world as an authority on usage, punctuation, abbreviation and more. It's also a fixture in the dens and cubicles of Anglophone business writers and other scribblers throughout the planet seeking authoritative guidance in their use of language for legal writing, ads and marketing communications material.

This new edition of the Stylebook is also available online (by subscription, with site licenses and individual deals, too.) In addition, an app (a recent addition to the Stylebook, apparently) for iPhones, iPads and iPods is also offered. These electronic versions afford immediate access to updates, so if the AP ever decides to allow "Internet'' in lowercase, subscribers will be the first to know.

The Yahoo! Style Guide: Writing and Editing for the Web. Chris Barr. St.Martin's Press. 528 pages.

Though Google rules search, Yahoo's strategy of providing actual content as part of their souffl? of search and aggregation is still in place. As such, they've become a bit of an authority on content creation, and their style guide is a very nice grab bag of tools, ideas and instructions. A lot of it is Copywriting 101-level fare; a far cry from AP's no-nonsense journalism, but even the most recalcitrant news-o will admit that writing for the Web requires a sharp, punchy prose style that's more tabloid than "Times,'' though accuracy and clarity still reign. It might be less hyperbolic than copywriting, but it still needs to sell ? itself, at the very least.

For many writers, this style guide won't be anything new and it's certainly no replacement for AP's collection of golden standards, but for neophytes and others, this is a fine course.

Originally published in The Miami Herald

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Canadians split over NDP leader Thomas Mulcair?s opinion of Alberta?s oil sands: poll

OTTAWA ? A new poll suggests Canadians are roughly split over NDP Leader Tom Mulcair?s contention that the Alberta oil sands have given the country a case of Dutch Disease as he prepares to visit the province next week.

Mulcair has suggested the Alberta oil exports raise the value of the Canadian dollar, which in turn hurts the economy in other parts of the country.

The phenomenon is dubbed the ?Dutch Disease? in reference to the manufacturing decline that occurred in the Netherlands after a boom in natural gas exports in the 1970s.

The Canadian Press Harris-Decima survey suggests slightly more Canadians disagree than agree with Mulcair ? 45 per cent compared to 41 per cent ? although opinions varied across the country.

The telephone survey of just over 1,000 people was carried out between May 17 and 20 and has a margin of error of 3.1 per cent, 19 times out of 20.

Most people polled in oil-rich Alberta and the rest of the Prairies disagreed with the NDP leader, while those in Quebec and British Columbia were most likely to agree with him.

The poll indicates most people don?t share Mulcair?s sentiments in Ontario, the country?s manufacturing heartland, where the economy has been hard hit from the restructuring of the North American auto sector and other blue-collar industries.

But a study by the Canadian Energy Research Institute says Ontario enjoys the lion?s share of oil sands benefits outside Alberta. The Calgary-based think-tank has suggested the oil sands will create billions of dollars in economic spinoffs in Ontario and tens of thousands of jobs over the next quarter century.

Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty and his Alberta counterpart Alison Redford got into a spat earlier this year over the same issue. When McGuinty said a strong oil sands industry means a high loonie that hurts the manufacturing and export sectors, Redford accused him of being too simplistic.

But Mulcair has insisted that statistics on manufacturing job losses are ?irrefutable?? and that ?everyone? agrees more than half of those losses are the direct result of the artificially high Canadian dollar created by booming energy exports, particularly from Alberta?s oil sands.

The federal Conservatives quickly pounced on Mulcair for suggesting the Alberta oil sands have given Canada a case of Dutch Disease. Cabinet ministers have accused the NDP leader of pitting region against region and insulting hard-working workers in the resource sector.

Mulcair?s views have also angered Redford and Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall. Redford has said she won?t meet with Mulcair until he visits the Fort McMurray region to educate himself about the oil sands.

The NDP leader?s office has confirmed Mulcair will visit the region May 30 and 31.

The poll suggests less than half of Canadians had heard about Mulcair?s comments. People from parts of the country most involved in the oil sands told pollsters they were most aware of what he said.

?Our survey suggests that those who have the most to lose if oil sands development were to be slowed as a means to assist other economic sectors are the ones paying the most attention to the ?Dutch Disease? debate,? said Doug Anderson, senior vice-president of Harris-Decima.

?On top of that, no region seems particularly convinced that oil sands development has been hurting exports of other sectors of Canada?s economy.?

There were few surprises along party lines.

The survey suggests 70 per cent of self-identified Conservative supporters polled either disagree or strongly disagree with Mulcair.

However, most Green party supporters also disagree with him ? with 56 per cent offside.

Liberal supporters were roughly split, with 48 per cent agreeing with Mulcair and 44 per cent disagreeing.

The poll indicates 55 per cent of New Democrat supporters share Mulcair?s view.

But the NDP leader?s assessment was most popular with Bloc Quebecois supporters. The survey suggests 64 per cent of Bloc supporters back his musings.

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Michigan Internet Marketing Club Addresses How to Promote and ...

Meetings are Free to Attend and Open to the Public ? Come and learn the latest and greatest internet marketing strategies

(EMAILWIRE.COM, May 27, 2012 ) Detroit, MI ? The Internet Marketing Roundtable is the only Michigan Internet Marketing Club that offers valuable information at absolutely no charge. The group meets the 2nd Thursday of each month to learn the latest techniques for successful online marketing. Meetings are free to attend and open to the public. No pre-registration requirements?everyone is welcome.

Whether one is a blogging enthusiast as a hobby or an aspiring entrepreneur looking for maximum exposure, this internet marketing club has something for everyone. Find out more about this internet marketing training event at http://www.megaeveningevent.com/real-estate-event-details.php?id=470

Founder, Mark Maupin and associate Chris Wechner will cover the early session from 4-5:30pm with a Q&A Session to show participants how to promote, market and make money on the internet. They will come prepared to answer all questions about internet marketing including:

? How to make a video in 5 minutes
? How to promote a business using free online resources
? Getting started in affiliate marketing
? How to improve a website to make it more effective
? Top 10 free resources to promote a business online

The second session of internet marketing training from 6 ? 9 pm will include keynote speaker, Rosh Sillar, who will explain email marketing. He will show participants how to use email to market more effectively, best practices for best results and email metrics and analytics ? what one should look for.

The Michigan Internet Marketing Club meets on Thursday, July 14 from 4 ? 9 pm at the Wayne County Community College Eastern Campus, 5901 Conner St, Detroit. Visit http://www.megaeveningevent.com for details on all upcoming events in June.

About the Michigan Internet Marketing Club:
The Michigan Internet Marketing Club was founded by Mark Maupin, local internet marketing expert, instructor and mentor who has helped thousands of small business owners, individual franchise owners and entrepreneurs gain success through effective internet marketing. The Internet Marketing Roundtable meets the 2nd Thursday of each month to share the latest online marketing strategies used by some of the most successful internet marketing service providers in the Metro Detroit area.

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'Exorcist' cleanses the crowd on 'SYTYCD'

Mathieu Young/FOX

Mary Murphy, Nigel Lythgoe and Cat Deeley returned to primetime Thursday night for the season-nine premiere of "So You Think You Can Dance."

By Natalie Finn, E! Online

"So You Think You Can Dance" is back!

Our hearts did a series of grande j?t?s in anticipation of Thursday night's return of Cat Deeley, Nigel Lythgoe, Mary Murphy and all of their partners in judgment.

We have some concerns, of course: Every show gets a little old by its ninth season. And what's with this once-a-week thing?

But we just have to trust that our old pal Nigel knows what he's doing, and give ourselves over to the art of the dance...

MORE: Five things to know about "So You Think You Can Dance" season nine

First up, "SYTYCD" hit New York City--and just as eventual winner Melanie was the first hopeful we laid eyes on last season, we expect big things from Amelia Lowe.

The 18-year-old was first out of the gate and, what with that Louise Brooks bob and the retro French music to which she danced so beautifully, was immediately pegged as one to watch.

Another standout was contemporary dancer Leo Reyes, 21, who admitted to pissing away his talent until his mother attempted suicide. Happily, she's healthy now, and Leo wants to achieve big things in her honor.

Well, he's come to the right place.

Then there was the single mother of two (whose baby stole the show, crawling around on the stage to an Evanescence song) and Hampton "The Exorcist" Williams, whose purpose was perhaps to exorcize the bad vibes left behind by the more clueless auditioners out there.

Mary cried and Lil C actually bowed down!

"How you'll get on in a dance competition like this show...I don't give a (expletive), I tell you!" Nigel said, offering up a ticket to Vegas.

GALLERY: 2012 "American Idol" finale

Who exorcized your demons on Thursday night? Are you loving season nine so far? What are your thoughts on the new format? Sound off on our Facebook page.

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BOMBSHELL: Business Insider Kinda Brilliant

That, anyway, is the story according to the business press. The news comes from dogged reporters at Reuters, the Wall Street Journal, and other well-known chroniclers of the financial world. But if you can?t follow all of these guys?if you have neither the time nor the patience to wade through each new bulletin on the IPO?s disastrous path?there?s really only one place you need to check. Just visit Business Insider, Henry Blodget?s invaluable business news aggregation site. Not only does Blodget keep breaking news about the IPO himself, but he?s also rounding up everyone else?s scoops, rumors, and theories, and he?s wrapping it all up into intelligent, coherent analysis.

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Share photos to your computer with Bump for iPhone

Bump is a very popular iPhone app that people use to share information like photos and contacts by "bumping" their phones together. It used to be restricted to only iPhone users, then it appeared on other mobile platforms, and now you can share photos with your computer.

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Portable retirement planning for expats: a solution | The Freedom ...

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Sonam Kapoor celebrates India's films at Cannes

From left, actors Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Anil George, Niharika Singh and director Ashim Ahluwalia pose during a photo call for Miss Lovely at the 65th international film festival, in Cannes, southern France, Thursday, May 24, 2012. (AP Photo/Francois Mori)

From left, actors Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Anil George, Niharika Singh and director Ashim Ahluwalia pose during a photo call for Miss Lovely at the 65th international film festival, in Cannes, southern France, Thursday, May 24, 2012. (AP Photo/Francois Mori)

From left, actors Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Anil George, Niharika Singh and director Ashim Ahluwalia pose during a photo call for Miss Lovely at the 65th international film festival, in Cannes, southern France, Thursday, May 24, 2012. (AP Photo/Francois Mori)

CANNES, France (AP) ? There's definitely an Indian vibe at Cannes this year - something Sonam Kapoor is proud of.

The Indian actress, and daughter of star Anil Kapoor, has been enjoying the French film festival for several days.

Speaking at the L'Oreal and Chopard rooftop party on Wednesday night, Kapoor said: "I love cinema so much and I think most of India does as well, and it's really nice that people around the world are appreciating the Indian community has been growing so much."

The Indian films at the festival include Ashim Ahluwalia's "Miss Lovely," which premiered Thursday in the Un Certain Regard section, and the epic "The Gangs of Wasseypur," which showed in the Director's Fortnight category.

Bollywood beauty Aishwarya Rai Bachchan also is attending the festival.

Associated Press

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Rep. King: CIA, Pentagon, too close to filmmakers

WASHINGTON (AP) ? A House committee chairman is charging that the CIA and Defense Department jeopardized national security by cooperating too closely with filmmakers producing a movie on the raid that killed Osama bin Laden.

Homeland Security Committee Chairman Peter King first raised questions about the bin Laden movie last summer, but said Wednesday that newly released documents confirm his suspicions.

The filmmakers are director Kathryn Bigelow and screenwriter Mark Boal, who won Academy Awards for the motion picture "The Hurt Locker."

Defense Department spokesman George Little said the Pentagon engages on a regular basis with the entertainment industry on movie projects, to make the films as realistic as possible.

King, a New York Republican, said that Bigelow and Boal had extremely close, unprecedented and potentially dangerous collaboration with the CIA and DOD.

Associated Press

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Home Energy Ratings and Mortgages

A home energy rating is a score that recognizes the energy efficiency of homes. Lenders use home energy ratings as an objective way of helping more homebuyers qualify for special financing.

Ratings can apply to new or old homes and are based on thorough energy audits, during which a professional rater will test the home for airtightness, sufficient insulation, and efficiency of appliances. Furnaces, water heaters, and other heating and cooling equipment will be tested, and the rater may assess indoor air quality as well.

If the home is determined to be highly energy efficient, it can help buyers increase their budget ? in light of expected utility savings, lenders are more likely to give larger mortgage loans on energy-efficient houses.

RESNET?s Home Energy Rating System Index

The Home Energy Rating System (HERS) Index is one way of scoring a home on energy efficiency. In this system, established by the Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET), a low number indicates a very energy-efficient home while a higher number indicates room for improvement. A rating of 100 represents a new home built to conventional standards, while zero represents a home which uses zero energy.

The HERS Index is one of the most common and widely-recognized rating systems and is used by many lenders to determine eligibility for energy-efficient home loans. RESNET is a respected rating organization, founded by the National Association of State Energy Officials in cooperation with Energy Rated Homes of America. Its purpose is ?to develop a national market for home energy rating systems and energy efficient mortgages.?

U.S. Department of Energy?s E-Scale

The U.S. Department of Energy?s EnergySmart Home Scale, or E-Scale, is a similar rating system based on RESNET?s system. Like the HERS Index, the E-Scale uses 0 as the measure of a home which uses no energy and 100 as the measure of a home which meets typical new-construction efficiency standards. The EnergySmart Home Scale sets 70 as the Builders Challenge number, in order to encourage builders to make new homes that are 30 percent more energy efficient than those built to code. The U.S. Department of Energy drew from the HERS Index to build their E-Scale, and recommends RESNET?s certified energy rating professionals to assess home energy performance.

What is an Energy-Efficient Mortgage?

In addition to the satisfaction of doing something good for the environment, the growing availability of energy-efficient homes offers growing opportunities for homebuyers. Energy-efficient mortgages (EEMs) allow borrowers to credit energy savings, or expected reductions from standard utility bills, toward what they can pay on their mortgage each month. This means more buying power for families considering energy-efficient home purchases. RESNET reports that ??a recent analysis by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) confirmed that energy efficient mortgages can have a dramatic impact on increasing the opportunities for homeownership. The analysis found that an average of 6.8% more families would be able to qualify for a mortgage through an energy efficient mortgage.?

Including the expected energy savings in their debt-to-income analysis lets buyers expand their budget and get into a home which might be better than they thought they could afford, and EEMs are backed by federal mortgage programs including the Veterans Administration ( and the Federal Housing Administration. Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, two companies which secure conventional loans, both support EEM loans. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development defines an EEM as something which ? helps homebuyers or homeowners save money on utility bills by enabling them to finance the cost of adding energy efficiency features to new or existing housing as part of their FHA insured home purchase or refinancing mortgage.?

What is an Energy Improvement Mortgage?

While most EEMs apply to new construction that?s been built to green standards, there is another financing opportunity for homebuyers who wish to make energy-efficiency improvements to an existing home. With an energy improvement mortgage, or EIM, a certified energy-efficiency rater will help determine which improvements will be most effective, then the lender finances both the home purchase and the planned improvements. These improvements ? new windows, a better furnace, or replacement insulation, for instance ? are paid for out of an escrow account. This type of mortgage can allow buyers to borrow a little more than they would otherwise, because the bank can count on being paid by a borrower with lower monthly utility bills. You can even use energy improvement mortgage loans to improve a home you already own, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Since energy-efficient homes have higher resale value, sellers and lenders as well as buyers benefit when they build low-energy homes.

How do I Choose a Home Energy Rater?

RESNET, which designed the HERS Index, has a rating standard of practice that defines what they expect their home energy raters to test and what services they expect their raters to provide. Many contractors provide energy rating services and several local and federal organizations certify home raters, but it?s important to talk to your lenders early in the financing process to make sure you choose a rater they recognize as qualified to perform the inspection. You can find RESNET energy raters and auditors by using their search tool. You can also search for an inspector through other state and local organizations. Whomever you choose, be sure his or her credentials meet the requirements of your mortgage lender.

Types of Home Energy Assessments

There are a range of assessments that can help rate a home?s energy efficiency, and not all are the same. The most basic service offered by RESNET-certified inspectors is the home energy survey, which is an assessment of utility bills and a quick look at the home?s performance. It is not usually in-depth enough to satisfy lenders for energy efficient mortgages.

A more in-depth investigation of a home?s efficiency is the building performance audit, which includes the use of high-tech equipment to see exactly where a home is losing heat. Thermal cameras, blower doors, and various other tools help give a very clear picture of what needs improvement and what those improvements might cost.

A home energy rating, according to RESNET?s standards, can?t be issued until the building performance audit has been completed and some computer simulations have been run. These simulations show expected financial advantages of making the auditor?s recommended improvements and help generate an accurate Index number. Many lenders will agree to finance a more expensive home if they know it has been through the entire process of receiving a favorable HERS Index number.

Tagged as: efficiency, energy, energy efficient, home loan, loan, mortgage, rating, resnet

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