Televangelist Joel Osteen: Obama ???has reached out to us??? [VIDEO] (Daily Caller)

Televangelist and senior pastor of Houston?s Lakewood Church Joel Osteen explained on Fox News Channel?s ?Huckabee? over the weekend that President Barack?Obama reached out to Osteen and Lakewood.

?He has reached out to us,? Osteen said. ?And we have done some of the leadership things there at the White House with him and been able to pray with him ? just simple things like that. And he?s been very kind and friendly to our ministry.?

A number of Americans still have questions about Obama?s religious beliefs. Whether it is due to his 20 year?attendance?at the Rev. Jeremiah Wright?s Trinity United Church, polls indicating that?12 percent?of Americans still believe that he is a Muslim, or the first family?s decision to not regularly attend church, the president?s Christian faith has not been an easy issue for the White House.

Earlier in the segment, host Mike Huckabee delved into Osteen?s thoughts on if Obama should attend church more regularly. Osteen was forgiving.

?You know I think it would be great. You know, I am probably too full of mercy and to say, you know, maybe all the things that come with the presidency, the security and all that ? maybe that plays into it,? Osteen said. ?But I believe he loves the Lord and things. I don?t know. But in the ideal world, yes [he would attend regularly].?

Obama explained in 2010 that he will not be joining a church while president because it is too disruptive.

In 2010, Osteen attended Obama?s Easter breakfast at the White House.

Known for trying to stay out of partisan politics, Osteen has also spoken highly of ? and hosted?? a number of Republicans at his Lakewood church, including Texas Gov. Rick Perry.

Watch:

War drawdowns wreak havoc on Guard soldiers' lives (AP)

WASHINGTON ? Two months ago, Demetries Luckett left his job in Michigan, turned in his cable box, sent his daughter to live with her mother, and headed for Camp Shelby in Mississippi.

As a 1st lieutenant in Michigan's National Guard, he was being deployed to Afghanistan.

But just a month after he arrived for training, the Army decided Uncle Sam didn't need him after all.

Now Luckett's unemployed and back home in Harper Woods, Mich. ? a victim of the Obama administration's ongoing effort to pull at least 33,000 U.S. troops out of Afghanistan by next fall.

Unlike active-duty soldiers who are stationed at U.S. military bases across the country and can be sent on a moment's notice to a conflict anywhere in the world ? the nation's citizen soldiers have civilian jobs and lives they have to set aside when they get those deployment notices.

And unlike active-duty soldiers, Guard members may have little to go back to, if their country changes its mind.

Luckett is not alone.

In the last 60 days, as many as 8,900 Army National Guard soldiers were either sent home early from Iraq or Afghanistan, or were told that the Pentagon's plans to send them to war had either been shelved or changed. As a result, U.S. military and Guard leaders have been scrambling to find alternative missions for many of the soldiers ? particularly those who had put their lives and jobs on hold and were depending on the deployment for their livelihood.

"If you're a 25-year-old infantryman, and you're a student at Ohio State University, and you decide not to register for school in July because you were going to mobilize, and we say your services aren't needed anymore ? that becomes a significantly emotional event in that person's life," said Col. Ted Hildreth, chief of mobilization and readiness for the Army National Guard.

Guard members scheduled for deployment, he said, often quit or take extended leaves from their jobs, put college on hold, end or break their apartment leases, sell or rent their houses, and turn their medical or legal practices over to someone else. And in some cases, in this flagging economy, Guard members who may be unemployed or underemployed are relying on the year-long paycheck, which can include extra money for combat pay or tax-free benefits.

"These are commitments and contracts that have been signed, and so when these changes happen, they are not insignificant," he said. "So we work with the unit, the country team and the joint force headquarters to define who are no-kidding hardships and who we had to work to find other employments opportunities to fulfill the 400-day mobilization commitment that we made to that soldier."

In the coming weeks, as America works to extricate itself from two wars, the U.S. will pull the remaining 18,000 troops out of Iraq, and withdraw 10,000 forces from Afghanistan. Another 23,000 or more will come out of Afghanistan by next fall.

And while the political ramifications of the war drawdowns are hotly debated topics, there is often little said or known about the cascading effects such decisions have on the lives, jobs and schooling of the National Guard and Reserve troops.

Guard units are notified of their deployments as much as two years in advance, so they make long-term plans to meet the year-long military commitment.

But to meet the often-changing withdrawal timetables for Iraq and Afghanistan, the Pentagon has had to abruptly shuffle units, and even individual soldiers, around. The major moves include shifting forces from Iraq to new missions in Kuwait or to Afghanistan.

During a hearing on Capitol Hill, Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the military tries to do all it can to avoid changing deployment orders given to National Guard units once they are notified.

If a unit has been mobilized, he said, "we will find a place to use it," particularly if it is an aviation unit, since those are in high demand.

Usually, he said, officials try to identify soldiers who prefer not to deploy, since there often are some who are happy to stay home. Then the rest of the unit will, if possible, be sent to a different mission in the same country or to another location.

For example, the 37th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, made up of more than 2,300 soldiers from Ohio and Michigan, was initially scheduled to go to Afghanistan in early October to do combat and other operations.

But when Pentagon leaders decided many weren't needed, they scrounged for other missions so that the soldiers who really wanted or needed to deploy could do so.

Maj. Jeff Kinninger, executive officer for the 126th Cavalry Squadron, was another soldier who got to Camp Shelby, then was told not to deploy. But for Kinninger and his family, it was more of a welcome decision because he has a full-time job working for the National Guard in Grand Rapids.

"For me, this would have been three deployments in the last seven years, so I wasn't too disappointed," said Kinninger, 42, who had served in Iraq in 2005 and 2008. "I'm disappointed not to be there with my soldiers, but my family is happy I'm not going."

His squadron is part of the 37th IBCT. So, of the 430 squadron members who headed to Camp Shelby to prepare to deploy, more than 200 were told they weren't needed. After sorting out who wanted to go home, military officials were able to find assignments for all the rest, Kinninger said.

Two other brigades are going through similar struggles ? the 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, based in New York, and the 29th Combat Aviation Brigade, which includes soldiers from across the U.S.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/us/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111128/ap_on_re_us/us_national_guard_war_tours

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NASA launches super-size rover to Mars: 'Go, Go!'

A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket carrying NASA's Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) Curiosity rover lifts off from Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Saturday, Nov. 26, 2011. The rocket will deliver a science laboratory to Mars to study potential habitable environments on the planet. (AP Photo/Terry Renna)

A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket carrying NASA's Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) Curiosity rover lifts off from Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Saturday, Nov. 26, 2011. The rocket will deliver a science laboratory to Mars to study potential habitable environments on the planet. (AP Photo/Terry Renna)

A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket carrying NASA's Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) and Curiosity rover lifts off from Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Saturday, Nov. 26, 2011. The rocket will deliver a science laboratory to Mars to study potential habitable environments on the planet. (AP Photo/Terry Renna)

Backdropped by the Atlantic Ocean, the 197-foot-tall United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket rolls toward the launch pad at Space Launch Complex 41 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida Friday Nov. 25, 2011. Atop the rocket is NASA's Mars Science Laboratory rover nicknamed Curiosity enclosed in its payload fairing. Liftoff is planned during a launch window which extends from 10:02 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. EST on Saturday Nov. 26. Curiosity, has 10 science instruments designed to search for signs of life, including methane, and will help determine if the gas is from a biological or geological source. (AP Photo/NASA

In this 2011 artist's rendering provided by NASA/JPL-Caltech, the Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity rover examines a rock on Mars with a set of tools at the end of its arm, which extends about 2 meters (7 feet). The mobile robot is designed to investigate Mars' past or present ability to sustain microbial life. (AP Photo/NASA/JPL-Caltech)

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) ? The world's biggest extraterrestrial explorer, NASA's Curiosity rover, rocketed toward Mars on Saturday on a search for evidence that the red planet might once have been home to itsy-bitsy life.

It will take 8? months for Curiosity to reach Mars following a journey of 354 million miles.

An unmanned Atlas V rocket hoisted the rover, officially known as Mars Science Laboratory, into a cloudy late morning sky. A Mars frenzy gripped the launch site, with more than 13,000 guests jamming the space center for NASA's first launch to Earth's next-door neighbor in four years, and the first send-off of a Martian rover in eight years.

NASA astrobiologist Pan Conrad, whose carbon compound-seeking instrument is on the rover, had a shirt custom made for the occasion. Her bright blue, short-sleeve blouse was emblazoned with rockets, planets and the words, "Next stop Mars!"

Conrad jumped, cheered and snapped pictures as the rocket blasted off a few miles away. So did Los Alamos National Laboratory's Roger Wiens, a planetary scientist in charge of Curiosity's rock-zapping laser machine, called ChemCam.

Wiens shouted "Go, Go, Go!" as the rocket soared. "It was beautiful," he later observed, just as NASA declared the launch a full success.

The 1-ton Curiosity ? as large as a car ? is a mobile, nuclear-powered laboratory holding 10 science instruments that will sample Martian soil and rocks, and analyze them right on the spot. There's a drill as well as the laser-zapping device.

It's "really a rover on steroids," said NASA's Colleen Hartman, assistant associate administrator for science. "It's an order of magnitude more capable than anything we have ever launched to any planet in the solar system."

The primary goal of the $2.5 billion mission is to see whether cold, dry, barren Mars might have been hospitable for microbial life once upon a time ? or might even still be conducive to life now. No actual life detectors are on board; rather, the instruments will hunt for organic compounds.

Curiosity's 7-foot arm has a jackhammer on the end to drill into the Martian red rock, and the 7-foot mast on the rover is topped with high-definition and laser cameras. No previous Martian rover has been so sophisticated or capable.

With Mars the ultimate goal for astronauts, NASA also will use Curiosity to measure radiation at the red planet. The rover also has a weather station on board that will provide temperature, wind and humidity readings; a computer software app with daily weather updates is planned.

The world has launched more than three dozen missions to the ever-alluring Mars, which is more like Earth than the other solar-system planets. Yet fewer than half those quests have succeeded.

Just two weeks ago, a Russian spacecraft ended up stuck in orbit around Earth, rather than en route to the Martian moon Phobos.

"Mars really is the Bermuda Triangle of the solar system," Hartman said. "It's the death planet, and the United States of America is the only nation in the world that has ever landed and driven robotic explorers on the surface of Mars, and now we're set to do it again."

Curiosity's arrival next August will be particularly hair-raising.

In a spacecraft first, the rover will be lowered onto the Martian surface via a jet pack and tether system similar to the sky cranes used to lower heavy equipment into remote areas on Earth.

Curiosity is too heavy to use air bags like its much smaller predecessors, Spirit and Opportunity, did in 2004. Besides, this new way should provide for a more accurate landing.

Astronauts will need to make similarly precise landings on Mars one day.

Curiosity will spend a minimum of two years roaming around Gale Crater, chosen as the landing site because it's rich in minerals. Scientists said if there is any place on Mars that might have been ripe for life, it would be there.

"I like to say it's extraterrestrial real estate appraisal," Conrad said with a chuckle earlier in the week.

The rover ? 10 feet long and 9 feet wide ? should be able to go farther and work harder than any previous Mars explorer because of its power source: 10.6 pounds of radioactive plutonium. The nuclear generator was encased in several protective layers in case of a launch accident.

NASA expects to put at least 12 miles on the odometer, once the rover sets down on the Martian surface.

This is the third astronomical mission to be launched from Cape Canaveral by NASA since the retirement of the venerable space shuttle fleet this summer. The Juno probe is en route to Jupiter, and twin spacecraft named Grail will arrive at Earth's moon on New Year's Eve and Day.

NASA hails this as the year of the solar system.

___

Online:

NASA: http://marsprogram.jpl.nasa.gov/msl/

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2011-11-26-US-SCI-Mars-Rover/id-1f06d3e7fed54e5599ac08bb00968a74

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New insurance rules draw ire | CharlotteObserver.com & The ...

Gary Puffpaff was irritated when he got a letter from Allstate Insurance informing him his homeowners' policy wouldn't be renewed because he had his auto insurance with another company.

Not only did Puffpaff question whether the insurer's action was legal - which, it turns out, it is - but he also was upset because Allstate canceled his auto policies a half-dozen years ago after he filed three large claims.

"Every time I see their commercial I laugh about what they say, because I don't believe a word ... about (how) they take care of you and all that," said Puffpaff, 61, a repair technician who lives in Charlotte. "They only want your money."

This year, two of the most popular underwriters of homeowners insurance policies in North Carolina - Allstate and N.C. Farm Bureau - adopted underwriting guidelines that link homeowners policies with auto policies across the state.

Both companies cite economics as the reason for their stance. In the case of Allstate, if you don't have an auto insurance policy from us, they're telling customers, your homeowners policy won't be renewed.

The Farm Bureau's guidelines are slightly different, winnowing out those who don't have a Farm Bureau auto policy and who also have filed a claim on their homeowners policies within the past five years. Similarly, new Farm Bureau customers who want to buy a homeowners policy also will have to buy auto insurance.

Like many insurers, it also offers a discount for bundled policies. The Farm Bureau also will "reconsider" renewing a homeowners policy if a customer wants to purchase an auto policy after being notified of the company's new guidelines, said Steve Carroll, executive vice president and general manager at Raleigh-based Farm Bureau.

That's not an option with Allstate, said spokesman Tracy Owens. Allstate's underwriting guidelines, which took effect at the beginning of the year, affect 46,000 homeowners policyholders; Farm Bureau's guidelines, which take effect Jan. 1, will affect 28,000 homeowners policyholders, according to the companies. Policyholders are being notified about the new guidelines 60 to 90 days in advance of their policy renewal date.

Farm Bureau ranks third, with a 13.9 percent share, in the state's homeowners insurance market and Allstate ranks fourth with an 8.7 percent share, according to the state Insurance Department.

The department searched its database of consumer complaints at The (Raleigh) News & Observer's request and found it received 33 complaints about the policy linkage this year.

Fairness is a judgment call, but linking policies is considered legal in North Carolina. Bob Mack, deputy commissioner of the Insurance Department's property and casualty division, said state law doesn't regulate underwriting guidelines - which spell out under what circumstances an insurer will sell you a policy - "provided it's not discriminatory."

Insurers have adopted similar underwriting guidelines in North Carolina in the past. Insurers have adopted such guidelines in other states, but not always successfully.

In 2007, Allstate discontinued its practice of linking homeowners policies with auto policies or life insurance policies after New York regulators directed it to do so, according to the trade publication Insurance Journal.

State regulators contended the practice violated anti-rebating and anti-discrimination sections of New York insurance law; Allstate complied with the directive even though it contended it had the legal right to link the policies.

The policy linkage required by Farm Bureau and Allstate in North Carolina is one-way only. Both companies are willing to provide your auto insurance even if you don't have a homeowners policy with them.

That makes sense because auto insurance is viewed by the industry as an attractive business and homeowners insurance isn't, Mack said. "It's a business decision that we're doing this," said the Farm Bureau's Carroll. "No insurance company likes to discontinue coverage."

When it comes to homeowners insurance, "even in a good year ... we're lucky to break even," Carroll said.

This year, he said, hasn't been a good year, with Hurricane Irene, the deadly tornadoes that tore through the state and a flurry of other storms.

Raising insurance premiums isn't an option now. The state regulates homeowners insurance and imposes a cap on premiums.

"Obviously, the decision was carefully considered," said Allstate spokesman John Heid. "It's the right decision that will help us remain financially strong for the customers and the communities we serve."

Of the top five homeowners insurance companies in the state, only Farm Bureau and Allstate have such guidelines.

The other three - State Farm, Nationwide and USAA, which caters to current and former members of the military and their families - say that they don't link homeowners and auto policies and have no plans to do so.

Source: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2011/11/25/2802958/new-insurance-rules-draw-ire.html

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Meet the 2011 Mashable Awards Nominees for Business

Facebook, Google, Twitter, LinkedIn ? none of these companies would be able to sustain themselves without advertising. But getting your brand in front of users who?ve never had to sit through an ad in their life can be a challenge. That?s why it?s important to acknowledge the brands and marketers that are burning calories to figure out ways to get their message across in a fragmented media environment.

The nominees below thought of novel ways to adapt their messages to the social media environment. Often, these are ads and campaigns that are part of the conversation, rather than a disruption to it.

Here are all the nominees from the 2011 Mashable Awards Business category.

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Viral Campaign of the Year

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This category honors the reader?s choice for their favorite viral advertising campaign launched in 2011.

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Most Innovative Use of Social Media for Marketing

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This category honors the reader?s choice for the most innovative social media marketing campaign launched in 2011.

• Orabrush ? The consumer packaged goods startup got a Walmart distribution deal after building its brand on YouTube.
• Smirnoff Nightlife Exchange ? Consumers across the globe traded their nightlife experiences via Facebook thanks to Smirnoff.
• @Ifeelgoods Heist It Back ? The Facebook promotion for Universal?s Tower Heist mirrored the film?s plot by letting fans ?heist? Facebook credits.
• RadioShack #Kindofabigdeal ? This promotion showed a live shot of a phone on a table. The phone would vibrate every time someone tweeted the associated hashtag. If your tweet sent the phone off the table, you got to keep it.
• Domino?s Pizza ? Domino?s in Japan got online buzz for an ?Is this for real?? project to put a Domino?s on the moon.
• Diesel ? Fans got the chance to ?Like? the brand on Facebook via a QR code.
• Coca-Cola ? Coke?s viral campaigns in 2011 spread happiness around the globe via live stunts and YouTube vids.

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Best Branded Mobile App

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This category honors the reader?s choice for the best mobile app created specifically by a brand for consumer use on either a smartphone or tablet.

• Robbie Williams App ? An app for the popular British singer.
• Super 8 ? The classic Super 8 simulated film experience promoted the movie at the same time.>.
• Domino?s Pizza USA ? The popular Domino?s app lets you order a pizza on your iPhone.
• KRAFT iFood Assistant ? One of the first branded iPhone apps, it offers recipes with Kraft foods.
• Titan HTSE ? This app is light-activated, like the watch it promotes.
• GEICO BroStache ? Taken straight from the brand?s television ad campaign, this app lets you simulate having a mustache.
• Glee by Smule ? Sing into the app with headphones on and you sound like a star.

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Must-Follow Brand on Social Media

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This category honors the readers? choice for the brand that best uses Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Tumblr or other mainstream social networking sites.

• WWE ? The professional wrestling organization has great live chat options for fans.
• The Young Turks ? A political video show that began on YouTube and can now be seen on Current TV.
• Cirque Du Soleil ? The circus-inspired entertainment company offers fans a myriad of content.
• Sega ? Sega hosts Free Stuff Fridays, a community favorite, on Twitter.
• Carnival Cruise Lines ? The cruise line engages its community with video, games and blogs.
• DKNY ? DKNY?s popular Facebook page offers exclusive deals and giveaways.
• CharityBuzz ? The CharityBuzz community has access to quality video content from the red carpet and cbuzzTV.

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Best Social Good Cause Campaign

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This category honors the reader?s choice for the best use of digital or social media in a non-profit, philanthropic, cause-focused or corporate social responsibility campaign.

• WWE Be a Star Campaign ? An anti-bullying effort from the wrestling entertainment giant.
• Joplin Tornado Info ? Social media helped survivors and others get information about the disaster.
• Feed it Forward by Restaurant.com ? This CSR campaign lets you send gift cards for free meals anonymously.
• Your Man Reminder ? This app features images of hunky guys, who pop up to remind women to give themselves regular breast exams to screen for cancer.
• The Trevor Project ? A suicide-prevention campaign that featured celebs like Daniel Radcliffe and Neil Patrick Harris.
• AT&T Texting While Driving ? Graphic videos warned of the danger of texting while driving.
• ItGetsBetter.org ? This star-studded campaign overcome sexual preference challenges, and reminds them that life gets better.

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Digital Company of the Year

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Editor?s Note: Originally, we had defined this category ?the top traditional (non-digital) company that has excelled in the digital space in 2011.? After considering the nature of the nominations, we broadened the category to include traditional, non-digital companies as well as agencies that are heavily utilizing digital in their operations.

• Progressive Insurance ? The insurer might be best known for its popular television ad featuring Flo, an amiable company rep, who is also the face of their social media communities.
• WWE ? The wrestling entertainment juggernaut has a devoted online fan base.
• engage121 ? A maker of social media aware CRM software.
• Likeable Media ? A social media and word-of-mouth marketing firm.
• Possible Worldwide ? And interactive marketing firm.
• Big Fuel ? A social media marketing firm.

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Breakout Startup of the Year

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This category honors the reader?s choice for the top startup company in the digital space that has experienced impressive growth or mainstream attention in 2011.

• Manilla ? This app offers an all-in-one location for managing your bills.
• Punchtab ? This app bills itself as the ?world?s first instant loyalty platform.?
• GetGlue ? Social media engagement for fans of TV, music, movies and other media.
• Twilio ? A cloud communications platform that helps firms create voice and SMS apps.
• Taskrabbit ? This app lets you outsource your chores.
• Zaarly ? An alternative to eBay, this peer-to-peer marketplace has even attracted former eBay CEO Meg Whitman to its board.
• Codecademy ? A site that offers beginner lessons for learning how how to code.

Source: http://mashable.com/2011/11/23/mashable-awards-business/

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Corzine called to Congress on bankrupt MF Global (cbsnews)

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Dendritic cells protect against acute pancreatitis

ScienceDaily (Nov. 22, 2011) ? NYU Langone Medical Center researchers have discovered the novel protective role dendritic cells play in the pancreas. The new study, published in the November issue of journal Gastroenterology, shows dendritic cells can safeguard the pancreas against acute pancreatitis, a sudden dangerous swelling and inflammation of the pancreas gland.

"Our study findings demonstrate that an abundance of dendritic cells are needed in the pancreas for normal, healthy pancreatic function, especially when there are high levels of inflammation caused by acute pancreatitis," said senior author George Miller, MD, assistant professor, Departments of Surgery and Cell Biology at NYU Langone Medical Center. "The study shows that dendritic cells can alleviate cellular stress caused by severe inflammation."

In the new study, researchers found high levels of dendritic cells in the pancreas can protect the organ from acute pancreatitis damage while low levels of dendritic cells in the pancreas are associated with exacerbated pancreas injury including pancreatic necrosis, complete pancreas cell and tissue death.

The pancreas is a vital hormone and enzyme-producing gland assisting in the human body's digestion and absorption of food. However, the gland can become inflamed leading to acute pancreatitis, a serious and potentially life-threatening condition, severe cases can lead to pancreatic necrosis. Its two percent overall mortality rate jumps to 10 to 30 percent in patients with pancreatic necrosis. The disorder results in 200,000 hospital admissions and two billion dollars annually in medical expenses in the United States.

Pancreatitis can be acute or chronic, developing over time. It's caused by gallstones, alcohol abuse, or medications. Symptoms include abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, and current treatments include hospitalization, medication, restricted diet or surgery. Pancreatitis can be reduced or prevented with removal of the gall bladder, limiting alcohol intake or prescription medication.

Dendritic cells in the body have emerged as important cellular mediators of inflammation. Previous studies by NYU Langone researchers and others have shown the ability of dendritic cells in the body to suppress inflammation in a number of organ-specific inflammatory conditions including liver injury. Upon exposure to inflammation, dendritic cells suppress inflammation by activating an immune response. However, the cellular regulation of acute pancreatitis was not completely understood until now.

In the new study, researchers induced mice models with acute pancreatitis. As a result, the level of dendritic cells in the pancreas increased by two-fold. This observation identified the innate immune system response of dendritic cells to the excessive swelling and inflammation of the pancreas gland. In addition, researchers tested the effects of dendritic cell depletion in acute pancreatitis mice models. Their experiments showed mice with depleted dendritic cell levels developed pancreatic necrosis and died within four days. Dendritic cell depletion was also associated with a higher infiltration of white blood cells and inflammation markers. The negative effects of dendritic cell depletion experiments show the critical protective role these cells play in pancreatic organ survival.

"We now have a greater understanding of dendritic cells, the key cellular mediators of inflammation, during dangerous acute pancreatitis. These cells play a central role in acute pancreatitis and are required for the pancreas' viability," said Dr. Miller, a member of the NYU Cancer Institute. "Our novel findings show depletion of dendritic cells result in the massive increase in severe pancreas inflammation, injury and organ destruction. We are now one step closer to more effective treatments for this harmful human condition."

The study suggests dendritic cells in the pancreas as new therapeutic targets for reducing any cellular stress on the pancreas from pancreatitis. Further research is needed to elucidate dendritic cell function and develop an immune-directed therapy against acute pancreatitis.

Lead co-authors of the study at NYU Langone included Andrea Bedrosian, MD, research fellow and surgery resident, Department of Surgery and Andrew H. Nguyen, MD. This study was supported by grants from the National Pancreas Foundation, the Society of University Surgeons, and National Institutes of Health.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by NYU Langone Medical Center / New York University School of Medicine.

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. Andrea S. Bedrosian, Andrew H. Nguyen, Michael Hackman, Michael K. Connolly, Ashim Malhotra, Junaid Ibrahim, Napoleon E. Cieza?Rubio, Justin R. Henning, Rocky Barilla, Adeel Rehman, H. Leon Pachter, Marco V. Medina?Zea, Steven M. Cohen, Alan B. Frey, Devrim Acehan, George Miller. Dendritic Cells Promote Pancreatic Viability in Mice With Acute Pancreatitis. Gastroenterology, 2011; 141 (5): 1915 DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2011.07.033

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.

Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111122153854.htm

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Giffords serves Thanksgiving meal at Ariz. base (Providence Journal)

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Dancing With the Stars Winner J.R. Martinez Speaks on a Dream Come True

J.R. Martinez and Karina Smirnoff took home the title on last night's Dancing With the Stars season finale, besting Rob Kardashian and Cheryl Burke in a nail-biter.

Ricki Lake and Derek Hough came in third after what was a very evenly matched final round. In the end, though, the fan favorite and top dancer took the crown.

"I joked about gluing it on the hood of my car and just driving around L.A.," J.R. said of the Mirror Ball trophy. "Or be like rappers, make a chain out of it and just wear it around! I'm going to cherish this thing every single day!"

Mirror Ball jokes aside, J.R. took a moment to thank his fans, saying, "We just want to thank everyone who voted for us for 10 weeks and believed in us week in and week out! I had no idea what it would feel like and it feels amazing."

Though she says all the finalists were "a team of friends who compete and enjoy the process," Karina admits it was nice to win the competition - her first in 10 seasons.

"To come out on top at the end and to hold [the trophy], it's so beautiful."

J.R., the 28-year-old Iraq War veteran, motivational speaker and soap opera star, partly credits his fellow competitors Rob and Ricki for his big victory.

"Both of them did so well and were so great. It was great that we all progressed because they actually pushed us to be better," said the true class act.

Watch the moment of truth below ...

The Dancing With the Stars Winner is ...

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2011/11/dancing-with-the-stars-winner-jr-martinez-speaks-on-a-dream-come/

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DNA to flutter by

Monarchs? genetic instructions help meet migration, navigation needs

Web edition : Wednesday, November 23rd, 2011

Scientists have deciphered the complete genetic instruction book of monarch butterflies. It is the first butterfly genome completed and the first of a long-distance migrating insect.

Within the butterfly?s genetic archive, neurobiologist Steven Reppert of the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester and his colleagues found genes that may help the insects sense the position of the sun and navigate to fir trees in Mexico, where they spend the winter. Reporting in the Nov. 23 Cell, the team also notes that monarchs make more of certain small genetic molecules, called microRNAs, that are involved in building muscle, regulating temperature sensitivity and storing fat when in migration mode.

The 273 million DNA units that make up the monarch genome also include a complete set of genes for producing juvenile hormone, which summer butterflies use to kick-start reproduction. Migrating male monarchs use different strategies than females do to turn off the hormone, the team discovered.

Monarchs have genes similar to ones that silk moths use to sense mating chemicals called pheromones. Those genes may aid social interactions between monarchs in their wintering grounds, Reppert says.

The scientists also unearthed from the genome a gear previously thought to be missing from the butterfly?s daily, or circadian, clock, which helps the monarchs maintain a straight path. ??

Found in: Genes & Cells

Source: http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/336438/title/DNA_to_flutter_by

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GOP presidential rivals to debate foreign policy

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Republican presidential candidates are meeting for their 11th debate, ready to discuss foreign policy and criticize President Barack Obama's handling of it.

Tuesday night's debate in Washington comes a day after a special congressional committee couldn't agree on a plan to cut more than $1 trillion in federal spending.

Failure to reach a deal triggered roughly $1 trillion in automatic spending cuts in domestic programs and defense. Those cuts would take effect beginning in January 2013, just as one of the GOP contenders could be taking office.

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, businessman Herman Cain, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, Reps. Ron Paul of Texas and Michele Bachmann of Minnesota, former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman and former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania were to participate.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2011-11-22-GOP%20Debate/id-b253a1d2d0b64557b44ad215cafd56ee

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Andromeda Biotech: A drug for type 1 diabetes

Public release date: 22-Nov-2011
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Yivsam Azgad
news@weizmann.ac.il
972-893-43856
Weizmann Institute of Science

Developed by Proffessor Irun Cohen of the Weizmann Institute meets primary and secondary goals of phase 3 clinical trials

The clinical trial was random, regulated, double-blinded and broad-based. The drug was tested on 457 patients, aged 16-45, who had been diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes a short time before joining the trial. The trial took place in around 40 medical centers in Europe, Israel and South Africa. The patients in the trial were randomly assigned to one of two groups: One received the trial drug (DiaPep277) through a subcutaneous injection once every three months, for a period of two years, while the control group was given a placebo in the same way. In addition, all of the patients received insulin as needed to stabilize their glucose levels.

DiaPep277 was invented by Prof. Irun Cohen and his team at the Weizmann Institute of Science. This unique peptide, containing 24 amino acids, is derived from the sequence of the human heat shock protein 60 (Hsp60). The peptide acts by modulating the immune system, preventing the destruction of the pancreatic cells that secrete insulin and preserving their natural function. Treatment of Type 1 diabetes patients with DiaPep277 may have several medical benefits: slowing the deterioration of the diseased tissue, improved metabolic control, a reduction in daily insulin requirements and fewer complications of diabetes.

During the trial, the ability of the patients' pancreas to secrete insulin was tested. From an initial analysis of the results, it appears that the patients treated with the drug for a year or more had significantly higher pancreas function than those in the control group.

From the point of view of safety, no significant differences were found in the incidence of side effects between the treated and control groups.

Additional data on the drug's efficacy and safety were collected and evaluated, and these will be presented in a final report on the trial, which will be completed in several months.

Andromeda Biotech is now planning to conduct another trial, to try to reproduce these results. Recruitment of patients into this trial is expected to be finalized in the second quarter of 2012. The research and development team of Andromeda Biotech emphasize that the drug is still under development, and there is no absolute guarantee that the drug will eventually be marketed.

###

Prof. Irun Cohen's research is supported by the Laszlo N. Tauber Family Foundation

The Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel, is one of the world's top-ranking multidisciplinary research institutions. Noted for its wide-ranging exploration of the natural and exact sciences, the Institute is home to 2,700 scientists, students, technicians and supporting staff. Institute research efforts include the search for new ways of fighting disease and hunger, examining leading questions in mathematics and computer science, probing the physics of matter and the universe, creating novel materials and developing new strategies for protecting the environment.

Weizmann Institute news releases are posted on the World Wide Web at http://wis-wander.weizmann.ac.il, and are also available at http://www.eurekalert.org.

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

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.

Public release date: 22-Nov-2011
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Yivsam Azgad
news@weizmann.ac.il
972-893-43856
Weizmann Institute of Science

Developed by Proffessor Irun Cohen of the Weizmann Institute meets primary and secondary goals of phase 3 clinical trials

The clinical trial was random, regulated, double-blinded and broad-based. The drug was tested on 457 patients, aged 16-45, who had been diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes a short time before joining the trial. The trial took place in around 40 medical centers in Europe, Israel and South Africa. The patients in the trial were randomly assigned to one of two groups: One received the trial drug (DiaPep277) through a subcutaneous injection once every three months, for a period of two years, while the control group was given a placebo in the same way. In addition, all of the patients received insulin as needed to stabilize their glucose levels.

DiaPep277 was invented by Prof. Irun Cohen and his team at the Weizmann Institute of Science. This unique peptide, containing 24 amino acids, is derived from the sequence of the human heat shock protein 60 (Hsp60). The peptide acts by modulating the immune system, preventing the destruction of the pancreatic cells that secrete insulin and preserving their natural function. Treatment of Type 1 diabetes patients with DiaPep277 may have several medical benefits: slowing the deterioration of the diseased tissue, improved metabolic control, a reduction in daily insulin requirements and fewer complications of diabetes.

During the trial, the ability of the patients' pancreas to secrete insulin was tested. From an initial analysis of the results, it appears that the patients treated with the drug for a year or more had significantly higher pancreas function than those in the control group.

From the point of view of safety, no significant differences were found in the incidence of side effects between the treated and control groups.

Additional data on the drug's efficacy and safety were collected and evaluated, and these will be presented in a final report on the trial, which will be completed in several months.

Andromeda Biotech is now planning to conduct another trial, to try to reproduce these results. Recruitment of patients into this trial is expected to be finalized in the second quarter of 2012. The research and development team of Andromeda Biotech emphasize that the drug is still under development, and there is no absolute guarantee that the drug will eventually be marketed.

###

Prof. Irun Cohen's research is supported by the Laszlo N. Tauber Family Foundation

The Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel, is one of the world's top-ranking multidisciplinary research institutions. Noted for its wide-ranging exploration of the natural and exact sciences, the Institute is home to 2,700 scientists, students, technicians and supporting staff. Institute research efforts include the search for new ways of fighting disease and hunger, examining leading questions in mathematics and computer science, probing the physics of matter and the universe, creating novel materials and developing new strategies for protecting the environment.

Weizmann Institute news releases are posted on the World Wide Web at http://wis-wander.weizmann.ac.il, and are also available at http://www.eurekalert.org.

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

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.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-11/wios-aba112211.php

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Poison frogs dress in hometown colors

The colorful markings of poison dart frogs vary depending on where the frogs live. Now, a new study using thousands of fake-frog decoys finds that these markings evolved hyper-locally, explaining why individuals in a single species of frog can sport so many different colors and patterns.

This local evolution means that yellow stripes would do little to save a poison dart frog from hungry birds in a spot where squiggly green marks signal danger. Predators are more likely to attack strange frogs, not realizing they're toxic. That gives local frogs a hometown advantage.

"When predators see that their targets are of a different species, they attack," study researcher Bernard Angers, a biologist at the University of Montreal, said in a statement. "Over the long term, that explains how patterns and colors become uniform in an area."

Frog fake-out
In the animal kingdom, bright colors are often a sign for predators to steer clear. Toxic moths and butterflies don yellow-green wings; cyanide-oozing millipedes glow with a sickly bioluminescence.

The poison dart frog Ranitomeya imitator sports bright colors on its back. Depending on where a frog is found, these colors vary. In the new research, Angers and his graduate student Mathieu Chouteau focused on two R. imitator populations in northern Peru. In the highlands of the Cainarachi Valley there, the frogs are splashed with a green undulating pattern, almost like an abstract snakeskin pattern. In the lowlands only 6 miles away, the same species of frog boasts yellow stripes instead.

To test the efficacy of these warnings against predators, Chouteau travelled to Peru with no less than 3,600 life-sized plasticine models of frogs, painted with green patterns, yellow stripes, or simply left brown.

"The trickiest part was transporting my models without arousing suspicion at the airport and customs controls," Chouteau said in a statement.

Fortunately, Chouteau and his thousands of 0.7-inch-long fake frogs made it to Peru. There, he placed 300 yellow-striped frogs, 300 green-patterned frogs and 300 plain brown frogs in two locations, one a highlands site where green frogs were local, and one a lowlands site where yellow frogs roam. Chouteau secured the decoy frogs to leaves with toothpicks. Then, he came back every day for three days to see how the fake frogs were faring. [ Gallery: Real & Fake Frogs ]

Danger signs
Upon return, Chouteau discovered that his decoy frogs had done the trick. At both sites combined, 129 of the models had come under attack and were marred by beak marks, snakebites or lost limbs. Some were torn in half. (Another 200 or so were chomped on by roaches and ants, and these were left out of the analysis.)

At both sites, Chouteau found, the frogs painted to look like locals got only a quarter of the attacks as the frogs painted to look exotic. At site one, where green was the local color, 26.6 percent of the yellow-striped frogs got attacked, compared with only 7.2 percent of green-patterned frogs. At site two, where yellow was normal, exotic green frogs fell under attack 18.9 percent of the time, compared with 8.2 percent for yellow-striped frogs.

The brown frogs, modeled to look like a third non-poisonous species, fell in the middle in both sites, with 14.2 percent getting attacked at site one and 12.7 percent getting attacked at site two.

The results explain why differently patterned frogs rarely show up in the same areas, the researchers report in December in the journal The American Naturalist. Predators get accustomed to avoiding a certain pattern, say, yellow stripes. But when a green frog shows up, they don't associate those colors with danger, so they pounce. That means more yellow-striped frogs will grow up and reproduce in those areas, while green frogs are better off in places where the predators have learned to avoid them.

Choteau said he was surprised at the tiny scale of these evolutionary differences, with differently patterned frogs ruling the roost just a few miles from each other. He was also surprised, he said, by how quickly predators learned that his clay models made a poor meal. Most of the difference in attacks between local and exotic frogs happened in the first day, the researchers found. By day three, predators were largely snubbing all three versions of fake frog.

"A second surprise was the learning abilities of the predator community," Chouteau said, "especially the speed at which the learning process takes place when a new and exotic defense signal is introduced at a massive scale."

You can follow LiveScience senior writer Stephanie Pappas on Twitter @sipappas. Follow LiveScience for the latest in science news and discoveries on Twitter @livescience and onFacebook.

? 2011 LiveScience.com. All rights reserved.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45394274/ns/technology_and_science-science/

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Cash-strapped cities, schools say: 'Your Ad Here' (AP)

CHICAGO ? Seven vinyl banners draped this month along one of Chicago's most iconic bridges, advertisements some have dubbed "a visual crime" and "commercial graffiti," are reviving a debate about how governments raise money in tough economic times.

In the aftermath of the Great Recession, a public school district in Colorado is selling ads on report cards and Utah has a new law allowing ads on school buses. Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel's administration, straining to fill a $600 million budget hole, is looking to raise $25 million from ads on city property ? including bridges, electrical storage boxes and garbage cans.

The effort kicked off this month with Bank of America ads on the 81-year-old Wabash Avenue Bridge, which crosses the Chicago River and has appeared in movies including "About Last Night" and "The Dark Knight."

"I think it's disgusting," Chicago resident Linda Rosenthal said recently, shaking her head as she surveyed the signs. "The architecture in Chicago is stunning. To see this awful advertisement angers me."

The white ads with blue lettering and Bank of America's logo are posted on limestone bridge tender houses, which hold the equipment used to raise the bridge when tall boats pass beneath. Bank of America paid $4,500 to put seven signs on the bridge for about a month, said city spokeswoman Kathleen Strand.

Strand promised the city's new campaign will have "policies to protect the integrity of Chicago's facade" and likened the initiative to the Chicago Transit Authority bringing in about $20 million annually from abundant ads on buses and elevated trains that don't seem to anger anybody.

"The municipal marketing strategy is really about pursuing innovative opportunities to avoid having to cut city services or increase the tax burden on Chicagoans," Strand said.

Still, some ask where the line will be drawn. Could the city's historic Water Tower be next? Or Grant Park's famed Buckingham Fountain?

The city's two major daily newspapers have faced off with opposing views. Chicago Tribune architecture critic Blair Kamin called the bridge ads "a visual crime" and "a grotesque cheapening of the public realm." A Chicago Sun-Times editorial said the ads, while unappealing, "beat going bust."

Bank of America spokeswoman Diane Wagner said the company said yes when Chicago officials asked if the bank wanted to advertise on the bridge because it's a major employer and philanthropic supporter in the city.

"We agreed to be the first company to display on the bridge because we want to help the city explore new revenue sources and we think this is an innovative way to generate new revenue," Wagner said.

Chicago advertising professionals doubt it was a smart move for either side.

"I have made my living in advertising, but there has to be better ways to raise money," said Tim Terchek, executive creative director of the Drucker Group ad firm. What's more, the bridge ads could backfire if public disgust sticks to the bank, he said.

Leo Burnett Company's chief strategy officer Stephen Hahn-Griffiths, whose office overlooks the bridge ads, said they are a blight.

"It's like commercial graffiti," Hahn-Griffiths said. "It makes no sense from a marketing perspective and I question the intent of doing this because it does not seem like a smart decision."

Former Milwaukee Mayor John Norquist, president and CEO of the Chicago-based Congress for the New Urbanism, suggested the city could instead rent out spaces like the City Hall lobby or library and cultural center theaters for weddings and other events.

"Placing advertising on a city's architectural assets takes away from the public realm," Norquist said.

Some officials across the country, and the world, are turning to private money for public projects.

In Rome, an Italian shoe company founder has pledged to foot $34 million to restore the Colosseum ? the ancient arena blackened by pollution ? and its founder has said the gesture could launch more private sponsorship for public benefit in Italy. In Venice, Mayor Giorgio Orsoni defended the use of publicity on restoration of such projects as the famed Doges Palace, saying sponsors' contribution allowed the work to be accelerated.

But Venice also has strict rules on the use of advertisements. Only 10 percent of an exposed facade can be covered, and ads for cigarettes, alcohol and those featuring nudity are banned.

Back in the U.S., a suburban Salt Lake City school district plans to be Utah's first to plaster its buses with advertisements in an effort to generate additional revenue without raising taxes. While the ad revenue is expected to supplement the Jordan School District's budget, officials said it won't be enough to make up for the recent budget cuts.

It's a similar story in Golden, Colo., where Jefferson County Public Schools' report cards now feature ads for the CollegeInvest college savings program. The ads raise $30,000 a year.

"Parents understand where we are at with the funding issues and most of the reaction has been positive," said school district spokeswoman Lorie Gillis.

Retiree Jim Phillips, who leads free tours of Chicago's bridges, challenged the city to channel public curiosity about the structures into money-making ventures, such as charging tourists to see the bridge houses' inner workings.

"If it gets to the point advertisements go on more of these historic structures, I don't think there's any way to stop them on others," Phillips said. "What if you put a NASCAR suit on the Picasso? What if you slapped a Google sign on one of the lions at the Art Institute?"

___

Associated Press writers Peter Banda in Golden, Colo., and Colleen Barry in Milan, Italy, contributed to this report.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/economy/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111122/ap_on_re_us/us_advertising_budget_holes

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Penguin suspends library e-books, citing security (AP)

NEW YORK ? One of the country's largest publishers, Penguin Group (USA), has suspended making e-editions of new books available to libraries and won't allow libraries to loan any e-books for Amazon.com's Kindle.

"We have always placed a high value on the role that libraries can play in connecting our authors with our readers," the publisher announced in a statement Monday. "However, due to new concerns about the security of our digital editions, we find it necessary to delay the availability of our new titles in the digital format while we resolve these concerns with our business partners."

For non-Kindle users, the policy does not affect e-books already on library catalogs. Penguin's authors include Patricia Cornwell, Ken Follett and Ron Chernow, and new books include Sue Grafton's "V for Vengeance" and Rep. Michele Bachmann's "Core of Conviction."

The publisher did not cite any specific titles in its release and did not immediately respond to requests from The Associated Press to clarify its security concerns. Among publishers, "security" has traditionally referred to piracy, but this time it likely means Amazon.com's Kindle lending programs.

The online retailer is allowing its special Prime members to rent one book a month from a selection of titles provided by it. Penguin and other publishers declined to participate but discovered their books were still being included, a policy denounced as illegal by the Authors Guild, which represents published writers.

Meanwhile, Amazon has formed a partnership with the country's top library e-book supplier, OverDrive Inc., that vastly increases the Kindle's presence in libraries and encourages patrons to visit Amazon's website and buy books.

OverDrive posted a statement on its website that it had been asked by Penguin to "disable the `Get for Kindle' functionality for all Penguin e-books."

Besides being worried about Amazon's power in the digital market, publishers have long been concerned that allowing library patrons to download e-books might harm sales. Simon & Schuster and Macmillan don't make any e-books available to libraries, and HarperCollins has restricted their usage, a policy that angered libraries when announced last year.

OverDrive CEO Steve Potash said Monday that his company and Penguin were "in the process of looking at new terms" for libraries but declined to say what the terms were.

While borrowing e-books from libraries has become more difficult, buying books ? Penguin's included ? through libraries is becoming easier. Starting Monday, patrons using the New York Public Library's website who wish to purchase a title can click a Buy it Now tab that links to participating sellers. The library receives a portion of the proceeds, and Potash said he expects the program will soon expand nationwide and into Canada and the United Kingdom.

Sellers involved so far are Barnes & Noble; BooksOnBoard, an independent e-store; and Amazon.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/tech/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111122/ap_en_ot/us_books_libraries

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Researchers develop 'super' yeast that turns pine into ethanol

Friday, November 18, 2011

Researchers at the University of Georgia have developed a "super strain" of yeast that can efficiently ferment ethanol from pretreated pine -- one of the most common species of trees in Georgia and the U.S. Their research could help biofuels replace gasoline as a transportation fuel.

"Companies are interested in producing ethanol from woody biomass such as pine, but it is a notoriously difficult material for fermentations," said Joy Doran-Peterson, associate professor of microbiology in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences.

"The big plus for softwoods, including pine, is that they have a lot of sugar that yeast can use," she said. "Yeast are currently used in ethanol production from corn or sugarcane, which are much easier materials for fermentation; our process increases the amount of ethanol that can be obtained from pine."

Before the pinewood is fermented with yeast, however, it is pre-treated with heat and chemicals, which help open the wood for enzymes to break the cellulose down into sugars. Once sugars are released, the yeast will convert them to ethanol, but compounds produced during pretreatment tend to kill even the hardiest industrial strains of yeast, making ethanol production difficult.

Doran-Peterson, along with doctoral candidate G. Matt Hawkins, used directed evolution and adaptation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a species of yeast used commonly in industry for production of corn ethanol, to generate the "super" yeast.

Their research, published online in Biotechnology for Biofuels, shows that the pine fermented with the new yeast can successfully withstand the toxic compounds and produce ethanol from higher concentrations of pretreated pine than previously published.

"Others before us had suggested that Saccharomyces could adapt to harsh conditions. But no one had published softwood fermentation studies in which the yeast were pushed as hard as we pushed them," said Doran-Peterson.

During a two-year period, Doran-Peterson and Hawkins grew the yeast in increasingly inhospitable environments. The end result was a strain of yeast capable of producing ethanol in fermentations of pretreated wood containing as much as 17.5 percent solid biomass. Previously, researchers were only able to produce ethanol in the presence of 5 to 8 percent solids. Studies at 12 percent solids showed a substantial decrease in ethanol production.

This is important, said Doran-Peterson, because the greater the percentage of solids in wood, the more ethanol that can be produced. However, a high percentage of solids also places stress on the yeast.

"Couple that stress with the increase in toxic compounds, and the fermentation usually does not proceed very well," she said.

Pine is an ideal substrate for biofuels not only because of its high sugar content, but also because of its sustainability. While pine plantations account for only 15 percent of Georgia's trees, they provide 50 percent of harvested timber, according to Dale Greene, professor of forest operations in UGA's Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources. The loblolly pine that Doran-Peterson and Hawkins used for their research is among the fastest growing trees in the American South.

"We're talking about using forestry residues, waste and unsalable timber," said Peterson, "Alternatively, pine forests are managed for timber and paper manufacturing, so there is an existing infrastructure to handle tree-farming, harvest and transportation for processing.

"The basic idea is that we're trying to get the yeast to make as much ethanol as it can, as fast as it can, while minimizing costs associated with cleaning or washing the pretreated pine. With our process, no additional clean-up steps are required before the pine is fermented," she said.

###

University of Georgia: http://www.uga.edu

Thanks to University of Georgia for this article.

This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.

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Source: http://www.labspaces.net/115339/Researchers_develop__super__yeast_that_turns_pine_into_ethanol

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Self-help guru gets 2 years in sweat lodge deaths (AP)

PRESCOTT, Ariz. ? A charismatic self-help author was sentenced Friday to two years in prison for leading an Arizona sweat lodge ceremony that was supposed to offer spiritual enlightenment but instead ended with disoriented participants struggling to breathe and being dragged outside. Three people died.

A judge gave James Arthur Ray three, two-year sentences, to be served concurrently, and ordered him to pay more than $57,000 in restitution

"I find that the aggravating circumstance of emotional harm is so strong and such that probation is simply unwarranted in this case," Yavapai County Superior Court Judge Warren Darrow said.

The courtroom was silent as the sentence was handed down. The victims' families held hands, as did Ray's parents and brother.

Afterward authorities immediately took custody of Ray, who will serve his time with the state Department of Corrections. Ray's parents, Joyce and Gordon Ray, said they hoped to get a chance to meet with him briefly after the hearing. They declined to comment further.

Defense attorney Luis Li said an appeal was likely. "We just hope the process of healing can begin and the victims' families can find some peace," he said.

County Attorney Sheila Polk said she was disappointed that the judge didn't give Ray the maximum sentence of nine years in prison. She said she made a strong case for accountability, justice and deterrence ? "all the reasons a more significant prison sentence should have been imposed."

But, Polk added, "certainly some prison over probation is better than no prison at all."

Ray had faced probation to nine years after being convicted on a trio of negligent homicide counts. Authorities originally charged Ray with manslaughter, but jurors rejected arguments that he was reckless in his handling of the October 2009 ceremony.

Prosecutors urged Darrow to hand down the maximum sentence to keep Ray off the self-help circuit and from harming others. Ray's attorneys said probation was best for a man who showed remorse, lacked a prior criminal history and is the sole caretaker for ailing parents.

Earlier Friday, Ray stood before the judge and the victims' families and begged for forgiveness. He said he would have stopped the ceremony had he known people were dying or in distress.

Ray turned to the more than a dozen family members seated in the courtroom, tearfully taking responsibility for the pain and anguish he caused them.

"At the end of the day, I lost three friends, and I lost them on my watch," Ray said. "Whatever errors in judgment or mistakes I have made, I'm going to have to live with those for the rest of my life. I truly understand your disappointment in my actions after, I do. I'm disappointed in myself. I don't have any excuse."

It was the kind of apology that the victims' families say they would have like to receive from Ray immediately following the deaths of Kirby Brown, 38, of Westtown, N.Y.; James Shore, 40, of Milwaukee; and Liz Neuman, 49, of Prior Lake, Minn., more than two years ago.

"There was nothing you could teach Liz, James or Kirby about honor, integrity and impeccability, but they could have taught you a lot," Neuman's cousin Lily Clark said in a raised voice while looking at Ray. "They were born spiritual warriors, and you are not worthy to spit shine their combat boots."

Ray's motivational mantra drew dozens of people to a retreat nestled in the scrub forest near Sedona with a promise that the sweat lodge ceremony typically used by American Indians to cleanse the body would help them break through whatever was holding them back in life. It was the culminating event of his five-day "Spiritual Warrior" seminar.

Participants began showing signs of distress about half way through the two-hour ceremony. By the time it was over, some were vomiting, struggling to breathe and lying lifeless on the ground. Two people ? Brown and Shore ? were pronounced dead. Neuman slipped into a coma and never regained consciousness. She died more than a week later at a Flagstaff hospital.

The trial was a mix of lengthy witness testimony and legal wrangling that lasted four months. Witnesses painted conflicting pictures of Ray, with some describing him as a coach who encouraged participants to do their best to endure the heat but never forced them to remain in the sweat lodge. Others said they learned through breathing exercises, a 36-hour fast, and a game in which Ray portrayed God that they dare not question him and lost the physical and mental ability to care for themselves or others.

Prosecutors contended that Ray ratcheted up the heat to dangerous levels, ignored pleas for help and watched as participants were dragged out of the sweat lodge. Ray's attorneys suggested that toxins or poisons contributed to the deaths, but jurors said that theory was not credible.

Ray's attorneys made at least nine requests for a retrial or mistrial based on what they say were errors by the prosecution. While Darrow ruled that prosecutors broke disclosure rules, he rejected each of the defense requests. The case is bound for appeal.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/crime/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111118/ap_on_en_ot/us_sweat_lodge_deaths

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