clubbed internuclear: November 2012

Friday, November 30, 2012

C. diff researchers reveal potential target to fight infections

ScienceDaily (Nov. 30, 2012) ? Researchers at Virginia Bioinformatics Institute at Virginia Tech have discovered how a common diarrhea-causing bacterium sends the body's natural defenses into overdrive, actually intensifying illness while fighting infection.

The discovery, recently published in PLOS One, may lead to new drug treatments for Clostridium difficile, a common germ in health care-associated infections often referred to as C. diff. It has been linked to the death of 14,000 Americans annually, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Researchers with the Center for Modeling Immunity to Enteric Pathogens at Virginia Tech applied computational and mathematical modeling in combination with RNA-sequencing and mouse studies to understand an important regulatory pathway during Clostridium difficile infection.

"We have found that tissue damage and disease severity in C. difficile infection is associated with a disruption of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR?) pathway," said Josep Bassaganya-Riera, a professor of immunology, director of the Nutritional Immunology and Molecular Medicine Laboratory and the principal investigator with the Center for Modeling Immunity to Enteric Pathogens.

The human intestine must peacefully coexist with trillions of beneficial bacteria while swiftly responding to pathogens such as C. difficile. Sometimes the immune system will go into overdrive when responding to pathogens, causing more damage in an attempt to clear the infection.

Scientists studying mice bowels found the PPAR? pathway keeps the immune response in check, allowing the body to heal while the immune cells that fight infection do their work in a controlled manner. When PPAR? was absent or inactive, disease was more rampant and colonic lesions from C. difficile were much worse.

In addition, researchers found the protective mechanism can be activated and the severity of the C. difficile infection can be reduced by using an existing diabetes drug. More studies will be needed before the drug can be tested against C. difficile.

"This research demonstrates that the integration of powerful computer simulations of host responses with immunology experimentation not only contributes to a better understanding of the immunoregulatory processes in the gut mucosa during C. difficile infection, but it also advances the discovery of broad-based therapeutic targets in the host for infectious diseases," said Raquel Hontecillas, an assistant professor of immunology at Virginia Tech, co-director of the Nutritional Immunology and Molecular Medicine Laboratory and leader of the immunology component of the Center for Modeling Immunity to Enteric Pathogens.

This research builds on previous work from the Nutritional Immunology and Molecular Medicine Laboratory, which shows that PPAR? is critical to reducing disease caused by enteric pathogens and regulating autoimmune diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease.

"With continued research, new drugs targeting this pathway will be developed that will have fewer side effects and greater efficacy than those currently on the market," Bassaganya-Riera said.

C. difficile has become a widespread problem in hospitals with patients who have received heavy doses of multiple antibiotics and it is spreading in the community. Symptoms include persistent diarrhea, fever, gut inflammation, and weight loss. Even though such potentially life-threatening intestinal infections occur among very young, elderly or immune-compromised individuals, C. difficile has increasingly been found in patients who traditionally would not be susceptible to this bacterium.

Current strains of C. difficile have become even more virulent and anti-microbial resistant in recent years which emphasizes the importance of developing broad-based, host-targeted approaches to control the disease as opposed to just relying on anti-microbial therapies that target the bacterium and can stimulate the spread of resistance.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Virginia Tech, via AlphaGalileo.

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

Journal Reference:

Monica Viladomiu, Raquel Hontecillas, Mireia Pedragosa, Adria Carbo, Stefan Hoops, Pawel Michalak, Katarzyna Michalak, Richard L. Guerrant, James K. Roche, Cirle A. Warren, Josep Bassaganya-Riera. Modeling the Role of Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor ? and MicroRNA-146 in Mucosal Immune Responses to Clostridium difficile. PLoS ONE, 2012; 7 (10): e47525 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0047525

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://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/~3/wDGNSMv9m8g/121130110550.htm

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Should the UN regulate the internet? | The Stream - Al Jazeera English

[View the story "Should the UN regulate the internet?" on Storify]

Storified by The Stream ? Thu, Nov 29 2012 10:49:56

On December 3-14, the UN agency International Telecommunications Union (ITU)?will host the World Conference for International Telecommunication (WCIT-12) in Dubai. The hashtag #WCIT12 is being used on Twitter to highlight news from the conference.?

Wordpress

The ITU says its major commitment is "connecting the world". In the following video, ITU Secretary General Hamadoun?Tour? (@ITUSecGen)?explains that WCIT?will address internet policies such as cybersecurity,?online fraud and?future revenue streams that could be used to expand global connectivity:

ITU Secretary - General Video Message: Dr Hamadoun I.Tour?, SG, ITU on WCIT - 12itutelecommunication

Many digital rights activists and tech companies including Google have criticised the push for a central?internet-governing body. Additionally, they say an international treaty that includes influential countries such as China and Russia could lead to greater online censorship. Many have also criticised the ITU for its lack of transparency.

Some of the proposals to the ITU have been leaked by WCITleaks.org. Russia has?outlined its intention?to create more clearly defined online borders and?"manage the Internet within their national territory". Similar proposals by the League of Arab States and China can alsobe found on the site:

wcitleaks.org RussianFederationAJstream

After the documents were leaked, netizens expressed concern?about the future implications of full government?control over the internet:

For Forbes today, the #ITU 's leaked media playbook on #WCIT anti-Internet treaty reveals desperation and paranoia. http://fb.me/29sdoDJ0hLarry Downes

Russia, China, #ITU #UN #WCIT are trying to destroy internet freedom thru "Internet regulation" http://reut.rs/Y1Gy7Qjohnmpoole.com

Just wonderful... What will be the next step? Welcome to the bright new world...http://www.digitaltrends.com/web/wcitleaks-org-aims-to-expose-un-takeover-of-the-internet/Alex Valentine

Internet rights groups?Fight For The Future?and Access?joined forces to create this video about how the ITU could harm online freedoms:

How the ITU could put the internet behind closed doors.fightforthefutu

One?proposal by the European Telecommunication Network Operators (ETNO), a group of 38 telecommunications corporations, requests the ITU adopt a "sender pays" policy that would require sites like YouTube and Facebook to pay a fee for?sending information internationally:

etno.eu ETNO Sender Pay RationaleAJstream

#WCIT12 is not in any way going to be challenging Article 19, or indeed any other article in the Universal Declaration of Human RightsITU Sec Gen's Office

#WCIT12 is not about who governs or owns the Internet. It is about cooperating to ensure the free flow of information: http://bit.ly/OcNv1mITU Sec Gen's Office

#WCIT12 to stifle online freedom? ITU Constitution establishes right to communicate & prevails over ITRs-ITRs cannot compromise this freedomSarah Parkes

Working in PR am not surprised how easy it is to mislead the masses-but AM shocked how many media just swallow big corporates' spin #WCIT12Sarah Parkes

WCIT12 will look at ways to finance broadband infrastructure & create the conditions for further ICT growth: http://bit.ly/Len1aGITU Sec Gen's Office

@RossSchulman @ITUSecGen ETNO is one of our Sector Members + we are happy to participate in other such events with key stakeholders #WCIT12ITU Sec Gen's Office

In response, Google has started its own campaign to promote a?#freeandopen internet.

Take Action: Add Your Voice to Keep the Internet #freeandopengoogle

Google

A free and open world depends on a free and open web. And a free and open web depends on me. http://goo.gl/Hs9l2 #freeandopenDavid Martin

Accessnow

Online, many have spoken out against the #ETNO:

#telco #fcc Why ETNO's proposals to ITU for Internet regulation & Non-Neutrality are flawed & duplicitous | Dean Bubley http://disruptivewireless.blogspot.com/2012/11/why-etnos-proposals-to-itu-for-internet.htmldotpeople

The Body of European Regulators opposes #ETNO proposal on #ITRs http://berec.europa.eu/files/document_register_store/2012/11/BoR(12)120rev.1_BEREC_Statement_on_ITR_2012.11.14.pdf #WCITBaher Esmat

ETNO defended its "sender pays" proposal, issuing these?statements below:

Telecoms: ?Network Sharing Is the Way Forward? - The Source - WSJ http://on.wsj.com/T0q20GETNOAssociation

The Stream asked its online community:?"Should?the internet have a central governing body?"?

should the UN reach a decent and reasonable legislation basis and yes, it should regulate the internetCristina Peres

@AJStream @daniahy @kkiang NO WAY!! HAVING A SINGLE AUTHORITY OVER TH INTERNET WILL GROSSLY INTERFERE WITH PERSONAL FREEDOMSOugasam

@AJStream @daniahy @kkiang Such authorities can be manipulated by some powerful states. We want freedomOugasam

@chumaivan @AJStream exactly! Governing it would be taking out the very essence that makes the internet uniqueCharity motaung

Source: http://stream.aljazeera.com/story/should-un-regulate-internet-0022416

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Affiliate Marketing On the internet Enterprise is Best Residence ...

An accident, head injury and spinal cord injury in my early twenties changed my live significantly and luckily I recovered sufficient to look at new techniques of earning an earnings. More than the past twenty plus years, I?ve had technical education as portion of rehabilitation that led to a successful career. However, the detrimental effects of the injuries worsened as I aged, top to me being unable to function even at a desk or extended amounts of time. An eight hr day and 40 hour plus week just wore me out physically and even worsened the muscle weakness from the hemi-paresis, muscle weakness on a single side that I had.

So now I was seeking at earning earnings from house in numerous methods. I first attempted selling on eBay but packing and shipping a high volume was not truly feasible for me with my physical limitations. Then there was a severe communication problem when I tried a number of network advertising companies. The occasionally slurred speech of mine ruined telephone conversations and face to face meetings definitely did not show self self-confidence or leadership skills. I also tried generating and selling digital goods but the head injury undoubtedly slowed me down and by the time I would produce ebooks, websites, and launch the product, there had been dozens of folks selling a comparable product or the suggestions were outdated.

I located selling affiliate goods was very straightforward for me, required no physical effort other than reading, a pc connection, ?one finger? typing and time. What I like very best is that the personal computer did the communication. Certain, I had to set up the ad or webpage (and there is software program for that even), but once I did the computer replicated my presentation flawlessly, thousands of instances and my affiliate marketing online enterprise was now paying me a lot more than I earned from my past total time job.

Essentially, an affiliate marketing and advertising on the internet business can be run from anywhere and I even began component time. You can of course earn a total time revenue or even become a super affiliate earning a six figure income. There is no inventory to stock in an affiliate advertising online enterprise. Having a component of me disabled from an accident, I am excited about not having to pack and ship any items. You see the merchants that I represent or refer do all the function. They even gather the payments, processing credit cards worldwide so I have no payments to collect

Client assistance is a large part of many companies and their success. Some folks have to employ help or outsource this. Nicely not me in my affiliate marketing on-line enterprise, the organizations I refer do this work too. And greatest of all, many of these organizations make payment right away. Some wait 30 days when they have funds back guarantees. But typically I get a PayPal payment correct away or a transfer into my bank account either weekly or monthly. Some people still choose checks delivered by snail mail. Well, they nevertheless do that as well.

Getting the correct details and strategy is important to your success in affiliate marketing and advertising. If you set up your ads or web site or ad or even articles as this a single, your affiliate company will run itself. Certain you may place in some time to construct a website or write some advertisements but once they go reside on the internet, you can go swimming, or as I do, just workout at the fitness center which I required for ongoing rehabilitation. If you don?t need either of these activities, then just watch the football game or spend time with pals as your affiliate income is deposited in your bank.

An crucial note is that the time spent setting these affiliate advertising sites, blogs or advertisements up does not have to be carried out at one time. Instead of two complete eight hr workdays, a half hour or hour spread out more than a couple weeks at a time is adequate. For some disabled as I, this time benefit of an affiliate advertising online business is a actual blessing?like gold.

By the way, you do not have to be disabled in any way to be have a effective affiliate enterprise!

Source: http://www.bnr.co/business/affiliate-marketing-on-the-internet-enterprise-is-best-residence-company-for-injured-and-disabled-people/

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Want a Date with Betty White? Bids Start at $1K | FOX8.com - WJW

(Courtesy: David Shankbone via MGN Online)

(CNN) ? The television icon best known for her work on ?The Mary Tyler Moore Show,? ?Golden Girls? and most recently ?Hot in Cleveland? has put herself up for auction.

Yes, that?s right ? you can win a date with Betty White.

The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals announced on its website Wednesday that fans can bid to go on a date with the 90-year-old actress, and all proceeds from the date auction will benefit the Los Angeles chapter of the SPCA.

The winning bidder in the online auction will be able to bring three guests to an intimate dinner with White ? a longtime animal-rights supporter ? at one her favorite fine dining restaurants. The dinner will take place in the greater Los Angeles area.

Bidding starts on Monday at a minimum bid of $1,000 on SPCA LA?s eBay page.

Source: http://fox8.com/2012/11/28/want-a-date-with-betty-white-bids-start-at-1k/

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Thursday, November 29, 2012

Protesters pack Tahrir Square, dispute Morsi

CAIRO (AP) ? The same chants used against Hosni Mubarak were turned against his successor Tuesday as more than 200,000 people packed Egypt's Tahrir Square in the biggest challenge yet to Islamist President Mohammed Morsi.

The massive, flag-waving throng protesting Morsi's assertion of near-absolute powers rivaled some of the largest crowds that helped drive Mubarak from office last year.

"The people want to bring down the regime!" and "erhal, erhal" ? Arabic for "leave, leave" ? rang out across the plaza, this time directed at Egypt's first freely elected president.

The protests were sparked by edicts Morsi issued last week that effectively neutralize the judiciary, the last branch of government he does not control. But they turned into a broader outpouring of anger against Morsi and his Muslim Brotherhood, which opponents say have used election victories to monopolize power, squeeze out rivals and dictate a new, Islamist constitution, while doing little to solve Egypt's mounting economic and security woes.

Clashes broke out in several cities, with Morsi's opponents attacking Brotherhood offices, setting fire to at least one. Protesters and Brotherhood members pelted each other with stones and firebombs in the Nile Delta city of Mahalla el-Kobra, leaving at least 100 people injured.

"Power has exposed the Brotherhood. We discovered their true face," said Laila Salah, a housewife at the Tahrir protest who said she voted for Morsi in last summer's presidential election. After Mubarak, she said, Egyptians would no longer accept being ruled by an autocrat.

"It's like a wife whose husband was beating her and then she divorces him and becomes free," she said. "If she remarries she'll never accept another day of abuse."

Gehad el-Haddad, a senior adviser to the Brotherhood and its political party, said Morsi would not back down on his edicts. "We are not rescinding the declaration," he told The Associated Press.

That sets the stage for a drawn-out battle that could throw the nation into greater turmoil. Protest organizers have called for another mass rally Friday. If the Brotherhood responds with demonstrations of its own, as some of its leaders have hinted, it would raise the prospect of greater violence after a series of clashes between the two camps in recent days.

A tweet by the Brotherhood warned that if the opposition was able to bring out 200,000 to 300,000, "they should brace for millions in support" of Morsi.

Another flashpoint could come Sunday, when the constitutional court is to rule on whether to dissolve the assembly writing the new constitution, which is dominated by the Brotherhood and its Islamist allies. Morsi's edicts ban the courts from disbanding the panel; if the court defies him and rules anyway, it would be a direct challenge that could spill over into the streets.

"Then we are in the face of the challenge between the supreme court and the presidency," said Nasser Amin, head of the Arab Center for the Independence of the Judiciary and the Legal Profession. "We are about to enter a serious conflict" on both the legal and street level, he said.

Morsi and his supporters say the decrees were necessary to prevent the judiciary from blocking the "revolution's goals" of a transition to democracy. The courts ? where many Mubarak-era judges still hold powerful posts ? have already disbanded the first post-Mubarak elected parliament, which was led by the Brotherhood. Now it could also take aim at the Islamist-led upper house of parliament.

Morsi's decrees ban the judiciary from doing so and grant his decisions immunity from judicial review. Morsi also gave himself sweeping powers to prevent threats to the revolution, stability or state institutions, which critics say are tantamount to emergency laws. These powers are to remain in effect until the constitution is approved and parliamentary elections are held, not likely before spring 2013.

Opponents say the decrees turn Morsi ? who narrowly won last summer's election with just over 50 percent of the vote ? into a new dictator, given that he holds not only executive but also legislative powers, after the lower house of parliament was dissolved.

Tuesday's turnout was an unprecedented show of strength by the mainly liberal and secular opposition, which has been divided and uncertain amid the rise to power of the Brotherhood over the past year. The crowds were of all stripes, including many first-time protesters.

"Suddenly Morsi is issuing laws and becoming the absolute ruler, holding all powers in his hands," said Mona Sadek, a 31-year-old engineering graduate who wears the Islamic veil, a hallmark of piety. "Our revolt against the decrees became a protest against the Brotherhood as well."

"The Brotherhood hijacked the revolution," agreed Raafat Magdi, an engineer who was among a crowd of some 10,000 marching from the Cairo district of Shubra to Tahrir to the beat of drums and chants against the Brotherhood. Reform leader Mohammed ElBaradei led the march.

"People woke up to (Morsi's) mistakes, and in any new elections they will get no votes," Magdi said.

Many in the crowd said they were determined to push ahead with the protests until Morsi retreats. A major concern was that Islamists would use the decree's protection of the constitutional assembly to drive through their vision for the next charter, with a heavy emphasis on implementing Shariah, or Islamic law. The assembly has been plagued with controversy, and more than two dozen of its 100 members have quit in recent days to protest Islamist control.

"Next Friday will be decisive," protester Islam Bayoumi said of the upcoming rally. "If people maintain the same pressure and come in large numbers, they could manage to press the president and rescue the constitution."

A fellow protester, Saad Salem Nada, said of Morsi: "I am a Muslim and he made me hate Muslims because of the dictatorship in the name of religion. In the past, we had one Mubarak. Now we have hundreds."

Even as the crowds swelled in Tahrir, clashes erupted nearby between several hundred protesters throwing stones and police firing tear gas on a street leading to the U.S. Embassy. Clouds of tear gas hung over the area, where clashes have broken out for several days, fueled by anger over police abuses.

A photographer working for the AP, Ahmed Gomaa, was beaten by stick-wielding police while covering the clashes. Police took his equipment and Gomaa was taken to a hospital for treatment.

Rival rallies by Morsi opponents and supporters turned into brief clashes in the Mediterranean city of Alexandria, where anti-Morsi protesters broke into the local office of the Muslim Brotherhood, throwing furniture out the windows and trying unsuccessfully to set fire to it. Protesters also set fire to Brotherhood offices in the city of Mansoura.

Morsi's supporters canceled a massive rally planned for Tuesday in Cairo, citing the need to "defuse tension." Morsi's supporters say more than a dozen of their offices have been ransacked or set ablaze since Friday. Some 5,000 demonstrated in the southern city of Assiut in support of Morsi's decrees, according to witnesses there.

So far, there has been little sign of a compromise. On Monday, Morsi met with the nation's top judges and tried to win their acceptance of his decrees. But the move was dismissed by many in the opposition and the judiciary as providing no real concessions.

Saad Emara, a senior Muslim Brotherhood member, said Morsi will not make any concessions, especially after the surge of violence and assaults on Brotherhood offices.

Emara accused the opposition "of resorting to violence with a political cover," claiming that former ruling party and Mubarak-era businessmen were hiring thugs to attack Brotherhood offices with the opposition's blessing.

"The story now is that the civilian forces are playing with fire. This is a dangerous scene."

___

Associated Press writer Hamza Hendawi in Cairo contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/egypt-mass-protests-challenge-islamist-president-175352891.html

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OCZ Vector SSD review roundup: consistently fast

When OCZ gave us a peek at its Vector SSD, we were curious as to how the drive would fare with a Barefoot 3 controller built through the team from its Indilinx buyout. Would it be the validation of a new strategy, or produce classic rookie mistakes? As long as you're fine with the OCZ badge, it's mostly the former. Reviews don't have the Vector winning outright in every benchmark, but it's one of the more reliably quick drives on the market; multiple sites point out that Barefoot 3's balanced approach to techniques like garbage collection (freeing up data blocks for future use) keeps the overall speed high. Write performance is the strong suit, staying closer to the ideal where others sometimes trail off quickly. Drawbacks most center around the less predictable factors -- Barefoot 3 doesn't have an established track record for reliability, and the pricing isn't always favorable against high-end peers like Samsung's SSD 840 Pro. That OCZ managed to do so well with its first in-house controller is still a positive sign, and those willing to give the Vector a shot may find it worth the initial uncertainty.

Read - HardOCP
Read - HotHardware
Read - Legit Reviews
Read - Storage Review
Read - The Tech Report
Read - TechSpot
Read - Tom's Hardware

Filed under: Storage

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/TJGm5dpd19s/

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Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Increasing drought stress challenges vulnerable hydraulic system of plants, GW professor finds

Public release date: 27-Nov-2012
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Contact: Latarsha Gatlin
lgatlin@gwu.edu
202-994-5631
George Washington University

Amy Zanne, Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences, co-authors paper published in Nature studying effects of drought on plant life

WASHINGTON - The hydraulic system of trees is so finely-tuned that predicted increases in drought due to climate change may lead to catastrophic failure in many species. A recent paper co-authored by George Washington University Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences Amy Zanne finds that those systems in plants around the globe are operating at the top of their safety threshold, making forest ecosystems vulnerable to increasing environmental stress.

In the current issue of the journal Nature, Dr. Zanne and lead authors from the University of Western Sydney in Australia and Ulm University in Germany, report that the hydraulic system trees depend on is a unique but unstable mechanism that is constantly challenged.

"Drought is a major force shaping our forests," said Dr. Zanne, a faculty member within the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences. "Over the last century, drought has been responsible globally for numerous large-scale forest diebacks. To make effective predictions of how forest landscapes may change in the future, we need to first understand how plants work."

The primary challenge plants face during drought is how to keep their plumbing working. Drought stress creates trapped gas emboli in the water system, which reduces the ability of plants to supply water to leaves for photosynthetic gas exchange and can ultimately result in desiccation and death.

"Vulnerability to embolism is one of the main factors determining drought effects on trees," Dr. Zanne said. "However, plants vary dramatically in their resistance to drought-induced embolism, which has made predictions of how forests might be altered under future climates more difficult."

While the research findings are alarming, plants do have a few other tricks up their sleeves. They may have some flexibility of changing their plumbing or new species of trees may replace species no longer capable of persisting in a given place.

An international team consisting of Dr. Zanne and 23 other plant scientists organized via the ARC-NZ Research Network for Vegetation Function at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia, analyzed existing measures of plant hydraulic safety thresholds in forest species around the world.

The surprising result that the group discovered is that while plants vary greatly in their embolism resistance, they are sitting at similar safety thresholds across all forest types. The team found these thresholds are largely independent of mean annual precipitation.

The findings explain why drought-induced forest decline occurs in arid as well as wet forests, which had historically not been considered at risk.

###

George Washington University

In the heart of the nation's capital with additional programs in Virginia, the George Washington University was created by an Act of Congress in 1821. Today, GW is the largest institution of higher education in the District of Columbia. The university offers comprehensive programs of undergraduate and graduate liberal arts study, as well as degree programs in medicine, public health, law, engineering, education, business and international affairs. Each year, GW enrolls a diverse population of undergraduate, graduate and professional students from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and more than 130 countries.

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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Increasing drought stress challenges vulnerable hydraulic system of plants, GW professor finds

Public release date: 27-Nov-2012
[ | E-mail |

Share ]

Contact: Latarsha Gatlin
lgatlin@gwu.edu
202-994-5631
George Washington University

Amy Zanne, Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences, co-authors paper published in Nature studying effects of drought on plant life

The findings explain why drought-induced forest decline occurs in arid as well as wet forests, which had historically not been considered at risk.

###

George Washington University

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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-11/gwu-ids112712.php

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Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Mursi opponents rally in Cairo's Tahrir Square

CAIRO (Reuters) - Opponents of President Mohamed Mursi rallied in Cairo's Tahrir Square for a fifth day on Tuesday, stepping up calls to scrap a decree they say threatens Egypt with a new era of autocracy.

The protest called by leftist, liberal and socialist groups marks an escalation of the worst crisis since the Muslim Brotherhood politician was elected in June and exposes the deep divide between newly empowered Islamists and their opponents.

The crowd is expected to grow in the late afternoon but hundreds were already in the square after many camped overnight. Police fired tear gas and organizers urged demonstrators not to clash with Interior Ministry security forces.

One person - a Muslim Brotherhood activist - has been killed and hundreds more injured in violence set off by a move that has also triggered a rebellion by judges and battered confidence in an economy struggling to recover from two years of turmoil.

Mursi's opponents have accused him of behaving like a modern-day pharaoh. The United States, a big benefactor to Egypt's military, has voiced its concerns, worried by more turbulence in a country that has a peace treaty with Israel.

The protest will test the extent to which Egypt's non-Islamist opposition can rally support. The Islamists have consistently beaten more secular parties at the ballot box in elections held since Hosni Mubarak was toppled in February, 2011.

"We don't want a dictatorship again. The Mubarak regime was a dictatorship. We had a revolution to have justice and freedom," said Ahmed Husseini, 32, who was speaking early on Tuesday in Tahrir Square.

Activists have been camped out in Tahrir Square, scene of the historic uprising against Mubarak, since Friday, blocking it to traffic and clashing intermittently with riot police in nearby streets.

The decree issued by Mursi on Thursday expanded his powers and protected his decisions from judicial review until the election of a new parliament expected in the first half of 2013.

The New York-based Human Rights Watch said it gives Mursi more power than the military junta from which he assumed power.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon noted judges had challenged the decree in remarks to Austria's Die Presse, adding: "But I have also noted that Mursi wants to resolve the problem in a dialogue. I will encourage him to continue to do so."

AVOIDING CONFRONTATION

In a bid to ease tensions with judges outraged at the step, Mursi has assured the country's highest judicial authority that elements of the decree giving his decisions immunity would apply only to matters of "sovereign" importance. Though that should limit it to issues such as a declaration of war, experts said there was room for a broader interpretation.

In another step to avoid more confrontation, the Muslim Brotherhood cancelled a mass protest it had called in Cairo for Tuesday in support of a decree that has also won the backing of more hardline Islamist groups.

But there has been no retreat on other elements of the decree, including a stipulation that the Islamist-dominated body writing a new constitution be protected from legal challenge.

Its popular legitimacy undermined by the withdrawal of most of its non-Islamist members, the assembly faces a raft of court cases from plaintiffs who claim it was formed illegally.

The new system of government to be laid out in the constitution is one of the issues at the heart of the crisis.

"The president of the republic must put his delusions to one side and undertake the only step capable of defusing the crisis: cancelling the despotic declaration," liberal commentator and activist Amr Hamzawy wrote in his column in al-Watan newspaper.

"We asked for the cancellation of the decree and that did not happen," said Mona Amer, spokeswoman for the opposition movement Popular Current, part of a coalition of parties that are joining forces to challenge the Mursi decree.

Mursi issued the decree a day after his administration won international praise for brokering an end to eight days of violence between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

The decree was seen as targeting in part a legal establishment still largely unreformed from Mubarak's era, when the Brotherhood was outlawed.

MEETING HALF WAY

Rulings from an array of courts this year have dealt a series of blows to the Brotherhood, leading to the dissolution of the first constitutional assembly and the parliament elected a year ago. The Brotherhood had a major say in both.

The judiciary blocked an attempt by Mursi to reconvene the Brotherhood-led parliament after his election victory. It also stood in the way of his attempt to sack the prosecutor general, a Mubarak hold over, in October.

In his decree, Mursi gave himself the power to sack that prosecutor and appoint a new one. In open defiance of Mursi, some judges are refusing to acknowledge that step.

But in a sign that other judges were willing to meet Mursi half way, the Supreme Judicial Council, the nation's highest judicial body, proposed Mursi limit the scope of decisions that would be immune from judicial review to "sovereign matters", language the presidential spokesman said Mursi backed.

"The president said he had the utmost respect for the judicial authority and its members," spokesman Yasser Ali told reporters in announcing the agreement on Monday.

Mursi's administration has defended his decree as an effort to speed up reforms and complete a democratic transformation. Leftists, liberals, socialists and others say it has exposed the autocratic impulses of a man once jailed by Mubarak.

Before the president's announcement, leftist politician Hamdeen Sabahy said protests would continue until the decree was scrapped and said Tahrir would be a model of an "Egypt that will not accept a new dictator because it brought down the old one".

Mursi has repeatedly stated the decree will only stay in place until a new parliament is elected - something that can only happen once the constitution is written and passed in a popular referendum.

Though both Islamists and their opponents broadly agree that the judiciary needs reform, his rivals oppose Mursi's methods.

(Additional reporting by Seham Eloraby in Cairo and Michael Shields in Vienna; Editing by Anna Willard)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/mursi-opponents-rally-cairos-tahrir-091805404.html

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Our Favorite Norman Rockwell Thanksgiving Remake

Some Shooting Challenges are crazy-popular, others, usually falling over the holidays, are eerily quiet. So this week, for our Rockwell remake results, we're going to highlight our favorite of a small bunch, by Andrew Drozd. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/CkZtLSNH-S4/one-great-norman-rockwell-remake

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Rapid changes in climate don't slow some lizards

ScienceDaily (Nov. 26, 2012) ? One tropical lizard's tolerance to cold is stiffer than scientists had suspected. A new study shows that the Puerto Rican lizard Anolis cristatellus has adapted to the cooler winters of Miami. The results also suggest that this lizard may be able to tolerate temperature variations caused by climate change.

"We are not saying that climate change is not a problem for lizards. It is a major problem. However, these findings indicate that the thermal physiology of tropical lizards is more easily altered than previously proposed," said Duke biologist Manuel Leal, co-author of the study, which appears in the Dec. 6 issue of The American Naturalist.

Scientists previously proposed that because lizards were cold-blooded, they wouldn't be able to tolerate or adapt to cooler temperatures.

Humans, however, introduced Puerto Rican native A. cristatellus to Miami around 1975. In Miami, the average temperature is about 10 degrees Celsius cooler in winter than in Puerto Rico. The average summer temperatures are similar.

Leal and his graduate student Alex Gunderson captured A. cristatellus from Miami's Pinecrest area and also from northeastern Puerto Rico. They brought the animals back to their North Carolina lab, slid a thermometer in each lizard's cloaca and chilled the air to a series of cooler temperatures. The scientists then watched how easy it was for the lizards to right themselves after they had been flipped on their backs.

The lizards from Miami flipped themselves over in temperatures that were 3 degrees Celsius cooler than the lizards from Puerto Rico. Animals that flip over at lower temperatures have higher tolerances for cold temperatures, which is likely advantageous when air temperatures drop, Leal said.

"It is very easy for the lizards to flip themselves over when they are not cold or not over-heating. It becomes harder for them to flip over as they get colder, down to the point at which they are unable to do so," he said.

At that point, called the critical temperature minimum, the lizards aren't dead. They've just lost control of their coordination. "It is like a human that is suffering from hypothermia and is beginning to lose his or her balance or is not capable of walking. It is basically the same problem. The body temperature is too cold for muscles to work properly," he said.

Leal explained that a difference of 3 degrees Celsius is "relatively large and when we take into account that it has occurred in approximately 35 generations, it is even more impressive." Most evolutionary change happens on the time scale of a few hundred, thousands or millions of years. Thirty-five years is a time scale that happens during a human lifetime, so we can witness this evolutionary change, he said.

The lizards' cold tolerance also "provides a glimpse of hope for some tropical species," Leal added, cautioning that at present scientists don't know how quickly tolerance to high temperatures -- another important consequence of climate change -- can evolve.

He and Gunderson are now working on the heat-tolerance experiments, along with tests to study whether other lizard species can adjust to colder temperatures.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Duke University. The original article was written by Ashley Yeager.

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

Journal Reference:

Manuel Leal, Alex R. Gunderson. Rapid Change in the Thermal Tolerance of a Tropical Lizard. The American Naturalist, 2012; 180 (6): 815 DOI: 10.1086/668077

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.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/wBTb_a3_mUU/121126164310.htm

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Food and travel outshine ?traditional? retail as sales rise 3.6%

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Source: http://www.berteloot.com/2012/11/26/food-and-travel-outshine-traditional-retail-as-sales-rise-3-6-startupsmart/

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Low Cost Web Hosting Suppliers Evaluations And Rating | My Six ...

The online market place is actually an ultra powerful software that helps you to fulfil your necessities from the comfort and ease within your property. From data to products, you might advantage by possessing accessibility to every thing with the click on of the button. In such an issue, you are going to find out gurus featuring their valuable expertise to clientele via the web. These specialists produce unique varieties of expert services to people in desire. As an example, in relation to PHP online developer you?ll find skilled industry experts providing expertise at competitive charges. You just must lookup and find a particular who are able to meet your needs.

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Why You Should Not Use Free Web Hosting can give you most data for Internet Hosting Compared Shared Vs Reseller Hosting.Be sure to go to the article for additional info!

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Source: http://mysixstringsblog.com/low-cost-web-hosting-suppliers-evaluations-and-rating/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=low-cost-web-hosting-suppliers-evaluations-and-rating

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Monday, November 26, 2012

Saudi Arabian Men Now Get Text Alerts When Their Women Leave the Country

In Saudi Arabia, if a woman leaves the country, her husband or male "guardian" will receive a text message to let him know that, even if she's traveling with him, ho boy! His woman is on the loose. Saudi Arabia: where technology and misogyny unite! More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/RI-Q1Klzemk/saudi-arabian-men-now-get-text-alerts-when-their-women-leave-the-country

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Fire sweeps clothing factory in Bangladesh -- over 100 killed - World ...

Hasan Raza / AP

Bangladeshi firefighters battle a fire at a garment factory in the Savar neighborhood in Dhaka, Bangladesh, late Saturday.

By NBC News wire services

Updated at 5:20 a.m. ET: DHAKA, Bangladesh -- More than 100 people were killed as a fire swept through a garment factory on the outskirts of Bangladesh's capital, the chief of the fire brigade said Sunday.

The fire at the nine-story factory in the Ashulia industrial belt started on the ground floor late Saturday and quickly spread, trapping hundreds of workers.

"So far, the confirmed death toll is 109, including nine who died by jumping from the building," Mizanur Rahman, deputy director of the fire brigade, told Reuters.?

However, other sources earlier said the toll could be much higher.?Abu Nayeem Mohammad Shahidullah, director general of the fire brigade, told Reuters 120 bodies had been recovered. It was not clear if his count had been revised.

Fire department Operations Director Maj. Mohammad Mahbub told The Associated Press that?the nine-story factory was operated by Tazreen Fashions.

Witnesses said the workers, mostly women, ran for safety as the fire engulfed the plant, but were unable to come out through narrow exits.

"Many jumped out from the windows and were injured, or died on the spot," said Milon, a resident.?"We are appalled to see the charred bodies coming out of the factory since last night. It was an endless stream."

Mahbub said army soldiers and border guards had been deployed to help police keep the situation under control as thousands of anxious relatives of the factory workers gathered at the scene.?

Bangladesh has around 4,500 garment factories that make clothes for such ?brands as Tesco, Wal-Mart, JC Penney, H&M, Marks & Spencer, Kohl's and Carrefour.

Bangladesh is the world's biggest exporter of clothing after China, with garments making up 80 percent of its $24 billion annual exports.?

But safety standards at the factories are poor and not enforced strictly, causing scores of accidents each year.?

Saturday's fire was the worst in years, and rescuers and police said the death count may surpass any previous toll.?

This article includes reporting by Reuters and The Associated Press.

More world stories from NBC News:

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Source: http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/11/24/15420144-fire-sweeps-clothing-factory-in-bangladesh-over-100-killed

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BMW i8 Concept Roadster two seater on display at 2012 LA Auto ...

BMW is excited and confirmed rumors floating around that their new i8 Concept Roadster will be making its appearance at 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show on 28th November. While this two seater is being introduced, BMW will also be bringing out a new 'i' model which will be a sportier version of the BMWi3. Previously seen at Beijing Motor Show, the concept will have same carbon fiber construction as seen in i8 coupe which is also scheduled for launch in 2013.

The roadster is a two seater with a sloping roofline and same drivetrain as the coupe which means that it will sport a 1.5 liter turbocharged three cylinder petrol engine offering 220 bhp while an electric motor will have around 134bhp driving its front wheels. Being a front, rear and all wheel drive is what will make this roadster efficient while at the same time working in combustion, electric and combined modes will further augment performance.

Battery pack is located in the central tunnel which enables a 50:50 weight distribution. The roadster will have a 4.6 second acceleration time from 0 to 60 mph and a top speed of 155 mph. Its battery pack allows for electric driving upto 20 miles on a full recharge which can be achieved in 1 hour and 45 minutes through a high voltage outlet. Production is expected to commence in late 2014 while prices will range around ?80,000.

Under the banner of its sub-brand BMW i, the BMW Group is developing a range of purpose-built vehicle concepts and complementary mobility services which meet the changing needs of customers and redefine the understanding of personal mobility. As well as adopting intelligent technologies and innovative design, BMW i is pursuing an all-embracing approach defined to a significant degree by sustainability throughout the value chain.

Following the presentation of the BMW i3 Concept and BMW i8 Concept, the BMW Group introduces the BMW i8 Concept Roadster to the mix. This third BMW i model embodies the future of cutting-edge and emotionally appealing mobility concepts. Its sporting design headlines the qualities of an open-top two-seater blending lightness, dynamic capability and efficiency with a very special aesthetic allure.

The combination of intelligent lightweight design and state-of-the-art hybrid technology imbues the BMW i8 Concept Roadster with genuine sports car performance, yet its fuel consumption is no higher than you would expect from a small car.

Among the most eye-catching features of the BMW i8 Concept Roadster are the upward-swiveling, windowless doors and a range of purpose-oriented on-board equipment including electric kickboards stowed under a transparent tailgate. The sports car is based around the innovative LifeDrive architecture, itself underpinned by a lightweight modular construction and the use of high-quality high-tech materials. The BMW i8 Concept Roadster is a plug-in hybrid powered by an eDrive drivetrain combining a high-performance electric motor and petrol combustion engine. The lithium-ion battery supplying the motor with power can be recharged in an extremely short space of time from any domestic power socket. Together, the car's minimized weight, low center of gravity and finely judged balance, coupled with a combined system output of up to 260 kW (354 hp), promise unbeatable dynamic capability, exceptional efficiency and unbridled driving pleasure.

BMW i8 Concept Roadster with eDrive ? driving pleasure with unbeatable efficiency and dynamics.

Barely a year after the unveiling of the 2+2-seater BMW i8 Concept, BMW i is presenting the second variant of this innovative hybrid sports car, a machine designed to light up the path to compelling and purpose-oriented mobility. Like its Coupe sibling, the emotionally charged BMW i8 Concept Roadster combines intelligent lightweight design with the leading-edge drivetrain technology eDrive, while its open-top two-seater construction delivers an even more intense driving experience. This is a car in which outstanding performance potential goes hand-in-hand with extremely low fuel consumption and emissions.

Compared with the Coupe variant of the BMW i8 Concept, the BMW i8 Concept Roadster has a slightly shorter wheelbase and overall length. With its compact dimensions and distinctive exterior paintwork, the sports car exudes a feeling of dynamism before it so much as turns a wheel, while striking features of its design include upward-swiveling, windowless doors and a transparent glass panel at the rear. Underneath this cover two electric kickboards are stowed, providing a visual showcase for the fun factor in mobility and adding another layer to the car's recreational appeal. Inside, a revised material and color concept provides an extra dose of sportiness. Like the Coupe, the BMW i8 Concept Roadster with eDrive is a high-performance plug-in hybrid, and it fuses the specific advantages of an electric motor and combustion engine to optimum effect. Exceptional efficiency and dynamic capability are the upshot.

Modular LifeDrive architecture offers a preview of the future.?
Like the Coupe, the BMW i8 Concept Roadster is also built around the innovative LifeDrive architecture, a fusion of independent functional units. For example, the carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) Life module gives the car an extremely lightweight passenger cell, while the Drive modules ? made primarily from aluminum components ? bring together all the car's operational driving functions, such as the powertrain, chassis and safety structure. Impressively extensive use of high-tech materials allows this innovative concept to chart new territory in terms of weight minimization, structural rigidity and crash safety. This is good news not only for the car's dynamic performance, but also for its range and fuel economy. Intelligent lightweight design, encompassing the use of innovative materials, has allowed the unavoidable additional weight of the high-output hybrid drivetrain to be cancelled out in full. Plus, the LifeDrive architecture has been carefully adapted to the sports car character of the BMW i8 Concept Roadster. The front and rear axle modules are connected by an "energy tunnel", which houses the hybrid battery. This allows the engineers to give the car a low center of gravity and ideal balance.

The distinctive two-way split of the LifeDrive concept is also reflected in the car's design, which renders the basic elements of the body clearly distinguishable. Expressive surfaces and precise lines create a harmonious transition from one module into another. This overlap and interlocking of surfaces and lines ? "layering" in BMW i speak ? is displayed both on the body and in the interior of the new car.

Latest interpretation of the BMW i design language.?
The BMW i8 Concept Roadster's emotion-led design vividly spotlights the car's qualities, with lightness, dynamic capability and efficiency highlighted to particularly prominent effect. For example, the two-seater embodies the perfect synthesis of technology and aesthetic appeal, and exudes unbridled driving pleasure even when stationary. Key to creating this impression of sporty dynamics are large body panels, a hunkered-down stance and numerous aerodynamic elements such as contact surfaces, spoiler lips, Air Curtains and aero flaps. These features substantially reduce the hybrid car's Cd and enhance both efficiency and range.

Dynamic front end.?
The front end offers a particularly revealing window into the open-top two-seater's dynamic talent. One defining element is the headlights with pioneering laser light technology, which follow the hallmark BMW i U-shaped design template. A semi-transparent "V" opens out from the front end of the flat bonnet towards the windscreen and beckons the eye to the electric motor below. A spoiler lip positioned on the windscreen frame guides the airflow over the heads of the passengers. And for journeys when the weather cannot quite be trusted, the planned two-section folding roof might well come in handy.

Athletic silhouette.?
Short front and rear overhangs and a low-slung silhouette define the side view of the BMW i8 Concept Roadster and underline its athletic character. Alluring lines and forms generate a strong forward-surging stance even before the car powers off the line. The doors, which open by pivoting forwards around the A-pillar axis, further enhance the BMW i8 Concept Roadster's emotional impact. Below the doors, the side skirts create a powerful wedge shape which opens out towards the rear. At the same time, the open-top two-seater cuts a light and flowing figure and appears as if carved from a single mold.

Striking rear.
Like the front end, the rear also sits low to the road. Its headline feature is a transparent cover revealing the two folded electric kickboards accommodated below. Adopting the hallmarks of BMW i design, the kickboards are perfect for relaxed cruising along promenades and paths or around city squares. There can be few more attractive advertisements for individual mobility. A visually imposing rear diffuser, three-dimensional air outlets and the U-shaped rear lights give the BMW i8 Concept Roadster an extremely wide appearance and emphasize its sporting credentials.

Functional aesthetics: layering in the interior.?
The interior of the BMW i8 Concept Roadster is defined by three levels showcasing its various functions. As with the car's body, the interlocking of surfaces and lines is also one of the stand-out features of the interior design. The outer layer frames the supporting structure, while the inner "comfort" layer comprises seat surfaces and stowage compartments. The cockpit fills the third "technical" layer, bringing together the instrument panel, steering column and steering wheel with the instrument cluster, central information display and control elements. The prominent driver focus of the cockpit and the low seating position, which adds further depth to the open-top two-seater's credibility, are particularly eye-catching. All the controls are in just the right position and, like the other functional components of the interior, designed to further enliven the driving experience. An 8.8-inch (22.4 cm) screen displays all the relevant driving information in three-dimensional, high-resolution quality.

The color and materials concept also provides some stand-out touches. The Roadster's interior is defined by a mixture of plastic, carbon and leather, with the off-white of the outer layer and the bold orange tone of the naturally tanned leather generating a sporting atmosphere rich in contrast. The cockpit and center console also show slight modifications over the Coupe. The overall effect of the interior is one of quality, purity and emotional appeal.

Plug-in hybrid:
The perfect alliance of dynamic capability and efficiency.?
Like the Coupe, the BMW i8 Concept Roadster with eDrive is a plug-in hybrid combining two different power sources and employing the specific advantages of its electric motor and combustion engine to optimum effect. The hybrid drivetrain's key components gel together with outstanding smoothness, allowing it to offer peerless dynamic capability and maximum efficiency. In other words, the open-top two-seater produces the performance of an out-and-out sports machine yet posts the fuel economy of a small car.

The 96 kW (131 hp) electric motor on the front axle works in tandem with a turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine sending 164 kW (223 hp) through the rear wheels. Both units are in-house BMW Group developments and generate an aggregate system output of 260 kW (354 hp) and peak torque of 550 Newton meters. That is enough to accelerate the BMW i8 Concept Roadster from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in five seconds on the way to an electronically governed top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph). Despite this performance, the two-seater burns just three liters of petrol per 100 kilometers (equivalent to fuel economy of 94 mpg imp) in the European test cycle.

The electric motor sources its energy from a lithium-ion battery which can be fully charged from a domestic power socket in less than two hours. The high-output battery is located in the energy tunnel between the front and rear axle modules in order to keep the car's center of gravity as low as possible ? and therefore to maximize the car's dynamic performance. The space-saving and well-balanced packaging of this and other drive and chassis components gives the sporting two-seater ideal 50:50 weight distribution.
With its battery fully charged, the BMW i8 Concept Roadster can cover up to 30 kilometers (19 miles) on electric power alone. As such, far from filling in as a bit-part player, the electric motor plays a role equal to that of the petrol engine. If required, a high-voltage alternator hooked up to the combustion engine generates extra power, which is then stored in the hybrid battery. This range-extending function during the course of a journey allows the two-seater to travel further between charging stations.

Another special feature of the BMW i8 Concept Roadster is the ability to send power through the front, rear or all four wheels at the same time. Intelligent control electronics ensure that the optimum drive configuration is available for the situation at hand. The driver can view the driving mode currently engaged and monitor the activity of the two drive sources on the large information display in the cockpit. Furthermore, the electronic systems ensure maximum energy recuperation under braking or when coasting. All of which means that the driver can enjoy maximum dynamic performance, unbeatable directional stability and minimal consumption and emissions at all times.

Connectivity: the perfect link between mobile living environments.?
BMW i sums up the idea of mobility geared to the demands of the future and the needs of its customers. To this end, BMW i drivers will have a new generation of driver assistance systems at their disposal which significantly enhance both safety and comfort. For example, the camera-based proactive Collision Warning system, Parking Assistant and Traffic Jam Assistant ensure all on board can enjoy a safe and relaxed journey.

In addition, BMW i is developing an array of innovative connectivity functions which provide a seamless link between its models and their owners' lives outside the car. Remote functions accessed via a smartphone help users to locate their car in large car parks (Car Finder), show nearby charging stations, allow the battery to be charged at pre-set times and inform drivers on the current status of their vehicle. Plus, the battery and interior can be brought up to peak operating temperature before the driver sets off on a journey. The Last Mile Navigation function, meanwhile, assists drivers after they have parked their car, with route instructions transferred directly onto their smartphone directing them along the last leg of their journey on foot ? to a museum or restaurant, for example. And the Intermodal Route Planning function effectively integrates the car into the local public transport network and provides information on current parking availability at the driver's destination.

Interface design aids intelligent mobility.?
Two large displays inside the BMW i8 Concept Roadster make up the interface between the car, its passengers and the outside world. Positioned alongside the instrument cluster behind the steering wheel, the central information display flags up all relevant information and assists the driver in the use of connectivity applications. A third display shows the automatic climate control settings currently engaged. All the screens display their information in 3D, and the cutting-edge, visually appealing graphics are also impressively clear.

Instrument cluster.
The instrument cluster displays important driving data using two variable-form ellipses. Positioned alongside the digital speedometer, the efficiency display allows drivers to view how much energy they are currently using ? or recovering through the recuperation process. Added to which, the display also contains extra navigation details and information on the car's range when running purely on electric power, its range when powered by the combustion engine alone and its range using both power units in tandem. If the driver switches to energy-saving ECO PRO mode, the display turns blue in color to signal the shift in functional emphasis, and the ellipses now also vary in form. By the same token, moving into SPORT mode treats the driver to an emotional orange hue. As well as the changes in color, the displays also provide information tailored to the driving mode selected and to assisting the driver as effectively as possible.

Central information display.
The central information display in the BMW i8 Concept Roadster makes a key contribution to intelligent mobility. It allows the driver to view the current status of the hybrid system, provides a platform for menu navigation and route guidance, and uses innovative connectivity functions to offer drivers a gateway into their lives outside the car. This ensures drivers remain up to speed at all times on how the combustion engine and electric motor are being used, while also being able to monitor the energy flow within the system.

Forward-thinking analysis of the driving situation.
The car's power electronics are linked up to intelligent navigation and traffic guidance systems to enable the hybrid drive system to work at maximum efficiency. In this way, information on route profile, speed limits and unavoidable traffic congestion are incorporated into the calculations of the energy management system so that the hybrid system's operating strategy can be adapted accordingly. For example, proactive charging of the hybrid battery allows the BMW i8 Concept Roadster to negotiate a traffic tailback on the road ahead using electric power alone ? and therefore without producing any emissions. In addition, handy displays such as fuel consumption history allow interesting reflections on past journeys and help to optimize the driving style of the individual at the wheel.

Perfectly prepared at all times thanks to diary synchronization.
Intelligent connectivity functions open the door to a host of other practical solutions when it comes to preparing the BMW i8 Concept Roadster for its daily workload. One example of this is automatic diary synchronization with the driver's smartphone. The system registers upcoming appointments and, when plugged into a power socket, ensures that the battery is topped up overnight so that the car is ready for action with a fully charged battery the following morning.

The BMW i concept.?
BMW i is about the development of visionary vehicles and mobility services, inspiring design, and a new premium perception strongly guided by sustainability. Under the banner of the young sub-brand, the BMW Group is developing purpose-built vehicle concepts which redefine the understanding of personal mobility. Key elements include groundbreaking technologies, intelligent lightweight design and the innovative use of materials, all with the aim of creating vehicles with extremely low weight, the greatest possible range, generous interior space, poised and authoritative driving characteristics, and exceptional safety. The BMW i8 Concept Roadster follows in the tire tracks of the BMW i3 Concept and BMW i8 Concept Coupe as the third concept car created under the BMW i sub-brand.

Sustainability plays a paramount role in the BMW i concept. It is an issue that runs like a thread throughout the value chain ? all the way from purchasing, through development and production to sales and marketing. And when it comes to the efficient manufacturing of its vehicles, BMW i goes a step further still.

The Leipzig production plant will see an additional 70 per cent reduction in water use and 50 per cent drop in energy consumption per vehicle over the years ahead. And the energy that is used will be sourced 100 per cent from renewable sources.

Specifications.
BMW i8 Concept Roadster.

Source: http://www.rushlane.com/bmw-i8-concept-roadster-two-seater-on-display-at-2012-la-auto-show-1252594.html

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Sunday, November 25, 2012

Florida Beats Florida State 37-26: Gators Score 24 Points In 4th Quarter In Win Over FSU

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. ? Florida coach Will Muschamp doesn't have any doubt where his team's next stop should be: Miami for the BCS championship game on Jan. 7.

And the sixth-ranked Gators made a strong case for consideration Saturday by crushing archrival Florida State.

Mike Gillislee ran for two touchdowns and Florida scored 24 straight points in a span of less than nine minutes in the fourth quarter to keep its national title hopes alive with a convincing win over the 10th-ranked Seminoles.

"We have a really tough football team," Muschamp said he left the field for Florida's locker room. "We should be playing for the national championship."

Florida (11-1, 7-1 Southeastern Conference) came into the game fourth in the BCS standings, and could find itself in position to earn a spot in the national championship game if No. 1 Notre Dame loses to Southern California. The Gators lone loss was in late October to third-ranked Georgia, and it will keep them out of the SEC title game.

"Hopefully we can sneak in," said Florida quarterback Jeff Driskel, who completed 15 of 23 passes for 147 yards and a touchdown. "We're a resilient team."

He's not likely to get any argument from Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher, who hoped a victory over the Gators would not only persuade pollsters that the Seminoles belonged among the elite, but win some positive attention for the Atlantic Coast Conference.

"They controlled the line of scrimmage up front," Fisher said. "They have a very good team. They did a great job."

The game matching two of the nation's best defenses went back and forth with the Seminoles scoring 20 unanswered points to take a 20-13 lead late in the third quarter. They wouldn't score again until the final play of the game and victory out of reach.

"Our guys understand that it's about all 60 minutes," Muschamp said. "We just really needed to be patient and wear them down."

Did they ever.

Florida regained the lead for keeps at 23-20 on Gillislee's 37-yard run with 11:01 left in the final period on the first play after Florida State's EJ Manuel fumbled, his fourth turnover of the game. Gillislee finished with 140 yards rushing, surpassing the 1,000-yard mark for the season early in the game.

Florida State (10-2, 7-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) was hurt by five turnovers in the game. The Seminoles will play Georgia Tech next week in the ACC title game.

Florida State was hoping to keep its own long shot national title hopes alive with a third straight win over the Gators, but couldn't.

The Seminoles had been so dominant at home, outscoring opponents 324-54 in six previous games here with Clemson doing the most damage when Florida State prevailed in a 49-37 shootout in September.

Florida, not known for its offense, rushed for 244 of its 394 yards against the nation's top-ranked defense, which has benefited from a comparatively weak schedule.

And it was that schedule and a 17-16 loss at North Carolina State last month that has provoked questions about how good the Seminoles were. They couldn't capitalize on the opportunity to prove the doubters wrong.

"We're better than them," Florida nose guard Omar Hunter said. "You have to finish the game. The fourth quarter, that's the most important quarter."

Florida salted its victory away on Driskel's 14-yard touchdown throw to Quinton Dunbar with seven minutes left and Matt Jones' 32-yard run with 2:33 left for a 37-20 lead.

Caleb Sturgis kicked three field goals for the Gators. Florida State's Dustin Hopkins had field goals of 50 and 53 yards to tie former Georgia kicker Billy Bennett's NCAA record of 87 career field goals.

Florida State scored 20 straight points to wipe out an early 13-0 deficit. Manuel threw a 6-yard TD pass to Nick O'Leary and the quarterback bootlegged in from a yard out with 8:30 remaining. When Dustin Hopkins kicked a 53-yard field goal with 4:24 left in the third, the Seminoles looked as if they were on their way.

But Florida dominated the fourth quarter.

Gillislee's go-ahead TD run came the first play after Florida's Dominque Easley recovered the fumble by Manuel, who coughed up the ball after being nailed by Antonio Morrison. Manuel had to leave the game for a series, but was unable to rally the Seminoles after returning.

It was a tough game for Manuel for the second straight year against the Gators. He threw for only 65 yards in a 21-7 win at Florida last season and was intercepted three times Saturday in addition to the costly fourth quarter fumble. It was only the second time he was intercepted three times in a game in his career.

Florida dominated the first half, building a 13-0 lead before Florida State scored on the final play of the half when Hopkins kicked a 50-yard field goal into the wind.

Sturgis hit field goals of 39 and 45 yards and Gillislee scored on a 9-yard run moments after the Gators recovered a fumble on the kickoff by Florida State's Karlos Williams at the Seminoles 21.

The Gators, who missed a golden scoring opportunity near the end of the first quarter when Trey Burton underthrew a wide open Clay Burton at about the Florida State 10, ran 25 plays in the opening quarter to eight for the Seminoles.

By the time the fourth quarter rolled around, Florida State seemed to wear down and Florida rolled right into the middle of the national championship conversation.

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/24/florida-beats-florida-state-37-26_n_2185754.html

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