Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Medicaid-insured children have limited access to dermatologists, SLU researchers find

Medicaid-insured children have limited access to dermatologists, SLU researchers find [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 29-Apr-2013
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Riya V. Anandwala
ranandwa@slu.edu
314-977-8018
Saint Louis University

ST. LOUIS A recent Saint Louis University study revealed that Medicaid-insured children with eczema, an inflammatory skin condition that affects 20 percent children in the United States, do not have easy access to dermatologists.

"This is a complex problem and a major health disparity in our country," said Elaine Siegfried, M.D., professor of pediatrics at SLU and the principal investigator of the study. "Thirty percent of all children seen in primary care offices have a skin problem. It's an everyday issue."

SLU researchers found that only 19 percent of all dermatologists in 13 metropolitan areas across the United States accept Medicaid-insured children. Of the 471 dermatologists who were listed as Medicaid-participating providers by Medicaid insurance plans, 44 percent declined to schedule a new Medicaid-insured child.

"The purpose of this study was to compare access to dermatologists for new pediatric patients with eczema insured by Medicaid verus private plans," said Sofia Chaudhry, M.D., assistant professor of dermatology at SLU and the first author of the study, which was published online in the Journal of American Academy of Dermatology last month.

In this secret-shopper survey, researchers posed as parents and called dermatology offices across the country to request an appointment for their child with eczema. Even when a dermatologist was accepting new Medicaid-insured children, these children were more often required to provide a written referral and/or identification numbers before an appointment date could be offered, in comparison to privately-insured children.

Eczema mainly affects children and is often a chronic condition in which the skin becomes itchy, reddened, cracked and dry. In addition to the physical effects, eczema also impacts the quality of life, causing emotional, behavioral and sleep disturbances.

"Since it can be a chronic debilitating disease, it's important for these children to be able to see a dermatologist," said Chaudhry, who is also a SLUCare dermatologist. "Improved access to dermatologists is important for treating eczema in order to enhance the well-being of affected children and to minimize the expensive cost of emergency care," Chaudhry added.

About 32 million children are insured with Medicaid health insurance plans, and that number is likely to expand by 16 to 18 million with the new health care reform.

Chaudhry and other researchers identified several possible factors that may discourage dermatologists from seeing a Medicaid-insured patient. These include a physician's concern of additional administrative paperwork, convoluted or delayed payments, a high no-show rate of patients, extra time required to address patients with complex social issues and possible medical-legal liabilities associated with them.

###

Established in 1836, Saint Louis University School of Medicine has the distinction of awarding the first medical degree west of the Mississippi River. The school educates physicians and biomedical scientists, conducts medical research, and provides health care on a local, national and international level. Research at the school seeks new cures and treatments in five key areas: cancer, infectious disease, liver disease, aging and brain disease and heart/lung disease.


[ Back to EurekAlert! ] [ | E-mail | Share 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.


Medicaid-insured children have limited access to dermatologists, SLU researchers find [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 29-Apr-2013
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Riya V. Anandwala
ranandwa@slu.edu
314-977-8018
Saint Louis University

ST. LOUIS A recent Saint Louis University study revealed that Medicaid-insured children with eczema, an inflammatory skin condition that affects 20 percent children in the United States, do not have easy access to dermatologists.

"This is a complex problem and a major health disparity in our country," said Elaine Siegfried, M.D., professor of pediatrics at SLU and the principal investigator of the study. "Thirty percent of all children seen in primary care offices have a skin problem. It's an everyday issue."

SLU researchers found that only 19 percent of all dermatologists in 13 metropolitan areas across the United States accept Medicaid-insured children. Of the 471 dermatologists who were listed as Medicaid-participating providers by Medicaid insurance plans, 44 percent declined to schedule a new Medicaid-insured child.

"The purpose of this study was to compare access to dermatologists for new pediatric patients with eczema insured by Medicaid verus private plans," said Sofia Chaudhry, M.D., assistant professor of dermatology at SLU and the first author of the study, which was published online in the Journal of American Academy of Dermatology last month.

In this secret-shopper survey, researchers posed as parents and called dermatology offices across the country to request an appointment for their child with eczema. Even when a dermatologist was accepting new Medicaid-insured children, these children were more often required to provide a written referral and/or identification numbers before an appointment date could be offered, in comparison to privately-insured children.

Eczema mainly affects children and is often a chronic condition in which the skin becomes itchy, reddened, cracked and dry. In addition to the physical effects, eczema also impacts the quality of life, causing emotional, behavioral and sleep disturbances.

"Since it can be a chronic debilitating disease, it's important for these children to be able to see a dermatologist," said Chaudhry, who is also a SLUCare dermatologist. "Improved access to dermatologists is important for treating eczema in order to enhance the well-being of affected children and to minimize the expensive cost of emergency care," Chaudhry added.

About 32 million children are insured with Medicaid health insurance plans, and that number is likely to expand by 16 to 18 million with the new health care reform.

Chaudhry and other researchers identified several possible factors that may discourage dermatologists from seeing a Medicaid-insured patient. These include a physician's concern of additional administrative paperwork, convoluted or delayed payments, a high no-show rate of patients, extra time required to address patients with complex social issues and possible medical-legal liabilities associated with them.

###

Established in 1836, Saint Louis University School of Medicine has the distinction of awarding the first medical degree west of the Mississippi River. The school educates physicians and biomedical scientists, conducts medical research, and provides health care on a local, national and international level. Research at the school seeks new cures and treatments in five key areas: cancer, infectious disease, liver disease, aging and brain disease and heart/lung disease.


[ Back to EurekAlert! ] [ | E-mail | Share 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/2013-04/slu-mch042913.php

tebow press conference trina rob dyrdek oberon donald driver donald driver robin thicke

'Iron Man 3' rules world, 'Pain & Gain' takes US

This film image released by Paramount Pictures shows, from left, Dwayne Johnson, Anthony Mackie and Mark Wahlberg in a scene from "Pain and Gain." (AP Photo/Paramount Pictures, Jaime Trueblood)

This film image released by Paramount Pictures shows, from left, Dwayne Johnson, Anthony Mackie and Mark Wahlberg in a scene from "Pain and Gain." (AP Photo/Paramount Pictures, Jaime Trueblood)

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? "Iron Man 3" is the heavy-lifter at theaters with a colossal overseas debut that overshadows a sleepy pre-summer weekend at the domestic box office.

The superhero sequel starring Robert Downey Jr. got a head-start on its domestic launch next Friday with a $195.3 million opening in 42 overseas markets.

Sunday studio estimates show director Michael Bay's true-crime tale "Pain & Gain" muscled into first-place domestically with a $20 million debut.

The movie starring Mark Wahlberg, Dwayne Johnson and Anthony Mackie knocked off Tom Cruise's sci-fi adventure "Oblivion" after a week in the No. 1 spot. "Oblivion" slipped to second-place with $17.4 million, raising its domestic total to $64.7 million.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2013-04-28-US-Box-Office/id-1928f604bc1f439e83aa2bec3cfe65cc

the scream stephen colbert new madrid fault rihanna and chris brown affirmative action helicon zac efron and taylor swift

The iPhone Is One of the Best Android Phones You Can Buy

The addition of Google Now to the iOS App Store has granted iPhone owners access to one of Google's most useful products. But it did something else, too. It made the iPhone a better Android phone than the vast majority of Android phones you can buy.

Read more...

    


Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/Ip1iOdaDDVI/the-iphone-is-one-of-the-best-android-phones-you-can-bu-484580304

AJ McCarron Johnny Manziel ups Aj Mccarron Girlfriend linkedin linkedin CES 2013

Monday, April 29, 2013

Gftr Wants To Stop Wasting Birthdays With Social Network Crowdsourced Gifts

gftronstageMy calendar is mostly filled with Facebook birthdays, these days, and at best those notifications will prompt me to post on someone's wall once a year. Gftr, a project from TechCrunch Disrupt NY 2013's Hackathon, wants to use those birthdays to power more meaningful gift-giving, thanks to crowdsourcing and the one day every year when people have the most goodwill directed towards them.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/EUgD_lY77bs/

Time earthquake today earthquake today mothers day bachelor justin timberlake gerard butler

Friday, April 26, 2013

Already down 0-2 to Spurs, Lakers injuries mount

AAA??Apr. 25, 2013?4:43 PM ET
Already down 0-2 to Spurs, Lakers injuries mount
By GREG BEACHAM?THE ASSOCIATED PRESS STATEMENT OF NEWS VALUES AND PRINCIPLES?By GREG BEACHAM

Los Angeles Lakers' Steve Nash (10) drives to the basket as San Antonio Spurs' Tony Parker, right, of France, defends him during the second half of Game 2 of a first-round NBA basketball playoff series, Wednesday, April 24, 2013, in San Antonio, Texas. San Antonio won 102-91. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Los Angeles Lakers' Steve Nash (10) drives to the basket as San Antonio Spurs' Tony Parker, right, of France, defends him during the second half of Game 2 of a first-round NBA basketball playoff series, Wednesday, April 24, 2013, in San Antonio, Texas. San Antonio won 102-91. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Los Angeles Lakers' Steve Blake (5) passes to teammate Dwight Howard (12) as he is pressured by San Antonio Spurs' Matt Bonner, left, and Tim Duncan, second from right, during the second half of Game 2 of a first-round NBA basketball playoff series, Wednesday, April 24, 2013, in San Antonio, Texas. San Antonio won 102-91. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

San Antonio Spurs' Tony Parker, right, of France, drives as Los Angeles Lakers' Steve Nash (10) defends during the first half of Game 2 of a first-round NBA basketball playoff series on Wednesday, April 24, 2013, in San Antonio, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

San Antonio Spurs' Tim Duncan (21) is defended by Los Angeles Lakers' Dwight Howard (12) while trying to score during the first half of Game 2 of a first-round NBA basketball playoff series on Wednesday, April 24, 2013, in San Antonio, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

San Antonio Spurs' Tony Parker (9), of France, drives to the basket as he is defended by Los Angeles Lakers' Earl Clark (6) during the second half of Game 2 of a first-round NBA basketball playoff series, Wednesday, April 24, 2013, in San Antonio, Texas. San Antonio won 102-91. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) ? Steve Blake won't play for the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 3 against the San Antonio Spurs on Friday, and fellow guards Steve Nash and Jodie Meeks are doubtful.

The Lakers are running out of healthy guards, and they're increasingly out of ideas on how to stop the Spurs from ending their tumultuous season.

Blake has a strained right hamstring that will keep him out indefinitely, and coach Mike D'Antoni said Thursday that the backup point guard won't play in Game 3.

Nash got two epidural injections in his back and a cortisone injection in his right hip in an attempt to fight off his nagging pain.

D'Antoni says Nash is more likely to play than Meeks, who has a sprained left ankle.

Kobe Bryant is out for the season.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-04-25-BKN-Spurs-Lakers/id-de2d989173894152a61d163849e5cd6f

Griselda Blanco Michelle Obama Speech eva longoria Michael Clarke Duncan Nazanin Boniadi Deval Patrick Dedication 4

The Earth's center is 1,000 degrees hotter than previously thought

The Earth's center is 1,000 degrees hotter than previously thought [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 25-Apr-2013
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Claus Habfast
claus.habfast@esrf.fr
33-666-662-384
European Synchrotron Radiation Facility

New results solve a 20-year conflict between theory and experiment

Grenoble, 26 April 2013: Scientists have determined the temperature near the Earth's centre to be 6000 degrees Celsius, 1000 degrees hotter than in a previous experiment run 20 years ago. These measurements confirm geophysical models that the temperature difference between the solid core and the mantle above, must be at least 1500 degrees to explain why the Earth has a magnetic field. The scientists were even able to establish why the earlier experiment had produced a lower temperature figure. The results are published on 26 April 2013 in Science.

The research team was led by Agns Dewaele from the French national technological research organization CEA, alongside members of the French National Center for Scientific Research CNRS and the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility ESRF in Grenoble (France).

The Earth's core consists mainly of a sphere of liquid iron at temperatures above 4000 degrees and pressures of more than 1.3 million atmospheres. Under these conditions, iron is as liquid as the water in the oceans. It is only at the very centre of the Earth, where pressure and temperature rise even higher, that the liquid iron solidifies. Analysis of earthquake-triggered seismic waves passing through the Earth, tells us the thickness of the solid and liquid cores, and even how the pressure in the Earth increases with depth. However these waves do not provide information on temperature, which has an important influence on the movement of material within the liquid core and the solid mantle above. Indeed the temperature difference between the mantle and the core is the main driver of large-scale thermal movements, which together with the Earth's rotation, act like a dynamo generating the Earth's magnetic field. The temperature profile through the Earth's interior also underpins geophysical models that explain the creation and intense activity of hot-spot volcanoes like the Hawaiian Islands or La Runion.

To generate an accurate picture of the temperature profile within the Earth's centre, scientists can look at the melting point of iron at different pressures in the laboratory, using a diamond anvil cell to compress speck-sized samples to pressures of several million atmospheres, and powerful laser beams to heat them to 4000 or even 5000 degrees Celsius."In practice, many experimental challenges have to be met", explains Agns Dewaele from CEA, "as the iron sample has to be insulated thermally and also must not be allowed to chemically react with its environment. Even if a sample reaches the extreme temperatures and pressures at the centre of the Earth, it will only do so for a matter of seconds. In this short timeframe it is extremely difficult to determine whether it has started to melt or is still solid".

This is where X-rays come into play. "We have developed a new technique where an intense beam of X-rays from the synchrotron can probe a sample and deduce whether it is solid, liquid or partially molten within as little as a second, using a process known diffraction", says Mohamed Mezouar from the ESRF, "and this is short enough to keep temperature and pressure constant, and at the same time avoid any chemical reactions".

The scientists determined experimentally the melting point of iron up to 4800 degrees Celsius and 2.2 million atmospheres pressure, and then used an extrapolation method to determine that at 3.3 million atmospheres, the pressure at the border between liquid and solid core, the temperature would be 6000 +/- 500 degrees. This extrapolated value could slightly change if iron undergoes an unknown phase transition between the measured and the extrapolated values.

When the scientists scanned across the area of pressures and temperatures, they observed why Reinhard Boehler, then at the MPI for Chemistry in Mainz (Germany), had in 1993 published values about 1000 degrees lower. Starting at 2400 degrees, recrystallization effects appear on the surface of the iron samples, leading to dynamic changes of the solid iron's crystalline structure. The experiment twenty years ago used an optical technique to determine whether the samples were solid or molten, and it is highly probable that the observation of recrystallization at the surface was interpreted as melting.

"We are of course very satisfied that our experiment validated today's best theories on heat transfer from the Earth's core and the generation of the Earth's magnetic field. I am hopeful that in the not-so-distant future, we can reproduce in our laboratories, and investigate with synchrotron X-rays, every state of matter inside the Earth," concludes Agns Dewaele.

###

References:

S. Anzellini et al.: Melting of Iron at earth's Inner Core Boundary based on Fast X-ray Diffraction, Science 26 April 2013

R. Boehler, Temperatures in the Earth's core from melting-point measurements of iron at high static pressures, Nature 363, 534 - 536 (10 June 1993); doi:10.1038/363534a0


[ Back to EurekAlert! ] [ | E-mail | Share 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.


The Earth's center is 1,000 degrees hotter than previously thought [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 25-Apr-2013
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Claus Habfast
claus.habfast@esrf.fr
33-666-662-384
European Synchrotron Radiation Facility

New results solve a 20-year conflict between theory and experiment

Grenoble, 26 April 2013: Scientists have determined the temperature near the Earth's centre to be 6000 degrees Celsius, 1000 degrees hotter than in a previous experiment run 20 years ago. These measurements confirm geophysical models that the temperature difference between the solid core and the mantle above, must be at least 1500 degrees to explain why the Earth has a magnetic field. The scientists were even able to establish why the earlier experiment had produced a lower temperature figure. The results are published on 26 April 2013 in Science.

The research team was led by Agns Dewaele from the French national technological research organization CEA, alongside members of the French National Center for Scientific Research CNRS and the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility ESRF in Grenoble (France).

The Earth's core consists mainly of a sphere of liquid iron at temperatures above 4000 degrees and pressures of more than 1.3 million atmospheres. Under these conditions, iron is as liquid as the water in the oceans. It is only at the very centre of the Earth, where pressure and temperature rise even higher, that the liquid iron solidifies. Analysis of earthquake-triggered seismic waves passing through the Earth, tells us the thickness of the solid and liquid cores, and even how the pressure in the Earth increases with depth. However these waves do not provide information on temperature, which has an important influence on the movement of material within the liquid core and the solid mantle above. Indeed the temperature difference between the mantle and the core is the main driver of large-scale thermal movements, which together with the Earth's rotation, act like a dynamo generating the Earth's magnetic field. The temperature profile through the Earth's interior also underpins geophysical models that explain the creation and intense activity of hot-spot volcanoes like the Hawaiian Islands or La Runion.

To generate an accurate picture of the temperature profile within the Earth's centre, scientists can look at the melting point of iron at different pressures in the laboratory, using a diamond anvil cell to compress speck-sized samples to pressures of several million atmospheres, and powerful laser beams to heat them to 4000 or even 5000 degrees Celsius."In practice, many experimental challenges have to be met", explains Agns Dewaele from CEA, "as the iron sample has to be insulated thermally and also must not be allowed to chemically react with its environment. Even if a sample reaches the extreme temperatures and pressures at the centre of the Earth, it will only do so for a matter of seconds. In this short timeframe it is extremely difficult to determine whether it has started to melt or is still solid".

This is where X-rays come into play. "We have developed a new technique where an intense beam of X-rays from the synchrotron can probe a sample and deduce whether it is solid, liquid or partially molten within as little as a second, using a process known diffraction", says Mohamed Mezouar from the ESRF, "and this is short enough to keep temperature and pressure constant, and at the same time avoid any chemical reactions".

The scientists determined experimentally the melting point of iron up to 4800 degrees Celsius and 2.2 million atmospheres pressure, and then used an extrapolation method to determine that at 3.3 million atmospheres, the pressure at the border between liquid and solid core, the temperature would be 6000 +/- 500 degrees. This extrapolated value could slightly change if iron undergoes an unknown phase transition between the measured and the extrapolated values.

When the scientists scanned across the area of pressures and temperatures, they observed why Reinhard Boehler, then at the MPI for Chemistry in Mainz (Germany), had in 1993 published values about 1000 degrees lower. Starting at 2400 degrees, recrystallization effects appear on the surface of the iron samples, leading to dynamic changes of the solid iron's crystalline structure. The experiment twenty years ago used an optical technique to determine whether the samples were solid or molten, and it is highly probable that the observation of recrystallization at the surface was interpreted as melting.

"We are of course very satisfied that our experiment validated today's best theories on heat transfer from the Earth's core and the generation of the Earth's magnetic field. I am hopeful that in the not-so-distant future, we can reproduce in our laboratories, and investigate with synchrotron X-rays, every state of matter inside the Earth," concludes Agns Dewaele.

###

References:

S. Anzellini et al.: Melting of Iron at earth's Inner Core Boundary based on Fast X-ray Diffraction, Science 26 April 2013

R. Boehler, Temperatures in the Earth's core from melting-point measurements of iron at high static pressures, Nature 363, 534 - 536 (10 June 1993); doi:10.1038/363534a0


[ Back to EurekAlert! ] [ | E-mail | Share 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/2013-04/esrf-tec042213.php

presidents george washington horsetail falls ice t new york knicks president day lin

Thursday, April 25, 2013

3 things we know about 'Arrested Development'

By Ashley Majeski, TODAY contributor

Fox via Everett Collection

The full cast of "Arrested Development"

"Arrested Development" fans will have to wait another month to watch all of the latest Bluth family hijinks, but from the looks of the sneak peek clip posted Thursday by Entertainment Weekly, not much has changed with the crazy clan.

The series, which was cancelled in 2006, is being being resurrected on May 26, when Netflix will post a completely new 15-episode season. The clip, which provides the first look at the new episodes, was shown during the Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour in January and at South by Southwest in March, but this marks the first time it has made its way to a wider viewing audience.

Although the short clip doesn't give away any spoilers, it did give fans an idea of what we can expect.

Buster and Lucille's relationship is still creepy
Lucille (played by Jessica Walter) has always had a "special" relationship with her youngest son, Buster (Tony Hale), but it appears that the co-dependent mother and son will take their closeness to a whole new level in the upcoming season. Buster is obviously still eager to please his mother, even if that means ingesting her exhaled cigarette smoke and puffing it outside for her so that she doesn't have to get up to go smoke. The close relationship between momma's boy Buster and over-bearing Lucille has always straddled the line between endearing and inappropriate, and it looks like this will remain the same.

The Bluth family still can't stay out of trouble
Apparently, patriarch George Bluth (Jeffrey Tambor) isn't the only Bluth to run afoul of the law. In the new clip, Lucille is unable to go outside because she is sporting an ankle monitor. While it hasn't yet been revealed what Lucille did to acquire that new accessory, it appears that she's on house arrest.

Ron Howard will still be on hand to explain what's going on
The show's executive producer, Ron Howard, will continue to lend his voice to the series. In addition to serving as the show's narrator, Howard, who only appeared on camera for the series' last episode in 2006, has said that he will be making an?appearance?on the show at some point during the new season.

Related content:

?

Source: http://theclicker.today.com/_news/2013/04/25/17916913-3-things-we-learned-about-the-new-season-of-arrested-development?lite

sandusky Sam Champion Hulk Hogan sex tape orioles Sarah Jones chicago marathon Johnny Depp Dead

FreedomPop announces $40 hotspot with access to Sprint's 3G network

DNP  FreedomPop announces new hotspot with access to Sprint's 3G network

FreedomPop, the famously "free" data-only internet provider, promised an upgrade from WiMAX to Sprint's LTE by the end of 2013, and while the company may have missed that mark, it is now offering access to the carrier's 3G network. A new $40 Overdrive Pro hotspot, available today, will connect to Sprint's 3G in addition to 4G courtesy of Clearwire's WiMAX network. Users will get 500MB of 3G/4G coverage for free each month, and can choose a monthly 2GB plan for $20.

FreedomPop says it will release several devices running on Sprint's LTE spectrum later this year, in line with the carrier's build-out. Even the addition of Sprint's 3G is a big step up, though, as FreedomPop's own network doesn't exactly blanket the US. If you already own one of the company's hotspots but want to upgrade to this one, you'll be able to swap yours via customer service. Check out the full press info past the break.

Filed under: , ,

Comments

Source: FreedomPop

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/T1-KWqUKZ64/

glock 121212 Concert Columbine shooting Ryan Lanza Facebook Connecticut shooting Nancy Lanza school shootings

Ohioans promoting Richter scale developer legacy

FILE - This Jan. 25, 1939 file photo shows Dr. Charles Richter, director of the Carnegie Institution's Seismological Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. A ceremony in honor of Charles Richter Day, where he was born in 1900, is planned this Friday in Butler County, about 25 miles north of Cincinnati. (AP Photo, File)

FILE - This Jan. 25, 1939 file photo shows Dr. Charles Richter, director of the Carnegie Institution's Seismological Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. A ceremony in honor of Charles Richter Day, where he was born in 1900, is planned this Friday in Butler County, about 25 miles north of Cincinnati. (AP Photo, File)

FILE - In this 1963 file photo, American seismologist Charles Francis Richter, who developed the first widely used seismic magnitude scale in 1935, studies earthquake tremors in his laboratory in Pasadena, Ca., in 1963. A ceremony in honor of Charles Richter Day, where he was born in 1900, is planned this Friday in Butler County, about 25 miles north of Cincinnati. (AP Photo, File)

(AP) ? Ohio native Charles Richter's scale for measuring the power of earthquakes isn't as widely used as before, but he has fans determined to make sure his name and legacy don't fade away.

A road roundabout will be dedicated in his name Friday, the late physicist and seismologist's birthday.

A group of historians and Richter supporters, with local government and parks officials, has established an annual celebration of his life near his southwest Ohio birthplace. This year's Charles F. Richter Day will be at the site of an Ohio Historical Marker previously dedicated to him in Butler County, about 25 miles north of Cincinnati. The county road roundabout there will be named the Richter Roundabout.

"We want to be sure future generations know who he was and what he accomplished," said Anne Jantzen, a co-founder of the Friends of Charles F. Richter Society who said supporters hope to get the day recognized statewide eventually.

They are concerned because many reports about earthquakes no longer mention the scale developed in the early 1930s and just refer to magnitudes in general, as newer measurement scales have been developed.

"Younger generations may never know about his contributions," Jantzen said.

Richter, with input from colleagues including Beno Gutenberg and Harry Wood, has been credited with developing the method of rating earthquake magnitude through measuring the shock waves produced. The physicist and seismologist published the mathematical calculation in 1935 while at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

Other scales measuring earthquakes in various ways have since been developed, but Richter's idea of a magnitude scale brought the study of earthquakes a big step forward, said Michael Blanpied, associate coordinator for earthquake hazards at the U.S. Geological Survey.

"Providing a means by which to measure, classify, compare and even discuss earthquakes among scientists led to great improvements in our understanding of their origins," Blanpied said.

He said that within the seismology field, Richter's contributions "will never fade."

Richter, who died in 1985, was born in the village of Overpeck near Hamilton in 1900. The great-great-grandson of Amish pioneers spent his early life there before moving with his mother, sister and grandfather to Los Angeles. He was born Charles Kinsinger, but his father left when he was a child and Richter later took his mother's maiden name.

Susan Hough, a California seismologist and author of the 2007 biography "Richter's Scale: Measure of an Earthquake, Measure of a Man," describes Richter as a "character" who had difficulty interacting socially and may have had Asperger's syndrome. The developmental disorder affects the ability to communicate and socialize, among other things.

"He wrote that 'living' was a natural skill for most people, but for him it was a learned one," Hough said.

She said Richter was very complex and "more of an outside-the-box thinker who didn't fit the mold" of most scientists. He wrote poetry and he and his wife were avid nudists who often attended nudist camps.

He also worked extensively to promote earthquake safety, trying to ensure that buildings were as safe from earthquakes as possible.

Richter never had children to help preserve his legacy, "so now we're his family," said Jantzen, adding that the need to ensure he is not forgotten goes beyond just preserving his place in history.

"His ability to overcome difficulties and achieve greatness can be an inspiration to others," she said.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/b2f0ca3a594644ee9e50a8ec4ce2d6de/Article_2013-04-25-US-Celebrating-Richter/id-2402e1b4e9934f02b2d6437c22baf41d

Kyla Ross Montenegro Olympic Games Dana Vollmer Ryan Dempster Phelps NBC Olympics Live

Mother of Accused Bombers Faces Her Own Legal Woes

The mother of accused Boston Marathon bombers has continued to defend her two sons from her home in Dagestan, Russia, but if she attempts to return to the United States to bury her older son, or care for the boy that remains hospitalized, she could face arrest on an outstanding warrant for shoplifting.

The clerk of the Natick District Court confirmed to ABC News that Zubeidat Tsarnaev, failed to appear at a court hearing on October 25, 2012 to resolve charges that she stole $1,600 worth of garments from a nearby Lord & Taylor department store.

The family saga for the Tsarnaevs began when the two brothers, Tamerlan, 26, and Dzhokhar, 19, allegedly strolled through the crowd watching the finish of the Boston Marathon last week, dropped backpacks packed with explosives and used their cell phones to detonate the bombs, killing three and injuring more than 250. On Tuesday, the drama played out on opposite sides of the globe.

In Russia, the boys' mother professed their innocence, saying "What happened is a terrible thing. But I know that my kids have nothing to do with this. I know it. I am mother. You know, I know my kids. I know my kids. Really my kids would never get involved into anything like that." In phone conversations with ABC News, the mother has expressed her desire to travel to the United States. While she has left open that possibility, she has recently suggested only her husband might go.

In New Jersey, a lawyer for the two Tsarnaev sisters released a statement from the two women, saying, "we are absolutely devastated by the sense of loss and sorrow this has caused. We don't have any answers but we look forward to a thorough investigation and hope to learn more."

Meanwhile in Boston, the medical examiner reported that Tamerlan ? who died in a shootout with police ? had his autopsy completed, but no one had come to claim the body. Tamerlan's wife, Katherine Russell, released a statement through an attorney, saying "the reports of involvement by her husband and brother-in-law came as a n absolute shock."

Tamerlan's younger brother, who arrived at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center with wounds in his head, neck, legs and a hand, had his condition upgraded to "fair," the hospital said Tuesday ? a sign he is headed for a recovery.

Some of Dzhokhar's friends sought to upgrade his image, posting an undated video on You Tube showing the accused bomber doing the robot dance with buddies on the wrestling team. They said his carefree attitude had convinced them the bombing plot was the brainchild of his older brother, whom he followed in lock step on the day of the marathon.

Boston Police Superintendent William Evans offered a more detailed picture of the manhunt for the bombing suspects, saying the hunt for the accused Marathon bombers was "personal."

"We never, never let up our desire to catch who was responsible," Evans said.

Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick said over the weekend that authorities "hope he survives, because we have a million questions." Authorities told ABC News the University of Massachusetts college student has begun to answer some of those questions. He is reportedly telling investigators that the plot was, as some are suggesting, his brother's idea.

"The older brother appeared to be the more radicalized of the two and was the one that drove the need to conduct the attack," said Seth Jones, a counter-terrorism expert at the Rand Corporation. Authorities said the younger brother told the FBI that he and his brother were inspired by the anti-US internet preaching of the radical cleric, Anwar al-Awlaki.

*Even though the American-born al Qaeda figure was killed in a US drone strike more than a year and a half ago, his words apparently still have great power, condemning the US actions in Iraq and Afghanistan, which the brother said became their motive," Jones said.

Tamerlan posted a video on his own YouTube channel, of a Chechen rebel leader threatening death to anyone who helps the infidels. That leader was killed by the Russians last year.

And it was on the Internet, Dzhokhar told FBI agents, that they learned how to make a bomb with a pressure cooker--all found in an Al Qaeda online magazine called Inspire. He told the FBI they never even tested the bombs before detonating them last week.

" What's disturbing about that is people are getting smarter about building easily manufactured bombs and then targeting sights in the US," Jones said.

Federal agents continue to search the Boston area for more bombs, but none has been found so far. One question that remains unanswered: What were the brothers planning to do next?

The man whose SUV was stolen by the two brothers as they allegedly fled the fatal shooting of an MIT police officer told authorities that he may have heard one of the suspects say "Manhattan" as they spoke in a foreign language.

The comment prompted a string of searches the next day, taking investigators to Connecticut as they looked for a Honda and searched trains. However, the search came up empty and it is not even clear the word was spoken by the suspects.

Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said the victim "heard them speaking in a foreign language and may have picked up the word Manhattan, but that is not at all clear at this time."

Today, NYPD spokesman Paul Browne said "No evidence they were headed our way. These stories were conflated with bits of information badly misinterpreted."

Also Read

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/mother-accused-bombers-faces-her-015923054.html

dropkick murphys guernsey colcannon dystonia tourettes rosie o donnell soda bread recipe

Asian Shares tick, support seen from global monetary stimulus

By Chikako Mogi

TOKYO (Reuters) - Asian shares edged higher on Thursday, supported by views that the recent run of weak global economic data will encourage major central banks to keep or deepen their monetary stimulus to bolster growth.

Global equities rose on Wednesday on strong corporate earnings and speculation the European Central Bank will cut interest rates next week.

The growing expectations of an ECB rate cut helped offset growth concerns highlighted by U.S. durable goods posting their biggest drop in seven months in March and the Ifo survey showing that German business sentiment fell in April, below the most bearish forecasts.

Recent disappointing data in the United States, Europe and China has fueled bets of a spring global slowdown for a third straight year and forced central banks to take action.

"Despite the weaker data equity markets and risk assets look generally well supported, with Q1 earnings releases and ongoing policy stimulus helping to maintain the positive tone," said Mitul Kotecha, strategist at Credit Agricole in a note.

Most observers have welcomed an April 4 decision by the Bank of Japan to embark on a radical monetary expansion campaign as a fillip to the wider global economy. The BOJ plans to inject about $1.4 trillion into the world's third-largest economy in less than two years in an effort to end two decades of stagnation.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan <.miapj0000pus> was up 0.1 percent, with South Korean shares <.ks11> opening 0.1 percent higher.

"The index is due for a modest rebound given that there is talk of stimulus in Europe and the local GDP figures beat expectations," said Koh Seung-hee, an analyst at SK Securities, of Seoul shares.

Early on Thursday, South Korea said its economy grew a seasonally adjusted 0.9 percent in the January-March period from the previous quarter, the fastest in two years and far above market expectations.

Japan's Nikkei stock average <.n225> also opened up 0.3 percent, after hitting its highest since June 2008 on Wednesday, as a weakening yen bolstered expectations for improved corporate earnings. <.t/>

"The weaker yen is having a positive effect on companies' earnings, which in turns is lifting stocks," he said. "For now, we see this trend continuing," said Hiroichi Nishi, an assistant general manager at SMBC Nikko Securities.

Japan's capital flows data showed on Thursday that Japanese investors remained net sellers of foreign bonds, in line with comments from big life insurers that they remain cautious about immediately shifting their money out of Japanese government bonds into foreign bonds.

Japanese investors sold a net 862.6 billion yen of foreign bonds in the week to April 20, while foreign investors turned net sellers of Japanese shares.

The dollar was steady around 99.45 yen, still within sight of testing the symbolic 100 yen level which many traders say is just a matter of time.

The euro remained vulnerable, trading around $1.3013, above Wednesday's three-week low of $1.2954. The speculation of an ECB rate cut and hopes Italy will break its political deadlock helped support the euro.

The U.S. government's report on gross domestic product due on Friday is expected to show the economy grew at a 3.0 percent annual rate in the first quarter, rebounding from a 0.4 percent gain in the final three months of 2012.

For the current quarter, economists are looking for expansion of only around 1.5 percent or so.

On the corporate front, of the 174 companies in the S&P 500 index that already have reported results, 68.4 percent have exceeded analysts' expectations, according to Thomson Reuters data through Wednesday morning.

U.S. crude was up 0.1 percent to $91.51. a barrel early on Thursday.

U.S. durable goods: http://link.reuters.com/huq55t

PMIs vs GDP: http://link.reuters.com/rud84s

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^>

(Additional reporting by Dominic Lau and Lisa Twaronite in Tokyo, and Somang Yang in Seoul; Editing by Shri Navaratnam)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/asian-shares-tick-support-seen-global-monetary-stimulus-003433327--finance.html

kim kardashian anderson cooper adrian peterson chicago bears netflix george h w bush Belk

Higher fares help Southwest Airlines' profit

This March 13, 2010 photo, shows a Southwest Airlines plane in Burbank, Calif. Southwest Airlines Co. reports quarterly financial results before the market open on Thursday, April 25, 2013. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)

This March 13, 2010 photo, shows a Southwest Airlines plane in Burbank, Calif. Southwest Airlines Co. reports quarterly financial results before the market open on Thursday, April 25, 2013. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)

DALLAS (AP) ? Higher fares helped Southwest Airlines make more money than Wall Street expected in the first quarter, but the company said Thursday that automatic federal spending cuts could hurt revenue in April.

The average passenger fare on Southwest is now more than $150 one-way, 4 percent higher than a year ago.

The airline also said that a new policy on no-shows will start next month.

Southwest's first-quarter net income fell 40 percent to $59 million, or 8 cents per share. That's down from earnings of $98 million, or 13 cents per share, a year ago.

Without gains from fuel-hedging contracts, Southwest would have earned 7 cents per share, topping analysts' forecast of 2 cents per share.

Revenue totaled $4.08 billion, up 2 percent from a year ago. Analysts expected $4.07 billion, according to FactSet.

Southwest shares rose 27 cents, or 2 percent, to $13.69 in pre-market trading.

Southwest said that revenue was weaker than expected in March and so far in April. Automatic budget cuts that went into effect in March have caused federal agencies to cut back on travel. The company said that it's "cautious" because of the potential effect of those cuts, but that recent bookings for May and June are "solid."

Other airlines have also seen damage from the federal spending cuts. US Airways said this week that revenue from government workers plunged 37 percent in March. Government travel counts for 3 percent of US Airways' revenue.

At Southwest, lower fuel prices have offset the slump in revenue in April. Fuel is the airline's biggest expense. It's first-quarter fuel bill fell 3.5 percent compared with the same period last year, to $1.46 billion.

Southwest estimated its second-quarter fuel cost at $3 to $3.05 per gallon, less than a year ago and below its forecast for 2013.

Southwest also unveiled details of a new no-show policy. The airline will start dinging some customers who fail to cancel their reservations and then don't show up for the flight. Beginning with reservations made on or after May 10, no-shows will lose the value of the unused part of their itinerary and the rest of the reservation will be canceled.

The change will cover people who buy cheaper, nonrefundable tickets that the airline calls Wanna Get Away and Ding fares.

Unlike most airlines, Southwest doesn't charge a fee to change a ticket, and it lets customers apply the amount of unused tickets to new bookings. But the airline believes that the policy results in seats going unsold when passengers fail to show up.

Southwest doesn't charge for the first two checked bags, but it has added and increased other fees such as priority boarding recently.

"We are pleased with the early results from revenue initiatives implemented in first quarter 2013 and are excited about the incremental benefit expected for future periods," CEO Gary Kelly said in a statement.

The average fare on Southwest rose to $152.29. It was $146.72 a year ago.

.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2013-04-25-Earns-Southwest/id-5683a104d1cc4136ae03c5c05af988f2

best new artist 2012 grammys foo fighters nikki minaj album of the year grammy red carpet grammy award winners

Indian Gaming > Non-Indian developer still interested in ...

Home > Indian Gaming
Print | Subscribe

Non-Indian developer still interested in Massachusetts casino

Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Filed Under: Casino Stalker | Litigation | Regulation
More on: massachusetts, wampanoag
? Tweet ?


Artist's rendering of proposed First Light Resort and Casino. Image from Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe.

K.G. Urban Enterprises, a non-Indian developer, is still interested in bidding on a commercial casino in southeastern Massachusetts. The company sued the state in federal court for restricting the casino process to "a federally recognized tribe." The lawsuit hasn't been resolved but the Massachusetts Gaming Commission changed the landscape by agreeing to consider commercial bids for the region where the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe is pursuing a casino. The commission has yet to accept bids for the casino in Region C. Applicants must submit a $400,000 non-refundable fee but the license may never be issued if the tribe clears all hurdles for its proposal. Get the Story:
Level of interest for area commercial license remains up in the air (The New Bedford Standard-Times 4/24) 1st Circuit Decision:
KG Urban Enterprises v. Patrick (August 2, 2012) Related Stories:
Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe sets meeting to discuss casino bid (4/23)

Hot Topics

Carcieri | Patchak
land-into-trust
off-reservation gaming
Poarch Creeks / Hickory Ground

Links

NIGC | Indian Land Opinions
BIA OIGM | IGRA
NIGA | AIGA | CNIGA
GPIGA | OIGA | OTGA
OTGRA | WIGA

ARCHIVE

2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004

News Topics

Business Deals
California
Casino Stalker
Compacts
Connecticut
Land Acquisitions
Legislation
Litigation
Meetings
NIGC
New York
Openings and Closings
Opinions / Editorials
Public Relations
Regulation
A D V E R T I S E M E N T
Egghart Certified Public Accountants

Source: http://www.indianz.com/IndianGaming/2013/026288.asp

kobayashi margaret sanger paul george eddie long ufc 143 weigh ins micron ceo glenn miller

PFT: Shanahan: RG3 won't play until 100 percent

FisherGetty Images

We had an initial mock draft because everyone does.

We had a second version of the mock draft because everyone does.

And now we have a final version of the mock draft because I?ve got nothing else to do tonight.

We welcome your comments, criticisms, and questions regarding our sanity.

1.? Chiefs:? Eric Fisher, tackle, Central Michigan.

2.? Jaguars:? Luke Joeckel, tackle, Texas A&M.

3.? Raiders:? Sharrif Floyd, defensive tackle, Florida.

4.? Eagles:? Dion Jordan, defensive end, Oregon.

5.? Lions:? Ezekial Ansah, defensive end, BYU.

6.? Browns:? Dee Milliner, cornerback, Alabama.

7.? Cardinals:? Lane Johnson, tackle, Oklahoma.

8.? Bills: Ryan Nassib, quarterback, Syracuse.

9.? Jets:? Barkevious Mingo, defensive end, LSU.

10.? Titans:? Chance Warmack, guard, Alabama.

11.? Chargers:? Johnathan Cooper, guard, North Carolina.

12.? Dolphins:? Desmond Trufant, cornerback, Washington.

13.? Jets:? Tavon Austin, receiver, West Virginia.

14.? Panthers:? Star Lotulelei, defensive tackle, Utah.

15.? Saints:? Xavier Rhodes, cornerback, Florida State.

16.? Rams:? Cordarrelle Patterson, receiver, Tennessee.

17.? Steelers:? Jarvis Jones, linebacker, Georgia.

18.? Cowboys:? ?Sheldon Richardson, defensive tackle, Missouri.

19.? Giants:? Tyler Eifert, tight end, Notre Dame.

20.? Bears:? Sylvester Williams, defensive tackle, North Carolina.

21.? Bengals:? D.J. Fluker, tackle, Alabama.

22. Rams:? Kenny Vaccaro, safety, Texas.

23.? Vikings:? D.J. Hayden, cornerback, Houston.

24.? Colts:? DeAndre Hopkins, receiver, Clemson.

25.? Jaguars (trade with Vikings):? Geno Smith, quarterback, West Virginia.

26. Packers:? John Jenkins, defensive tackle, Georgia.

27.? Texans:? Robert Woods, receiver, USC.

28.? Broncos:? Tank Carradine, defensive end, Florida State.

29.? Patriots:? Justin Hunter, receiver, Tennessee.

30.? Falcons:? Bjeorn Werner, defensive end, Florida State.

31.? 49ers:? Eric Reid, safety, LSU.

32.? Ravens:? Jonathan Cyprien, safety, FIU.

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/04/24/shanahan-says-rg3-wont-be-allowed-to-play-before-hes-100/related/

multiple sclerosis falling skies rodney king Webb Simpson Fathers Day Quotes Stevie J mothers day 2012

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

TomTom Start 55 TM


The TomTom Start 55 TM ($159.95 direct) is a low-end standalone GPS device with a mission. It exists to convince you that it's still worth buying, in an age of free smartphone GPS apps, and an oversaturated market where most people who want a standalone device already have one. To this end the Start 55 M makes a fairly compelling case, with an oversize 5-inch display, 3D lane guidance, and free lifetime map updates. It also sports an array of features that were commonplace on $300 devices just a few years ago. It's a decent buy for anyone with a flip phone without GPS, but its so-so accuracy gives us pause. Plus, better options are available if you're willing to spend a little more.

Design and Screen
The TomTom Start 55 TM?measures 5.2 by 3.5 by 0.9 inches (HWD) and weighs 8.9 ounces. The company's trademark EasyPort Mount stays attached to the device, and folds up with it in case you want to take the Start 55 TM out of the car. It adds about two ounces of weight compared with a device that separates the two, but it's still pretty convenient, and you can also pop the mount off if you want to.

The 5-inch display features 480-by-272-pixel resolution?low-end, but expected on a device at this price?and a widescreen 16:9 aspect ratio. It's a plastic resistive screen, with relatively poor contrast, though, and it washes out a bit in direct sunlight.TomTom Start 55 TM

TomTom preloads maps for the United States and Canada. A crowdsourced Map Share feature crowd sources changes on roads, such as new speed limits or construction sites, and lets you update the device on a daily basis using the included USB cable. That's probably too much work for most people, but the option is there. You also get official lifetime map updates four times per year, plus lifetime real-time traffic reports.

Routing Performance
Once on the road, the main 3D map interface is typical of TomTom devices, which is to say informative and well-organized. There's plenty of relevant trip data along the bottom of the screen, with oversized numerals and a new, pop-up speed limit sign that's easier to read than before. If you've got an older TomTom device, this one offers slightly better graphics and more readable trip information along the bottom.

Unfortunately, actual performance wasn't up to snuff, even for a budget device. The main issue: GPS lock. After setting a destination and pulling out of a parking garage in Manhattan, it took the Start 55 TM six full minutes?to figure out where it was; up until then, it just said "waiting for a valid GPS signal." It did better once the car was parked out in the street, but it was never fast. Map animations are also sluggish, on the order of just over one frame per second, which gives away the Start 55 TM's older, low-cost processor.

Routing was accurate as usual, but even here, I found it easy to trip up the Start 55 TM. To cite one example, it wanted me to drive two blocks around in Manhattan gridlock to enter the lower level of the Queensboro bridge, even though I was right in front of the entrance ramp to the upper level, and even though both levels would take me to the same place in Queens just as easily.

Other Features and Conclusions
Some features are unexpected and welcome on a budget device. One interesting addition is 24/7 Roadside Assistance, which is a nice thing to have if your car doesn't already come with it (it's the Basic plan on TomTom's site).?The Start 55 TM also popped up red light camera alerts while I drove up Third Avenue in Manhattan.

Real-time traffic reporting is the basic kind, which means it has to be a major accident or congestion on a major highway for it to tell you about it. I spent over half an hour in Manhattan gridlock with not so much as a peep from the 55 TM; all it did was adjust my ETA later and later, until a 12 minute trip became 40 minutes. TomTom's higher-end devices and GPS app offer optional access to HD traffic, which updates every two minutes and is considerably more accurate, but not this one.

Searching for addresses and POIs is easy to figure out, but not quite as useful as it could be. For one, the type-ahead feature was slow in my tests; it took several seconds after each letter finger press for the device to figure out potential completions for the street address. POI category organization remains a problem for TomTom; the overly broad "Shopping" section contains just about every errand destination you'd run on a regular basis, making it difficult to find nearby stores without running manual searches.

In the end, no matter how many times pundits declare standalone GPS devices "dead," plenty of people still prefer having a separate unit on the windshield dedicated to this single purpose. That said, I'd rather steer you toward something just a bit more expensive that works better?especially considering there are plenty of deals to be had with higher-end units around the Web. A good option would be TomTom's own VIA 1605TM, which delivers smoother performance and more accurate location finding, as well as a larger 6-inch display. Otherwise, looking for a bargain on a last-generation GPS might be your best bet, as you can get a better deal on a higher-end model from a few years ago, such as the Magellan RoadMate 5045-LM?a 4 star $250 GPS from late 2010 that is selling for around $100 at the time of this writing.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/aZbQK9Ia0QU/0,2817,2417670,00.asp

denver post Scandal denver broncos new england patriots Zayn Malik miss america 2013 Oscar Nominations

Monday, April 22, 2013

Stem cell transplant restores memory, learning in mice

Apr. 21, 2013 ? For the first time, human embryonic stem cells have been transformed into nerve cells that helped mice regain the ability to learn and remember.

A study at the University of Wisconsin-Madison is the first to show that human stem cells can successfully implant themselves in the brain and then heal neurological deficits, says senior author Su-Chun Zhang, a professor of neuroscience and neurology.

Once inside the mouse brain, the implanted stem cells formed two common, vital types of neurons, which communicate with the chemicals GABA or acetylcholine. "These two neuron types are involved in many kinds of human behavior, emotions, learning, memory, addiction and many other psychiatric issues," says Zhang.

The human embryonic stem cells were cultured in the lab, using chemicals that are known to promote development into nerve cells -- a field that Zhang has helped pioneer for 15 years. The mice were a special strain that do not reject transplants from other species.

After the transplant, the mice scored significantly better on common tests of learning and memory in mice. For example, they were more adept in the water maze test, which challenged them to remember the location of a hidden platform in a pool.

The study began with deliberate damage to a part of the brain that is involved in learning and memory.

Three measures were critical to success, says Zhang: location, timing and purity. "Developing brain cells get their signals from the tissue that they reside in, and the location in the brain we chose directed these cells to form both GABA and cholinergic neurons."

The initial destruction was in an area called the medial septum, which connects to the hippocampus by GABA and cholinergic neurons. "This circuitry is fundamental to our ability to learn and remember," says Zhang.

The transplanted cells, however, were placed in the hippocampus -- a vital memory center -- at the other end of those memory circuits. After the transferred cells were implanted, in response to chemical directions from the brain, they started to specialize and connect to the appropriate cells in the hippocampus.

The process is akin to removing a section of telephone cable, Zhang says. If you can find the correct route, you could wire the replacement from either end.

For the study, published in the current issue of Nature Biotechnology, Zhang and first author Yan Liu, a postdoctoral associate at the Waisman Center on campus, chemically directed the human embryonic stem cells to begin differentiation into neural cells, and then injected those intermediate cells. Ushering the cells through partial specialization prevented the formation of unwanted cell types in the mice.

Ensuring that nearly all of the transplanted cells became neural cells was critical, Zhang says. "That means you are able to predict what the progeny will be, and for any future use in therapy, you reduce the chance of injecting stem cells that could form tumors. In many other transplant experiments, injecting early progenitor cells resulted in masses of cells -- tumors. This didn't happen in our case because the transplanted cells are pure and committed to a particular fate so that they do not generate anything else. We need to be sure we do not inject the seeds of cancer."

Brain repair through cell replacement is a Holy Grail of stem cell transplant, and the two cell types are both critical to brain function, Zhang says. "Cholinergic neurons are involved in Alzheimer's and Down syndrome, but GABA neurons are involved in many additional disorders, including schizophrenia, epilepsy, depression and addiction."

Though tantalizing, stem-cell therapy is unlikely to be the immediate benefit. Zhang notes that "for many psychiatric disorders, you don't know which part of the brain has gone wrong." The new study, he says, is more likely to see immediate application in creating models for drug screening and discovery.

Share this story on Facebook, Twitter, and Google:

Other social bookmarking and sharing tools:


Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Wisconsin-Madison. The original article was written by David Tenenbaum.

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


Journal Reference:

  1. Yan Liu, Jason P Weick, Huisheng Liu, Robert Krencik, Xiaoqing Zhang, Lixiang Ma, Guo-min Zhou, Melvin Ayala, Su-Chun Zhang. Medial ganglionic eminence?like cells derived from human embryonic stem cells correct learning and memory deficits. Nature Biotechnology, 2013; DOI: 10.1038/nbt.2565

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/top_health/~3/Dn4FJ19YaLw/130421151613.htm

country music awards 2012 wrestlemania 28 results earl scruggs wrestlemania 28 game of thrones season 2 dierks bentley kenny chesney