BERLIN—It was early evening in a restaurant east of what used to be the Wall, and we were debating the only issue of interest to anyone in this city right now: If you were tapping Chancellor Angela Merkel’s cellphone, what would you learn?
Not much, argued one of the Germans present. Merkel, who adores her phone, famously does not use it to speak. Instead, she texts. She is reportedly so adept at texting that she has been known to send messages surreptitiously to colleagues on the other side of a room, while apparently talking about something else. But those messages are short and cryptic, the German argued, and out of context they couldn’t possibly make sense to whoever has been following and, presumably, translating them since 2002.
One of the Americans disagreed with this assessment. It doesn’t matter if you understand her messages, he argued. If you simply know who receives them, then you know who among her entourage has real influence. During the debate that ensued, it emerged that several of those present had a pretty good idea who gets Merkel’s texts. Which left us with an even more nonsensical conclusion: Yes, a second secretary at the U.S. embassy might be fascinated to learn whom Merkel pings most often, even if a lot of other people already have this information. But none of us could work out why this would be even remotely of interest to the U.S. president or, indeed, anyone at a senior level in German-American relations.
Now we know untold sums get spent trying to interpret what the German chancellor meant when she typed the word “nein” into her BlackBerry.
Surrounding this story are swirling layers of hypocrisy and emotion, not all of which are rational. The German press has worked itself into a state of self-righteous hysteria; the German foreign minister is talking about severing alliances and suspending trade discussions. There is an element of post-Gestapo, post-Stasi historical memory at work in Berlin, as well as joy in the revival of anti-American rhetoric that hasn’t been heard in this city in years. It’s not as if the German secret service never bugged anyone’s phone. Nor is it the case that the National Security Agency never collaborates with Europeans. And diplomats and politicians have always striven to predict the actions of foreign leaders. I suggested to a German friend that Bismarck would gladly have tapped the phones of his rivals and allies. He reluctantly agreed.
But Bismarck couldn’t tap phones. We can. And that, as far as I can tell, explains why we were doing it. White House spokesman Jay Carney has just declared that the president is anxious to ensure “that we are not just collecting information because we can but because we should.” Yet almost everything publicly known about the NSA to date indicates the opposite: The United States collects information because it can, whether or not it is moral to do so, violates the trust of allies, or is a monumental waste of time and money.
And we’re talking about more than the NSA: After the Sept. 11 attacks, the U.S. government threw time and money at “security” without thinking. As I wrote in 2005, and then again in 2010: Billions and billions of taxpayers’ dollars get spent every year on buying more biochemical suits for Grand Forks County, N.D., than the town has police officers to wear. And—now we know—untold sums also get spent trying to interpret what the German chancellor meant when she typed the word “nein” into her BlackBerry.
In the wake of this particular story, it’s also become clear that new information technology—metadata databases, cellphones, cyberwarfare—has finally, definitively outrun our ability to control or police it. Even in the 1980s, a phone tap was a laborious thing to set up and of dubious value, as it was only useful if a particular person was speaking in a particular room. Cellphones—carried by everybody, everywhere—have changed that. The massive volumes of information now collected about everyone and everything have also changed what it meant when we talk about a “background search.”
We can’t rely on Google to safeguard our data: Private companies have far more incentive to exploit users’ personal information—controlling what their search engines find, for example, or influencing what they buy—than do governments. But we can start talking seriously—with our big companies, but also with our major allies—about creating new international norms. The United States has been throwing money thoughtlessly at security for far too long. But NATO has also been pretending for far too long that “security” means tank warfare. We failed to update our alliance when the Cold War ended, and we failed again after 9/11. This scandal, the worst crisis in German-American relations in decades, is one of the results.
Akron researcher awarded NIH grant for advancing 3-D tumor models for anticancer drug testing
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31-Oct-2013
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Contact: Denise Henry henryd@uakron.edu 330-972-6477 University of Akron
The National Institutes of Health is supporting the work of a University of Akron researcher who may hold the key to improving the effectiveness of cancer treatments. The agency has awarded UA's Hossein Tavana a two-year, $511,000 grant to fund his ongoing efforts to improve the testing and effectiveness of anticancer drugs.
Tavana, an assistant professor of biomedical engineering in the College of Engineering, has developed a method to generate 3-D cultures of cancer cells (spheroids) that better model tumors in the body. These improved models have the potential to dramatically improve the screening and discovery of effective chemotherapeutics, Tavana says.
In support of this novel and promising technology, the NIH awarded Tavana its R21 grant, which is defined by the NIH as a developmental research grant intended to support "exploratory, novel studies that break new ground or extend previous discoveries toward new directions or applications."
Drug testing on 2-D cultures of cancer cells, in which thin layers of cells are treated on a flat dish, does not adequately predict how the drugs will behave in the 3-D environment of the body, Tavana says.
Three-dimensional cultures, on the other hand, in which cancer cells aggregate into spherical clusters, better mimic tumors, allowing for more efficient and cost-effective drug screening and discovery, he adds.
This in turn allows researchers to determine which drugs will best treat particular forms of cancer, eliminating the need to treat patients with a battery of drugs in the hope of finding something that works, Tavana explains.
"Rather than throwing a bunch of different drugs into a patient's body, we can say, 'This particular patient, based on this test, will most likely benefit from this chemo drug.'"
Whereas other labs are generating 3-D cancer cell spheroids, or aggregates, one at a time, Hossein's unique method allows him to generate 384 spheroids "robotically and in a single step," drastically expediting drug testing.
The robot, equipped with rows of pipettes, dispenses cancer cells into 384 small wells, or miniature test tubes, each of which contains a liquid that provides nutrients to the immersed cells, allowing them to aggregate as they would in the body, resulting in 384 physiologic tumor models.
Tavana and his research team are currently testing cell lines cells that have been made immortal so they can be reused over and over of triple negative breast cancer cells and skin cancer. Next year they plan to use primary, patient-derived cells, which will allow them to test drugs under more realistic conditions.
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Akron researcher awarded NIH grant for advancing 3-D tumor models for anticancer drug testing
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Contact: Denise Henry henryd@uakron.edu 330-972-6477 University of Akron
The National Institutes of Health is supporting the work of a University of Akron researcher who may hold the key to improving the effectiveness of cancer treatments. The agency has awarded UA's Hossein Tavana a two-year, $511,000 grant to fund his ongoing efforts to improve the testing and effectiveness of anticancer drugs.
Tavana, an assistant professor of biomedical engineering in the College of Engineering, has developed a method to generate 3-D cultures of cancer cells (spheroids) that better model tumors in the body. These improved models have the potential to dramatically improve the screening and discovery of effective chemotherapeutics, Tavana says.
In support of this novel and promising technology, the NIH awarded Tavana its R21 grant, which is defined by the NIH as a developmental research grant intended to support "exploratory, novel studies that break new ground or extend previous discoveries toward new directions or applications."
Drug testing on 2-D cultures of cancer cells, in which thin layers of cells are treated on a flat dish, does not adequately predict how the drugs will behave in the 3-D environment of the body, Tavana says.
Three-dimensional cultures, on the other hand, in which cancer cells aggregate into spherical clusters, better mimic tumors, allowing for more efficient and cost-effective drug screening and discovery, he adds.
This in turn allows researchers to determine which drugs will best treat particular forms of cancer, eliminating the need to treat patients with a battery of drugs in the hope of finding something that works, Tavana explains.
"Rather than throwing a bunch of different drugs into a patient's body, we can say, 'This particular patient, based on this test, will most likely benefit from this chemo drug.'"
Whereas other labs are generating 3-D cancer cell spheroids, or aggregates, one at a time, Hossein's unique method allows him to generate 384 spheroids "robotically and in a single step," drastically expediting drug testing.
The robot, equipped with rows of pipettes, dispenses cancer cells into 384 small wells, or miniature test tubes, each of which contains a liquid that provides nutrients to the immersed cells, allowing them to aggregate as they would in the body, resulting in 384 physiologic tumor models.
Tavana and his research team are currently testing cell lines cells that have been made immortal so they can be reused over and over of triple negative breast cancer cells and skin cancer. Next year they plan to use primary, patient-derived cells, which will allow them to test drugs under more realistic conditions.
###
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Bachmann-Strauss Foundation awards $1.2 million to establish Centers of Excellence around US
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Contact: cpepi@bsdpf.org cpepi@bsdpf.org 212-682-9900 The Bachmann-Strauss Dystonia & Parkinson Foundation
(New York, N.Y. October 31, 2013) The Bachmann-Strauss Dystonia and Parkinson Foundation has awarded $1.2 million in matching grants to establish Dystonia and Parkinson's Disease Centers of Excellence at three major U.S. medical centers: the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), the University of Florida (UF) and the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). The new centers will join the existing Center of Excellence at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City.
the University of Alabama at Birmingham Comprehensive Parkinson Disease and Movement Disorders Clinic (designated September 17th);
the University of Florida Health Center for Movement Disorders and Neurorestoration (designated September 26th); and
the UCSF Surgical Movement Disorders Center (opening November 5th).
"Proper diagnosis, treatment and comprehensive care have long been missing for people with dystonia and Parkinson's disease," said Bonnie Strauss, president and founder of The Bachmann-Strauss Dystonia & Parkinson Foundation. "As someone who lives with dystonia and struggled for years to find the right diagnosis, the opening of our new Centers of Excellence is a dream come true."
The Bachmann-Strauss centers will strengthen each university's clinical and research infrastructure, while providing a mechanism through which they can share knowledge and collaborate on new initiatives. The new centers are expected to be catalysts for breakthroughs in understanding and treating dystonia and Parkinson's disease. Matching grants will ensure that the centers are self-sustaining.
Additionally, the grants will ensure that patients with dystonia and Parkinson's disease have access to proper diagnosis, treatment and comprehensive care all coordinated seamlessly in one space. The patients will benefit from an integrated and coordinated approach to multi-disciplinary care that will include ease of access to movement disorder specialists, as well as physical, occupational and speech therapy. Services will also include diverse treatments including neurosurgery and genetic counseling.
Dystonia, which affects as many as 500,000 people in North America, is a movement disorder that causes the muscles to contract and spasm involuntarily. The involuntary muscle contractions force the body into repetitive, often twisting movements and awkward, irregular postures. It can affect the hands, feet, neck or other parts of the body. It may be genetic in origin or appear spontaneously, and dozens of diseases and conditions include dystonia as a major symptom.
Parkinson's disease is a chronic, progressive neurological disorder whose symptoms include tremor, stiffness, difficulty moving, and problems with walking and balance. According to the National Institutes of Health, Parkinson's affects about 500,000 people in the United States although many believe the numbers are higher. (The Parkinson's Disease Foundation estimates that as many as 1 million people are affected). Approximately 60,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. Most cases begin between the ages of 50 and 65, although younger people are affected, too. Currently available pharmacological and surgical treatments provide relief from some motor symptoms, but do not halt the ultimate progression of the disease.
The University of Alabama at Birmingham Comprehensive Parkinson Disease and Movement Disorders Clinic has the only program for movement disorders in Alabama and serves dystonia and Parkinson's patients from Mississippi, Florida, Tennessee, Georgia and Louisiana. The center was designated a Bachmann-Strauss Dystonia and Parkinson's Disease Center of Excellence based on a donation from the Foundation and a matching gift from the family of Mrs. Joel E. Johnson, Jr.
The program at UAB will enhance the access of patients to clinical trials in dystonia and Parkinson disease, and enable conduct of trials, which will advance the fields. The program will also facilitate the interactions between clinicians, basic scientists, and members of the community, and promote cross-culture efforts to translate new discoveries while training the next generation of dystonia and Parkinson disease clinicians and scientists through support of clinical and basic/translational fellowships.
"Dystonia has several forms and may be hereditary or caused by factors such as physical trauma, infection or reaction to a pharmaceutical, however most cases have no known cause," said David G. Standaert, M.D., Ph.D., professor and chair of the UAB Department of Neurology. "Treatment is difficult and has been limited to minimizing the symptoms. At present, there is no cure."
The is a leader in movement disorders and neurorestoration, and patients travel from all over the globe for personalized treatment. The center provides much needed multidisciplinary care to dystonia and Parkinson's patients, bringing together neurologists, neurosurgeons, psychiatrists, genetic counselors, physical therapists and other experts. The center was designated a Bachmann-Strauss Dystonia and Parkinson's Disease Center of Excellence based on a donation from the Foundation and with support from Tyler's Hope for a Dystonia Cure.
Michael S. Okun, M.D., the Adelaide Lackner professor of neurology and the center's co-director said "This funding will galvanize drug discovery, imaging and translational neuroscience and will train the scientists who will make this difference for the patients suffering from these diseases."
The Surgical Movement Disorders Center at UCSF provides state-of-the-art, comprehensive care to patients with movement disorders. The medical staff includes neurologists, neurosurgeons, neuropsychologists, radiologists and nurses who have specialized training in movement disorders. It offers a variety of services that include comprehensive neurological evaluations, medication treatment and disease management, botulinum toxin injections, neurosurgical procedures including deep brain stimulation, and deep brain stimulation programming for conditions such as dystonia, essential tremor, Parkinson's disease, spasticity and chorea.
Jill L. Ostrem, M.D., professor of neurology and medical director of the UCSF Surgical Movement Disorders Center said, "UCSF is very excited to be recognized as a Bachmann-Strauss Dystonia and Parkinson's Disease Center of Excellence. This Center will provide critical support for our busy clinical services and growing research efforts as they relate to dystonia and Parkinson's disease. Optimal results from surgery for Parkinson's disease and dystonia require close integration of neurosurgery, neurology, and nursing care; the new Bachmann-Strauss Center allows us to combine our neurological expertise and the skill Of UCSF's acclaimed Department of Neurological Surgery under Dr. Philip Starr in an impactful and revolutionary way."
I congratulate Drs. Standaert, Okun and Ostrem and their teams for all they have accomplished, and I look forward to working with them in the years to come," Strauss said. "Bringing together some of the world's leading experts in dystonia and Parkinson's disease under one roof will help to ensure that patients receive the best possible care."
###
About the Bachmann-Strauss Dystonia and Parkinson Foundation
The Bachmann-Strauss Dystonia & Parkinson Foundation is an independent, nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization that was established in 1995 by Louis Bachmann (1916-2000) and Bonnie Strauss in order to find better treatments and cures for the movement disorders dystonia and Parkinson's disease, and to provide medical and patient information. Key among its efforts, the Foundation funds scientific and clinical research and helps raise awareness of dystonia and Parkinson's disease among the general public and the medical community.
Since its 1995 founding by Bonnie Strauss, The Bachmann-Strauss Dystonia and Parkinson Foundation has given $14 million to seed 225 research projects. The scientists involved were able to leverage that funding to secure an additional $60 million from the National Institutes of Health. For more information please go to: http://www.dystonia-parkinsons.org.
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Bachmann-Strauss Foundation awards $1.2 million to establish Centers of Excellence around US
PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:
31-Oct-2013
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Contact: cpepi@bsdpf.org cpepi@bsdpf.org 212-682-9900 The Bachmann-Strauss Dystonia & Parkinson Foundation
(New York, N.Y. October 31, 2013) The Bachmann-Strauss Dystonia and Parkinson Foundation has awarded $1.2 million in matching grants to establish Dystonia and Parkinson's Disease Centers of Excellence at three major U.S. medical centers: the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), the University of Florida (UF) and the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). The new centers will join the existing Center of Excellence at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City.
the University of Alabama at Birmingham Comprehensive Parkinson Disease and Movement Disorders Clinic (designated September 17th);
the University of Florida Health Center for Movement Disorders and Neurorestoration (designated September 26th); and
the UCSF Surgical Movement Disorders Center (opening November 5th).
"Proper diagnosis, treatment and comprehensive care have long been missing for people with dystonia and Parkinson's disease," said Bonnie Strauss, president and founder of The Bachmann-Strauss Dystonia & Parkinson Foundation. "As someone who lives with dystonia and struggled for years to find the right diagnosis, the opening of our new Centers of Excellence is a dream come true."
The Bachmann-Strauss centers will strengthen each university's clinical and research infrastructure, while providing a mechanism through which they can share knowledge and collaborate on new initiatives. The new centers are expected to be catalysts for breakthroughs in understanding and treating dystonia and Parkinson's disease. Matching grants will ensure that the centers are self-sustaining.
Additionally, the grants will ensure that patients with dystonia and Parkinson's disease have access to proper diagnosis, treatment and comprehensive care all coordinated seamlessly in one space. The patients will benefit from an integrated and coordinated approach to multi-disciplinary care that will include ease of access to movement disorder specialists, as well as physical, occupational and speech therapy. Services will also include diverse treatments including neurosurgery and genetic counseling.
Dystonia, which affects as many as 500,000 people in North America, is a movement disorder that causes the muscles to contract and spasm involuntarily. The involuntary muscle contractions force the body into repetitive, often twisting movements and awkward, irregular postures. It can affect the hands, feet, neck or other parts of the body. It may be genetic in origin or appear spontaneously, and dozens of diseases and conditions include dystonia as a major symptom.
Parkinson's disease is a chronic, progressive neurological disorder whose symptoms include tremor, stiffness, difficulty moving, and problems with walking and balance. According to the National Institutes of Health, Parkinson's affects about 500,000 people in the United States although many believe the numbers are higher. (The Parkinson's Disease Foundation estimates that as many as 1 million people are affected). Approximately 60,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. Most cases begin between the ages of 50 and 65, although younger people are affected, too. Currently available pharmacological and surgical treatments provide relief from some motor symptoms, but do not halt the ultimate progression of the disease.
The University of Alabama at Birmingham Comprehensive Parkinson Disease and Movement Disorders Clinic has the only program for movement disorders in Alabama and serves dystonia and Parkinson's patients from Mississippi, Florida, Tennessee, Georgia and Louisiana. The center was designated a Bachmann-Strauss Dystonia and Parkinson's Disease Center of Excellence based on a donation from the Foundation and a matching gift from the family of Mrs. Joel E. Johnson, Jr.
The program at UAB will enhance the access of patients to clinical trials in dystonia and Parkinson disease, and enable conduct of trials, which will advance the fields. The program will also facilitate the interactions between clinicians, basic scientists, and members of the community, and promote cross-culture efforts to translate new discoveries while training the next generation of dystonia and Parkinson disease clinicians and scientists through support of clinical and basic/translational fellowships.
"Dystonia has several forms and may be hereditary or caused by factors such as physical trauma, infection or reaction to a pharmaceutical, however most cases have no known cause," said David G. Standaert, M.D., Ph.D., professor and chair of the UAB Department of Neurology. "Treatment is difficult and has been limited to minimizing the symptoms. At present, there is no cure."
The is a leader in movement disorders and neurorestoration, and patients travel from all over the globe for personalized treatment. The center provides much needed multidisciplinary care to dystonia and Parkinson's patients, bringing together neurologists, neurosurgeons, psychiatrists, genetic counselors, physical therapists and other experts. The center was designated a Bachmann-Strauss Dystonia and Parkinson's Disease Center of Excellence based on a donation from the Foundation and with support from Tyler's Hope for a Dystonia Cure.
Michael S. Okun, M.D., the Adelaide Lackner professor of neurology and the center's co-director said "This funding will galvanize drug discovery, imaging and translational neuroscience and will train the scientists who will make this difference for the patients suffering from these diseases."
The Surgical Movement Disorders Center at UCSF provides state-of-the-art, comprehensive care to patients with movement disorders. The medical staff includes neurologists, neurosurgeons, neuropsychologists, radiologists and nurses who have specialized training in movement disorders. It offers a variety of services that include comprehensive neurological evaluations, medication treatment and disease management, botulinum toxin injections, neurosurgical procedures including deep brain stimulation, and deep brain stimulation programming for conditions such as dystonia, essential tremor, Parkinson's disease, spasticity and chorea.
Jill L. Ostrem, M.D., professor of neurology and medical director of the UCSF Surgical Movement Disorders Center said, "UCSF is very excited to be recognized as a Bachmann-Strauss Dystonia and Parkinson's Disease Center of Excellence. This Center will provide critical support for our busy clinical services and growing research efforts as they relate to dystonia and Parkinson's disease. Optimal results from surgery for Parkinson's disease and dystonia require close integration of neurosurgery, neurology, and nursing care; the new Bachmann-Strauss Center allows us to combine our neurological expertise and the skill Of UCSF's acclaimed Department of Neurological Surgery under Dr. Philip Starr in an impactful and revolutionary way."
I congratulate Drs. Standaert, Okun and Ostrem and their teams for all they have accomplished, and I look forward to working with them in the years to come," Strauss said. "Bringing together some of the world's leading experts in dystonia and Parkinson's disease under one roof will help to ensure that patients receive the best possible care."
###
About the Bachmann-Strauss Dystonia and Parkinson Foundation
The Bachmann-Strauss Dystonia & Parkinson Foundation is an independent, nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization that was established in 1995 by Louis Bachmann (1916-2000) and Bonnie Strauss in order to find better treatments and cures for the movement disorders dystonia and Parkinson's disease, and to provide medical and patient information. Key among its efforts, the Foundation funds scientific and clinical research and helps raise awareness of dystonia and Parkinson's disease among the general public and the medical community.
Since its 1995 founding by Bonnie Strauss, The Bachmann-Strauss Dystonia and Parkinson Foundation has given $14 million to seed 225 research projects. The scientists involved were able to leverage that funding to secure an additional $60 million from the National Institutes of Health. For more information please go to: http://www.dystonia-parkinsons.org.
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[unable to retrieve full-text content]Doom may be averted for the Smith Cloud, a gigantic streamer of hydrogen gas that is on a collision course with the Milky Way Galaxy. Astronomers have discovered a magnetic field deep in the cloud’s interior, which may protect it during its meteoric plunge into the disk of our Galaxy.Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/10/131031153459.htm Related Topics: Revolt TVSweetest DaystenographerMiriam Careyluke bryan
Butterflies show origin of species as an evolutionary process, not a single event
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31-Oct-2013
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Contact: Mary Beth O'Leary moleary@cell.com 617-397-2802 Cell Press
The evolution of new species might not be as hard as it seems, even when diverging populations remain in contact and continue to produce offspring. That's the conclusion of studies, reported in the Cell Press journal Cell Reports on October 31st, that examine the full genome sequences of 32 Heliconius butterflies from the Central American rain forest, representing five different species.
"The butterflies have performed a beautiful natural experiment for us that lets us address important questions about evolution," said Marcus Kronforst of the University of Chicago. "Even as biologists, we often think of the origin of new species as a moment in time when a new species splits from an old one, and this type of thinking is reflected in the evolutionary 'trees,' or phylogenies, that we draw. In reality, evolution is a long-term process that plays out in stages, and speciation is no different."
Kronforst and his colleagues found that the initial divergence between butterfly populations is restricted to a small fraction of the genome. In the case of the butterflies, the key genes are those involved in wing patterning. The butterfly species under study all have very different wing patterns, which are important in the butterflies' mating behavior and predator avoidance.
Comparison of those closely related, interbreeding species to a slightly more distant third species showed that hundreds of genomic changes had arisen rather quickly in evolutionary time sometime after those early differences took hold.
"We find that only a small fraction of the genome is markedly different between closely related species, but then much more of the genomemore than you'd expectshows similar differences between more distantly related species," Kronforst explained. "That indicates that the genetic changes that are important for causing speciation are tightly clustered early in speciation, but not so later on in the process; the overall pattern of genome divergence starts slow and then skyrockets."
The researchers view the process as a kind of tug-of-war between natural selection and gene flow. The result in the case of the butterflies has been a rapid divergence of species, driven by a combination of new mutations and borrowed genes. The butterfly genomes also show that the same spots in the genome have been important in multiple speciation events.
"Beyond butterflies, it is possible that this type of speciation, in which natural selection for ecology causes the origin of new species, has been important in the evolution of other organisms," Kronforst said.
###
Cell Reports, Kronforst et al.: "Hybridization reveals the evolving genomic architecture of speciation."
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Butterflies show origin of species as an evolutionary process, not a single event
PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:
31-Oct-2013
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Contact: Mary Beth O'Leary moleary@cell.com 617-397-2802 Cell Press
The evolution of new species might not be as hard as it seems, even when diverging populations remain in contact and continue to produce offspring. That's the conclusion of studies, reported in the Cell Press journal Cell Reports on October 31st, that examine the full genome sequences of 32 Heliconius butterflies from the Central American rain forest, representing five different species.
"The butterflies have performed a beautiful natural experiment for us that lets us address important questions about evolution," said Marcus Kronforst of the University of Chicago. "Even as biologists, we often think of the origin of new species as a moment in time when a new species splits from an old one, and this type of thinking is reflected in the evolutionary 'trees,' or phylogenies, that we draw. In reality, evolution is a long-term process that plays out in stages, and speciation is no different."
Kronforst and his colleagues found that the initial divergence between butterfly populations is restricted to a small fraction of the genome. In the case of the butterflies, the key genes are those involved in wing patterning. The butterfly species under study all have very different wing patterns, which are important in the butterflies' mating behavior and predator avoidance.
Comparison of those closely related, interbreeding species to a slightly more distant third species showed that hundreds of genomic changes had arisen rather quickly in evolutionary time sometime after those early differences took hold.
"We find that only a small fraction of the genome is markedly different between closely related species, but then much more of the genomemore than you'd expectshows similar differences between more distantly related species," Kronforst explained. "That indicates that the genetic changes that are important for causing speciation are tightly clustered early in speciation, but not so later on in the process; the overall pattern of genome divergence starts slow and then skyrockets."
The researchers view the process as a kind of tug-of-war between natural selection and gene flow. The result in the case of the butterflies has been a rapid divergence of species, driven by a combination of new mutations and borrowed genes. The butterfly genomes also show that the same spots in the genome have been important in multiple speciation events.
"Beyond butterflies, it is possible that this type of speciation, in which natural selection for ecology causes the origin of new species, has been important in the evolution of other organisms," Kronforst said.
###
Cell Reports, Kronforst et al.: "Hybridization reveals the evolving genomic architecture of speciation."
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Get Dear Prudence delivered to your inbox each week; click here to sign up. Please send your questions for publication to prudence@slate.com. (Questions may be edited.)
Got a burning question for Prudie? She'll be online at Washingtonpost.com to chat with readers each Monday at noon. Submit your questions and comments here before or during the live discussion.
Dear Prudence, A few months ago at work a young, handsome intern started talking to me. He was flirtatious and would act thrilled to see me. He would do this when other people were around, even other supervisors. I admit that I was flattered, but I’m a divorced woman 20 years his senior and in a relationship, so I didn't take it seriously. All I did to respond to him was smile and exchange small talk. I recently found out that he isn't flirting, he is making a joke of me. I was told by a friend that he was talking about me at an event in front of other employees, including a supervisor, and they were all having a laugh at my expense. This also explains the times when I would walk into the cafeteria and this intern and some co-workers would start smirking at me and cracking up. I am a bit overweight and not all that attractive, so perhaps this makes me a good target. He’s continuing his overtures and I simply respond “Hello” with a flat smile and go on my way. My friend told me to beware because she was afraid that this young man might get me into trouble. I am concerned that he could file a complaint against me and I don't know what to do. How should I handle this situation?
Dear Not, If only I could file a complaint against him. It would actually be a class action suit against all the sadistic snot-nosed little punks like him who try to bring misery to the innocent people in his path. As you describe, he was flirtatiously friendly and you responded with smiles and a few banal exchanges. In Saudi Arabia that might get you flogged, but you have nothing to worry about as far as any action being taken against you. The behavior of this young sociopath is disturbing, but even more outrageous is that he seems to have enlisted much of the office in his evil little games. Perhaps he fancies himself a would-be Neil LaBute and is working on a variation on The Shape of Things. I hope he’s on his way out soon, but in the meantime you have to live with him and the colleagues who have been part of this charade. Once you found out what he was up to, you were absolutely right to revert to cool cordiality and monosyllables. So from now on, if he comes over to flirt, look blankly at him and say, “Brad, I don’t have time to chat.” When you see him coming down the hall, you can focus your eyes on the middle distance and not even notice him. If you have to acknowledge him, nod, or if you must, exchange the minimum words necessary, and keep your face expressionless. With your spiteful colleagues, just continue to keep your dignity. Your office sounds like a den of rhesus macaque monkeys. You might want to start looking around for a place to work where the culture has advanced beyond middle school cafeteria bullying.
Dear Prudence: Chintzy Travel Companions
Dear Prudence, I have a dear friend who has been staying in a city a few hours from home so that she can receive treatment for late-stage cancer. She has planned a 9th birthday party for her son "Billy," and a bunch of his friends are scheduled to go to the city, participate in some activities, and stay in a hotel. Her husband will drive and I offered to help out and bring the kids who won't fit in her husband's car. My 8-year-old son has been friends with Billy for a long time, but lately Billy either ignores my son or lashes out verbally and physically. This child has always had a few issues, but in this time of stress these have become more pronounced. I explained to my son that Billy is having a rough time and we are committed to go, and we really need to help my friend, whom he adores. Now it turns out only three kids are going, and my friend has told me I’m not needed to drive or chaperone. I am relieved because my husband is working that weekend, we have another child, and my car is falling apart. My son wants to know why he has to go since I’m no longer going. I want to protect my friend's positive attitude and not worry her about her child. So do I tell my son he has to suck it up and go anyway? Do I tell my friend my child is just not into hers? Do I tell a white lie to my friend and say my kid’s been taken ill? I’m stumped.
Dear Blues, This is such a gut-wrenching situation and even the most serene child would be torn apart knowing his mother was gravely ill and might not make it. Billy may have some underlying problems, but it is understandable that he would lash out at other kids whose mothers are home and healthy. That doesn’t make his behavior acceptable; it makes it something that needs to be addressed. I’m hoping you have an open line of communication with your friend’s husband. So please gently bring up with him the need for Billy to have some counseling with someone who has expertise in childhood loss. You don’t have to discuss Billy’s overall issues, you just have to say that what’s going on in his life is so overwhelming that he needs a safe place to discuss his feelings. You also need to keep your son safe. It’s great to teach him empathy and compassion, but the lesson won’t sink in if his experience of it is being abused by another kid. Given all the circumstances, I think this is one of those cases in which a little white lie makes life easier for everyone. You can tell your friend your son is coming down with something and you don’t want to run the risk of him spreading it to her son and then to her.
WASHINGTON (AP) — In geopolitics, just as on the playground, even best friends don't tell each other everything. And everybody's dying to know what the other guy knows.
Revelations that the U.S. has been monitoring the cellphone calls of up to 35 world leaders have brought into high relief an open-yet-often-unspoken secret — allies spy on allies. It's also raised a question: With the incredible reach of new-millennium technology, is this still OK?
National Intelligence Director James Clapper said this week it is a "basic tenet" of the intelligence business to find out whether the public statements of world leaders jibe with what's being said behind closed doors.
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Michael Huerta announces that government safety rules are changing to let airline passengers use most electronic devices from gate-to-gate during a news conference, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2013, at Washington's Ronald Reagan National Airport. The change will let passengers read, work, play games, watch movies and listen to music _ but not make cellphone calls. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci)
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Michael Huerta announces that government safety rules are changing to let airline passengers use most electronic devices from gate-to-gate during a news conference, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2013, at Washington's Ronald Reagan National Airport. The change will let passengers read, work, play games, watch movies and listen to music _ but not make cellphone calls. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci)
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Michael Huerta announces that government safety rules are changing to let airline passengers use most electronic devices from gate-to-gate during a news conference, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2013, at Washington's Ronald Reagan National Airport. The change will let passengers read, work, play games, watch movies and listen to music _ but not make cellphone calls. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci)
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Michael Huerta announces that government safety rules are changing to let airline passengers use most electronic devices from gate-to-gate during a news conference, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2013, at Washington's Ronald Reagan National Airport. The change will let passengers read, work, play games, watch movies and listen to music _ but not make cellphone calls. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci)
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Michael Huerta announces that government safety rules are changing to let airline passengers use most electronic devices from gate-to-gate during a news conference, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2013, at Washington's Ronald Reagan National Airport. The change will let passengers read, work, play games, watch movies and listen to music _ but not make cellphone calls. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci)
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Michael Huerta announces that government safety rules are changing to let airline passengers use most electronic devices from gate-to-gate during a news conference, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2013, at Washington's Ronald Reagan National Airport. The change will let passengers read, work, play games, watch movies and listen to music _ but not make cellphone calls. (AP Photo/ Evan Vucci)
WASHINGTON (AP) — Airline passengers will be able to use their electronic devices gate-to-gate to read, work, play games, watch movies and listen to music — but not talk on their cellphones — under much-anticipated guidelines issued Thursday by the Federal Aviation Administration.
But passengers shouldn't expect changes to happen right away, FAA Administrator Michael Huerta said at a news conference. How fast the change is implemented will vary by airline, he said.
Airlines will have to show the FAA how their airplanes meet the new guidelines and that they've updated their flight-crew training manuals, safety announcements and rules for stowing devices to reflect the new guidelines. Delta and JetBlue said they would immediately submit plans to implement the new policy.
Currently, passengers are required to turn off their smartphones, tablets and other devices once a plane's door closes. They're not supposed to restart them until the planes reach 10,000 feet and the captain gives the go-ahead. Passengers are supposed to turn their devices off again as the plane descends to land and not restart them until the plane is on the ground.
Under the new guidelines, airlines whose planes are properly protected from electronic interference may allow passengers to use the devices during takeoffs, landings and taxiing, the FAA said. Most new airliners and other planes that have been modified so that passengers can use Wifi at higher altitudes are expected to meet the criteria.
But connecting to the Internet to surf, exchange emails, text or download data will still be prohibited below 10,000 feet. Passengers will be told to switch their devices to airplane mode. That means no Words With Friends, the online Scrabble-type game that actor Alec Baldwin was playing on his smartphone in 2011 when he was famously booted off an American Airlines jet for refusing to turn off the device while the plane was parked at the gate. Heavier devices such as laptops will continue to have to be stowed because of concern they might injure someone if they go flying around the cabin.
Airline passenger Ketan Patel, 24, said he's pleased with the change and happy that regulators have debunked the idea that the devices pose a safety problem. "If it isn't a problem, it should be allowed," he said as he stepped into a security line at Reagan National Airport near Washington, a smartphone in his hand.
Another passenger entering the same line, insurance marketing manager Melinda Neuman, 28, of Topeka, Kan., was disappointed that she still won't be able to text.
"If you can't download data, what's the point?" she said. "I don't power it off all the time, anyway."
In-flight cellphone calls will continue to be prohibited. Regulatory authority over phone calls belongs to the Federal Communications Commission, not the FAA. The commission prohibits the calls because of concern that phones on planes flying at hundreds of miles per hour could strain the ability of cellular networks to keep up as the devices keep trying to connect with cellphone towers, interfering with service to users on the ground.
An industry advisory committee created by the FAA to examine the issue recommended last month that the government permit greater use of personal electronic devices.
Pressure has been building on the FAA to ease restrictions on their use. Critics such as Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., say there is no valid safety reason for the prohibitions. Restrictions have also become more difficult to enforce as use of the devices has become ubiquitous. Some studies indicate as many as a third of passengers forget or ignore directions to turn off their devices.
The FAA began restricting passengers' use of electronic devices in 1966 in response to reports of interference with navigation and communications equipment when passengers began carrying FM radios, the high-tech gadgets of their day.
A lot has changed since then. New airliners are far more reliant on electrical systems than previous generations of aircraft, but they are also designed and approved by the FAA to be resistant to electronic interference. Airlines are already offering Wi-Fi use at cruising altitudes on planes modified to be more resistant to interference.
The vast majority of airliners should qualify for greater electronic device use under the new guidelines, Huerta said. In rare instances of landings during severe weather with low visibility, pilots may still order passengers to turn off devices because there is some evidence of potential interference with instrument landing systems under those conditions, he said.
Today's electronic devices generally emit much lower power radio transmissions than previous generations of devices. E-readers, for example, emit only minimal transmissions when turning a page. But transmissions are stronger when devices are downloading or sending data.
Among those pressing for a relaxation of restrictions on passengers' use of the devices has been Amazon.com. In 2011, company officials loaded an airliner full of their Kindle e-readers and flew it around to test for problems but found none.
A travel industry group welcomed the changes, calling them common-sense accommodations for a traveling public now bristling with technology. "We're pleased the FAA recognizes that an enjoyable passenger experience is not incompatible with safety and security," said Roger Dow, CEO of the U.S. Travel Association.
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Follow Joan Lowy on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/AP_Joan_Lowy
Kentucky head coach John Calipari watches his team during their Blue-White NCAA college basketball scrimmage, Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2013, in Lexington, Ky. The Blue team won 99-71. (AP Photo/James Crisp)
Kentucky head coach John Calipari watches his team during their Blue-White NCAA college basketball scrimmage, Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2013, in Lexington, Ky. The Blue team won 99-71. (AP Photo/James Crisp)
Kentucky men's coach John Calipari speaks to the audience waiting for the start of the NCAA college basketball team's Big Blue Madness, Friday, Oct. 18, 2013, in Lexington, Ky. (AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley)
Kentucky head coach John Calipari watches his team during their Blue-White NCAA college basketball scrimmage, Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2013, in Lexington, Ky. The Blue team won 99-71. (AP Photo/James Crisp)
Michigan State head basketball coach Tom Izzo responds to a question during the Big Ten Conference NCAA college basketball media day Thursday, Oct. 31, 2013, in Rosemont, Ill. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
Michigan State coach Tom Izzo listens to a question during the Big Ten Conference NCAA college basketball media day Thursday, Oct. 31, 2013, in Rosemont, Ill. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Every time Kentucky coach John Calipari starts to praise his latest crop of talented freshmen, he's just as quick to point out that it is a work in progress.
As the Wildcats take the first step toward coming together, Calipari will also have to remind his players to get through those growing pains quickly, because they are now the team to beat in college basketball.
Kentucky — with a collection of high school All-Americans — was ranked No. 1 in The Associated Press' preseason Top 25, a significant step considering the Wildcats finished 21-12 last season and were upset by Robert Morris in the first round of the NIT.
It's Kentucky's third preseason No. 1 and first since 1995-96 when the Wildcats won the national championship. The other preseason No. 1 was in 1980-81.
Kentucky was ranked for just one week in the final 16 polls of last season but Calipari enters this season with a roster featuring two returnees — Alex Poythress and Willie Cauley-Stein — and six freshmen who were selected McDonalds All-Americans last season.
To say that a ninth national championship is this year's goal is an understatement considering Kentucky has social media and blogs suggesting an unbeaten season is possible.
Calipari would just like to get to the Nov. 8 opener against North Carolina-Asheville first. The Wildcats begin the exhibition season Friday.
"It's a nice honor, but it's way too early to figure out who's the best team in the country," Calipari said. "We may be very talented, but I can't imagine us being the best team in the country at this point."
Kentucky beat out Michigan State in a close vote from the 65-member panel.
The Wildcats received 27 first-place votes and 1,546 points. The Spartans, who return four starters from the team that lost to Duke in the NCAA tournament's round of 16, snared 22 first-place votes and 1,543 points.
It won't take long for the schools to settle the issue. Kentucky and Michigan State meet on Nov. 12 at the State Farm Champions Classic in Chicago.
"A 1-2 matchup is a win-win deal," Spartans coach Tom Izzo told the AP. "If you win, you understand where you are and what you have as a team. If you lose, you've got time to figure out what you need to do to get better. I'm not sure, though, how kids and fans will react to winning or losing that game."
Of his team's ranking, Izzo added, "it's exciting because it means a group of people think we're good, and we've got a chance to be great."
Defending national champion Louisville received 14 first-place votes and was third while Duke, which received the other two No. 1 votes, was fourth.
Kansas was fifth, followed by Arizona and Michigan. Oklahoma State and Syracuse tied for eighth and Florida rounded out the Top Ten.
Ohio State was 11th and was followed by North Carolina, Memphis, VCU, Gonzaga, Wichita State, Marquette, Connecticut, Oregon and Wisconsin.
The last five ranked teams were Notre Dame, UCLA, New Mexico, Virginia and Baylor.
The last preseason No. 1 not to be ranked in the final poll of the previous season was Indiana in 1979-80.
Indiana was the preseason No. 1 last season and the Hoosiers were fourth in the final poll.
Gonzaga was No. 1 in the final poll last season and 18 teams in that final poll were in the preseason Top 25.
The Atlantic Coast Conference had the most teams in the preseason Top 25 with five and the Big Ten had four. The new American Athletic Conference, the Big 12 and Pac 12 all had three ranked teams.
Though Kentucky's objective is winning its second NCAA title in three seasons, playing like it's the nation's best is also a priority for the Wildcats a year after falling from the poll weeks after starting No. 3.
The consensus is that Calipari landed his best in a series of No. 1 recruiting classes. The group features Julius Randle, James Young, 7-footer Dakari Johnson, Marcus Lee and identical twin guards Aaron and Andrew Harrison, along with in-state standouts Dominique Hawkins and Derek Willis.
Along with Cauley-Stein, Poythress and senior reserves Jarrod Polson and Jon Hood, Kentucky has a mix of experience somewhat similar to the 2011-12 title team led by Anthony Davis and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist.
The season will determine whether Kentucky is able to deliver, but Aaron Harrison likes the group he's playing with.
"No one really understands how competitive practices are and how good this group is," he said after Tuesday's Blue-White scrimmage. "I'm really blessed to be a part of a great group like this."
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AP Basketball Writer Jim O'Connell In New York, and AP Sports Writer Larry Lage in East Lansing, Mich., contributed to this report.
Time Inc. Inks Deal With Flipboard: PEOPLE and InStyle First To Launch; TIME And FORTUNE Coming In December
With a digital footprint of 68MM across desktop, smartphones and tablets,Time Inc. will be the largest publisher to join Flipboard's platform.
NEW YORK, Oct. 31, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Time Inc. has reached an agreement with Flipboard to make its branded content available on the platform. PEOPLE and InStyle will be the first Time Inc. titles to launch this week, followed by TIME and FORTUNE in December.
With a digital footprint of 68MM across desktop, smartphones and tablets, Time Inc. will be the largest publisher to join Flipboard's platform. PEOPLE's content will focus on celebrity news and red carpet moments and InStyle will feature the latest celebrity looks, fashion trends and beauty how-tos.
The content on Flipboard has been paginated and designed to reflect each title's unique brand experience. Inside of the pages of PEOPLE, InStyle, TIME and FORTUNE on Flipboard will also be full page beautiful advertising inventory for brands around the world interested in reaching these readers. Time Inc. will offer its advertisers sharable full page ads within its Flipboard content. Gucci has signed on as a launch partner to InStyle on Flipboard.
"The demand for Time Inc.'s mobile content has grown exponentially this year, from celebrity and style content to breaking news," said Fran Hauser, President, Digital, Time Inc Style & Entertainment Group. "If you look at the enormous built-in following and influence our brands carry, and combine it with Flipboard's ability to showcase our content and photography so beautifully and make it more discoverable, this is a great place for us to be."
"With this deal the iconic publications of PEOPLE, InStyle, TIME and FORTUNE will bring the important stories, amazing visuals, analytical pieces and pop culture trends of the day to the millions of people on Flipboard. We are very proud to be a part of Time Inc.'s strategy to reach readers everywhere," said Mike McCue, Flipboard CEO.
About Time Inc. Time Inc., a division of Time Warner, is one of the largest branded media companies in the world reaching more than 130 million Americans each month across multiple platforms. With influential brands such as TIME, PEOPLE, SPORTS ILLUSTRATED, InStyle, and REAL SIMPLE, Time Inc. is home to celebrated events and franchises including the FORTUNE 500, TIME 100, PEOPLE's Most Beautiful and SPORTS ILLUSTRATED'S Sportsman of the Year.
About Flipboard Flipboard is your personal magazine. It's the most popular way to catch up on the news you care about, discover amazing things from around the world, or stay connected to the people closest to you. Inspired by the beauty and ease of print media, Flipboard is designed so you can easily flip through the stories, videos and images on just about any topic imaginable. Start reading your magazine by downloading Flipboard at www.flipboard.com.
Today in international tech news: A UK-based tobacco company apologizes after one of its ads ends up in a children's iPad app. Also: Google's competitors don't seem all that impressed with its most recent round of European antitrust remedies; a Brit is arrested for hacking into U.S. government computers; Obama's Twitter account gets hacked; and Apple had a good (relatively speaking) quarter in China.
British American Tobacco issued an apology after an ad for its e-cigarette brand, Vype, popped up in an iPad app for children.
The Vype banner appeared inside the "My Dog My Style HD" game and was spotted by author and educator Graham Brown-Martin, who took to Twitter with a screenshot of the kiddy cig advertisement.
British American Tobacco, based in the UK, pulled its online advertising for Vype and issued an apology: "It's unacceptable and we're taking the issue seriously," it said.
The snafu was likely caused not by British American Tobacco targeting kids, but rather by a mixup (or downright negligence) with an advertising network tasked with placing the company's ads.
Google's competitors pleading with the European Commission to hurry up;
Europe's competitors rejecting Google's first go-around at concessions earlier this year.
Google has reportedly offered to let competitors display their logos on Google result pages as part of its new strategy. However, FairSearch, a group of companies led by Microsoft, has said that such concessions are too similar to the ones that have already been rejected.
Google currently controls more than 90 percent of the search market in Europe -- it's about 70 percent in the U.S. -- which is probably part of the reason other companies are so prickly about this.
JoaquĆn Almunia, the European Union's Competition Commissioner, said he wants a final settlement reached by the spring. Then again, the EU gave Google a January 2013 deadline last year, and look what good that's done.
The pro-Assad Syrian Electronic Army hacker group claims to have wormed its way into President Obama's official Twitter and Facebook accounts.
That claim jells with what happened to Obama's Twitter account, which on Monday linked to a YouTube video from the Electronic Army. Obama's reelection site, donate.barackobama.com, was also infiltrated, as users were redirected to the Syrian Electronic Army site.
The Syrian Electronic Army has also taken credit for hacks carried out against CNN, Time and other media outlets.
After a slow summer, Apple sales in China have rebounded somewhat, spiking 24 percent over the past three months from the previous quarter (but just 6 percent from a year earlier).
Apple CEO Tim Cook announced that Apple has generated almost US$27 billion in revenue from China in the 2013 fiscal year, a 14 percent increase from the year before.
Earlier this year, Apple had to contend with state-run media reports decrying the company's products and service in China, but an apology to Chinese consumers may have helped smooth things over.