Scientists find new gene markers for cancer risk

NEW YORK (AP) ? A huge international effort involving more than 100 institutions and genetic tests on 200,000 people has uncovered dozens of signposts in DNA that can help reveal further a person's risk for breast, ovarian or prostate cancer, scientists reported Wednesday.

It's the latest mega-collaboration to learn more about the intricate mechanisms that lead to cancer. And while the headway seems significant in many ways, the potential payoff for ordinary people is mostly this: Someday there may be genetic tests that help identify women with the most to gain from mammograms, and men who could benefit most from PSA tests and prostate biopsies.

And perhaps farther in the future these genetic clues might lead to new treatments.

"This adds another piece to the puzzle," said Harpal Kumar, chief executive of Cancer Research U.K., the charity which funded much of the research.

One analysis suggests that among men whose family history gives them roughly a 20 percent lifetime risk for prostate cancer, such genetic markers could identify those whose real risk is 60 percent.

The markers also could make a difference for women with BRCA gene mutations, which puts them at high risk for breast cancer. Researchers may be able to separate those whose lifetime risk exceeds 80 percent from women whose risk is about 20 to 50 percent. One doctor said that might mean some women would choose to monitor for cancer rather than taking the drastic step of having healthy breasts removed.

Scientists have found risk markers for the three diseases before, but the new trove doubles the known list, said one author, Douglas Easton of Cambridge University. The discoveries also reveal clues about the biological underpinnings of these cancers, which may pay off someday in better therapies, he said.

Experts not connected with the work said it was encouraging but that more research is needed to see how useful it would be for guiding patient care. One suggested that using a gene test along with PSA testing and other factors might help determine which men have enough risk of a life-threatening prostate cancer that they should get a biopsy. Many prostate cancers found early are slow-growing and won't be fatal, but there is no way to differentiate and many men have surgery they may not need.

Easton said the prospects for a genetic test are greater for prostate and breast cancer than ovarian cancer.

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy among women worldwide, with more than 1 million new cases a year. Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men after lung cancer, with about 900,000 new cases every year. Ovarian cancer accounts for about 4 percent of all cancers diagnosed in women, causing about 225,000 cases worldwide.

The new results were released in 13 reports in Nature Genetics, PLOS Genetics and other journals. They come from a collaboration involving more than 130 institutions in the United States, Europe, and elsewhere. The research was mainly paid for by Cancer Research U.K., the European Union and the U.S. National Institutes of Health.

Scientists used scans of DNA from more than 200,000 people to seek the markers, tiny variations in the 3 billion "letters" of the DNA code that are associated with disease risk.

The scientists found 49 new risk markers for breast cancer plus a couple of others that modify breast cancer risk from rare mutated genes, 26 for prostate cancer and eight for ovarian cancer. Individually, each marker has only a slight impact on risk estimation, too small to be useful on its own, Easton said. They would be combined and added to previously known markers to help reveal a person's risk, he said.

A genetic test could be useful in identifying people who should get mammography or PSA testing, said Hilary Burton, director of the PHG Foundation, a genomics think-tank in Cambridge, England. A mathematical analysis done by her group found that under certain assumptions, a gene test using all known markers could reduce the number of mammograms and PSA tests by around 20 percent, with only a small cost in cancer cases missed.

Among the new findings:

? For breast cancer, researchers calculated that by using all known markers, including the new ones, they could identify 5 percent of the female population with twice the average risk of disease, and 1 percent with a three-fold risk. The average lifetime risk of getting breast cancer is about 12 percent in developed countries. It's lower in the developing world where other diseases are a bigger problem.

? For prostate cancer, using all the known markers could identify 1 percent of men with nearly five times the average risk, the researchers computed. In developed countries, a man's average lifetime risk for the disease is about 14 to 16 percent, lower in developing nations.

?Markers can also make a difference in estimates of breast cancer risk for women with the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutations. Such women are rare, but their lifetime risk can run as high as 85 percent. Researchers said that with the new biomarkers, it might be possible to identify the small group of these women with a risk of 28 percent or less.

For patients like Vicki Gilbert of England, who carries a variation of the BRCA1 gene, having such details about her cancer risk would have made decision-making easier.

Gilbert, 50, found out about her genetic risk after being diagnosed with the disease in 2009. Though doctors said the gene wouldn't change the kind of chemotherapy she got, they suggested removing her ovaries to avoid ovarian cancer, which is also made more likely by a mutated BRCA1.

"They didn't want to express a definite opinion on whether I should have my ovaries removed so I had to weigh up my options for myself," said Gilbert, a veterinary receptionist in Wiltshire. "...I decided to have my ovaries removed because that takes away the fear it could happen. It certainly would have been nice to have more information to know that was the right choice."

Gilbert said knowing more about the genetic risks of cancer should be reassuring for most patients. "There are so many decisions made for you when you go through cancer treatment that being able to decide something yourself is very important," she said.

Dr. Charis Eng, chair of the Genomic Medicine Institute at the Cleveland Clinic, who didn't participate in the new work, called the breast cancer research exciting but not ready for routine use.

Most women who carry a BRCA gene choose intensive surveillance with both mammograms and MRI and some choose to have their breasts removed to prevent the disease, she said. Even the lower risk described by the new research is worrisomely high, and might not persuade a woman to avoid such precautions completely, Eng said.

___

AP Medical Writer Maria Cheng contributed to this report from London.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/scientists-gene-markers-cancer-risk-162853893.html

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Getting the lay of the land | Los Angeles | Jewish Journal

March 20, 2013

By Tom Tugend

Jennifer Thompson, a Jewish ethics professor at CSUN, is heading up a Jewish mapping project of the San Fernando Valley. Photo courtesy of CSUN

When Jennifer Thompson left her academic position in Iowa to join the Jewish Studies faculty at California State University, Northridge (CSUN), she encountered two problems.

Despite the huge number of Jews living in the San Fernando Valley, it was difficult for her to get a handle on Jewish community resources there when she arrived last fall and settled in North Hollywood with her family.

?While the information is out there, it?s hard to find,? she said. ?One can go on the Web, but you have to sort through hundreds of resources to find what you?re looking for. If you finally find a synagogue that interests you, it could turn out to be 30 miles away.?

Although there are ?tons of Jewish resources? available to the 50 percent of Los Angeles area Jewry living in the Valley, ?most of the resources people know about are on the other side of the hill, and it?s time that we identified what is right here in our neighborhoods,? said Thompson, more formally Dr. Jennifer A. Thompson, Maurice Amado Assistant Professor of Applied Jewish Ethics and Civic Engagement.

Her professorship was established through a $500,000 endowment from the Maurice Amado Foundation and Thompson was selected for the position after a year-long search by a faculty committee, said Jody Myers, coordinator of the CSUN Jewish Studies Interdisciplinary Program.

In response to her quest for a unified and easily accessible resource guide, Thompson?s first classroom research project is to create an online ?map of the Jewish San Fernando Valley,? to be followed by a similar undertaking for the Conejo Valley.

Thompson defines her ?Mapping the Jewish Valley? project as an ethnographic study, rather than a population or demographic survey.

Each student in her class has to examine the Web sites of three synagogues or other Jewish institutions in his or her community, and then pick one for in-depth research and personal visits.

The student has to dig into the history of the institution, composition of the membership, major programs, types of services and so forth. At the end of the project, the input from all the students will be combined on a spreadsheet and then transformed into an online map for the entire Valley.

Thompson hopes to complete the project by the end of this year and then embark on a similar ?mapping? for the Conejo Valley.

The Valley Alliance of the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles is supporting the future Conejo Valley study through a $10,000 grant, according to the Jewish Federation Valley Alliance?s executive director Carol Koransky.

In addition to the San Fernando and Conejo Valleys, the Alliance?s territory encompasses the Santa Clarita, Simi and Antelope Valleys, whose Jewish populations are growing with an influx of younger families, Koransky said.

Thompson comes to the task of mapping the Jewish population from an unusual perspective.

Raised as a Catholic and of Scots-Irish-German descent, she converted to Judaism while an undergraduate at Brandeis University. She is now the Jewish wife of a Catholic-raised librarian and they are raising their six-year old son Samuel (Sam) as a Jewish boy.

After graduating high school in Juneau, Alaska, Thompson studied and taught in Massachusetts, Georgia and Iowa. None of these locations prepared her for the student mix in the ?Introduction to Judaism? and ?Jewish Ethics and Society? classes she teaches at CSUN.

She was initially perplexed by the Iranian surnames of many of her Jewish students, as well as by the Latino and Filipino descent of their Christian classmates.

Nor was the extent of Jewish background knowledge an indicator of ethnicity or religion, she said, since many Jewish students knew little about the history or rituals of their faith.

The gradations of Jewish identity, especially in mixed marriages, in one of Thompson?s main interests, and not only for academic reasons.

Thompson?s own path to Judaism started through a Jewish friend at her Juneau high school, who invited her to a family Rosh Hashanah dinner. When it came time to pick a college, Thompson chose Brandeis, though not purely for academic or philo-Semitic reasons.

?For one, my boyfriend was going to study at nearby Harvard, and for another Brandeis was one of the few good universities in the area accepting mid-term enrollments, so I could start in the spring, rather than wait for the fall semester,? Thompson explained.

Her Alaska high school friend had also introduced Thompson to some hip Jewish services, ?where people were sitting on the floor and playing guitars. I had never seen anything like it,? Thompson said. ?When I went to parochial school, we had to be obedient and follow orders, but when I met Jewish kids, they were always arguing, and I liked that.?

During her junior year at Brandeis, a Conservative Beit Din (religious court) officiated at her halakhic conversion.

From Brandeis, Thompson went on to earn a Master of Theological Studies at the Harvard Divinity School, and a doctorate in Ethics and Society at Emory University in Atlanta.

During her studies in in anthropology and sociology at Emory, she independently conducted research and interviews for a study on how Jewish institutions and newspapers deal with intermarried couples.

Atlanta was a fertile field for the study since about 67 percent of its Jewish residents were intermarrying in the 1990s. For her dissertation on ?Continuity through Transformation: American Jews, Judaism and Intermarriage,? Thompson interviewed 13 of the city?s rabbis, as well as members of the Mothers Circle, a group reaching out to intermarried couples.

Toward the end of this year, Rutgers University Press will publish her book? ?Jewish On Their Own Terms: How Intermarried Couples Are Changing American Judaism.?

Some of Thompson?s observations on intermarriage, during a nearly three-hour interview, included:

*Intermarried couples who raise their children Jewish are ?not that much different? from all-Jewish couples with kids.

*Once an intermarried couple decides to raise their children as Jews, the responsibility for the kids? religious education almost always falls on the mother, even when she is the Christian partner.

*A number of Christian women married to Jewish men told Thompson that they wanted to bear Jewish children to make up for the losses sustained during the Holocaust.

*Many Christian partners in mixed marriages viewed being a Jew in America as a positive. Thompson also cited a survey showing that among all religions in the United States, Judaism was the most admired. On the other end of the spectrum, atheists were the most disliked.

Among her numerous interests, Thompson is an avid gardner and her resume lists among her administrative experiences co-managing and publicizing a neighborhood farmer?s market in Des Moines, Iowa.

Along that line, she is researching Jewish participation in the food movement, started largely by environmentalists in the 1970s. Thompson asks that any synagogue or other Jewish institution involved in the food movement, past or present, contact her by email at jthompson@csun.edu.

Thompson attends services at Adat Ari El, a Conservative synagogue in Valley Village, and on occasion joins son Sam at junior congregation services.

On a distinctly personal note, Thompson, who is blonde, blue-eyed and a youthful 37, said she finds it awkward when puzzled Jews come up with ?but you don?t look Jewish? comments.

To her, the unspoken, probably unintentional, message is, ?you?re weird, sort of like a talking dog or a unicorn,? she said, even though she realizes the speaker probably doesn?t intend to convey such a meaning.

In addition, Thompson noted, many born Jews seem surprised that a gentile would voluntarily accept the burden of becoming a Jew. ?To me,? she said,? being Jewish is not a burden, it is a very positive part of my life.?

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Source: http://www.jewishjournal.com/los_angeles/article/getting_the_lay_of_the_land

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YouTube mulls creating paid subscription video channels

By Simon Evans DENVER, Colorado, March 21 (Reuters) - A leadership role rarely falls to a 24-year-old playing in just his second World Cup qualifier but U.S. defender Omar Gonzalez will have little choice but to be an organiser on Friday against Costa Rica. Gonzalez, who plays Major League Soccer with L.A. Galaxy, lacks an experienced partner to guide him after former captain Carlos Bocanegra was left out. Injuries have robbed Klinsmann of his main options at full-back - Steve Cherundolo, Timmy Chandler and Fabian Johnson. ...

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/youtube-mulls-creating-paid-subscription-video-channels-233024854.html

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Reminder: Android 4.2.2 pushing now for the Verizon Galaxy Nexus

Manual update file also is available

Just a quick reminder, folks, that Android 4.2.2 (Build JDQ39) is now available for the Verizon Galaxy Nexus. You get all the benefits that other Galaxy Nexus owners have enjoyed for months, including DayDreams, lock screen widgets and the new trace keyboard, among other improvements.

Folks are reporting that the update is pushing out over the air. Or if you hate waiting and want to update manually, you can snag the file straight from Google here. (via XDA) As always, hit up our Verizon Galaxy Nexus forums if you need help or have any questions.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/androidcentral/~3/AgRAM2duoqU/story01.htm

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Fantastic flash memory combines graphene and molybdenite

Mar. 19, 2013 ? EPFL scientists have combined two materials with advantageous electronic properties -- graphene and molybdenite -- into a flash memory prototype that is very promising in terms of performance, size, flexibility and energy consumption.

After the molybdenite chip, we now have molybdenite flash memory, a significant step forward in the use of this new material in electronics applications. The news is even more impressive because scientists from EPFL's Laboratory of Nanometer Electronics and Structures (LANES) came up with a truly original idea: they combined the advantages of this semiconducting material with those of another amazing material -- graphene. The results of their research have recently been published in the journal ACS Nano.

Two years ago, the LANES team revealed the promising electronic properties of molybdenite (MoS2), a mineral that is very abundant in nature. Several months later, they demonstrated the possibility of building an efficient molybdenite chip. Today, they've gone further still by using it to develop a flash memory prototype -- that is, a cell that can not only store data but also maintain it in the absence of electricity. This is the kind of memory used in digital devices such as cameras, phones, laptop computers, printers, and USB keys.

An ideal "energy band"

"For our memory model, we combined the unique electronic properties of MoS2 with graphene's amazing conductivity," explains Andras Kis, author of the study and director of LANES.

Molybdenite and graphene have many things in common. Both are expected to surpass the physical limitations of our current silicon chips and electronic transistors. Their two-dimensional chemical structure -- the fact that they're made up of a layer only a single atom thick -- gives them huge potential for miniaturization and mechanical flexibility.

Although graphene is a better conductor, molybdenite has advantageous semi-conducting properties. MoS2 has an ideal "energy band" in its electronic structure that graphene does not. This allows it to switch very easily from an "on" to an "off" state, and thus to use less electricity. Used together, the two materials can thus combine their unique advantages.

Like a sandwich

The transistor prototype developed by LANES was designed using "field effect" geometry, a bit like a sandwich. In the middle, instead of silicon, a thin layer of MoS2 channels electrons. Underneath, the electrodes transmitting electricity to the MoS2 layer are made out of graphene. And on top, the scientists also included an element made up of several layers of graphene; this captures electric charge and thus stores memory.

"Combining these two materials enabled us to make great progress in miniaturization, and also using these transistors we can make flexible nanoelectronic devices," explains Kis. The prototype stores a bit of memory, just a like a traditional cell. But according to the scientist, because molybdenite is thinner than silicon and thus more sensitive to charge, it offers great potential for more efficient data storage.

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

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Journal References:

1. Branimir Radisavljevic, Michael B. Whitwick, Andras Kis. Correction to Integrated Circuits and Logic Operations Based on Single-Layer MoS2. ACS Nano, 2013; : 130306152835005 DOI: 10.1021/nn400553g
2. Dominik Lembke, Andras Kis. Correction to Breakdown of High-Performance Monolayer MoS2Transistors. ACS Nano, 2013; : 130306155146006 DOI: 10.1021/nn400554k

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

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Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/matter_energy/electronics/~3/KsyEqRj3PNk/130319144535.htm

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EU commission calls for better enforcement following Apple warranty dust up

In 2011 Apple found itself in some hot water for failing to provide the legally required two-year warranty to European consumers. But, since being slapped with a €900,000 fine by Italy in December of that year, few other countries have taken any signifcant action. That's led European Justice Commissioner Viviane Reding to call on the nations of the European Union to step up their enforcement efforts and to cooperate more on consumer protection issues. She also said that the Justice Commission should take a more prominent role in helping various state institutions work together. The call for stricter enforcement comes after only five EU members took any action against Apple for openly flouting the Union's Warranty laws -- and just two (Italy and Bulgaria) imposed any financial penalties. Denmark, Finland, Luxembourg and Belgium are still investigating the company, but it's not clear what consequences if any remain to be faced. The company has begun to alter its warranty policies to fall more inline with local laws, but there are still concerns about the specific wording that leave room for abuse.

Filed under: Apple

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/bhAhblaP7zg/

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Exploring the Sustainability 'Gold Standard' - Environmental Leader

On February 7, 2013 a group of true sustainability diehards braved the onslaught of Snowmageddon Toronto 2013 to explore ideas of how to define a Gold Standard for business under a vision for Capitalism 2.0. Led by author and sustainability change agent,?Dr. Bob Willard, the TSSS local audience in Toronto and international audience via Livestream shared inspiring thoughts of what business could look like in a new era of capitalism.

Capitalism 1.0 has evolved from times of the agricultural and industrial revolutions, from business models where increasing shareholder profit is the very definition of business success. But this approach has led to indefensible income disparity, the exploitation of millions of people worldwide and ecosystem destruction; Capitalism 1.0 is the very definition of a system that is not sustainable. Its boom and bust cycles are destabilizing for people and societies, and, most significantly, it has led us down a path that is destroying the planet upon which our survival depends. A new economic model is needed, one that can not only enrich us, but also sustain us and our planet: Capitalism 2.0.

Capitalism 2.0 Will Demand that Companies Costs Be Internalized

As is often said, we must know from where we come in order to know where we are going. While Capitalism 1.0 has been defined by a profit-first bottom line, Capitalism 2.0 will be defined by a new vision that creates wealth, opportunity and satisfaction for the greatest number of people.? While Capitalism 1.0 has allowed companies to externalize environmental and social costs, Capitalism 2.0 will demand that companies internalize these costs.? While Capitalism 1.0 has been driven by the goal of maximizing shareholder value, Capitalism 2.0 will be driven by a commitment to creating shared stakeholder value for all stakeholders, including the environment.? But how will we get from Capitalism 1.0 to Capitalism 2.0?? Who will lead us from our misguided current path to a more promising future?

Our speaker began his presentation by presenting a number of different rankings of leading green or sustainable companies. But how are these rankings determined? Why are the top 10 companies as defined by Newsweek so different from the top 10 defined by Fortune, or by Corporate Knights? What are the criteria and key performance indicators? Willard then led us in a discussion of how we might define a corporate sustainability leader ? one that will help us chart our new path to Capitalism 2.0.

Willard defined a ?truly sustainable enterprise? as one ?that creates positive economic, environmental and social value?If it were to operate forever, it would not only do no harm; it would do well by doing some good.? This definition is based upon an understanding of ?The Real World? in which we are subject to nested dependencies: A business enterprise exists within and is dependent upon the human economy, which is dependent upon human society, which is dependent upon the environment in which we live.? As such, the truly sustainable enterprise must respect the idea of: ?Enough, for all, forever.?

Beyond Sustainability as the Gold Standard to the Idea of ESG

To understand the truly sustainable enterprise, one must examine the three legged sustainability stool model of Environmental Social Governance (ESG).? Without a proper leg in any of these three dimensions, our stool cannot support us and we will fall. Willard suggested that a company that stands upon a solid 3-legged ESG stool is one that defines the Gold Standard for Capitalism 2.0.? Willard asserted that we must move beyond the idea of sustainability as the gold standard to the idea of ESG.? The Environmental Gold Standard would embrace such ideas as moving beyond neutral to positive in areas such as waste, water and energy. It would not only embrace the concept of do no harm, but it would in fact be restorative to ecosystems.? The Social Gold Standard would be defined by a commitment to such things as paying a fair share of taxes, having engaged employees and delivering products and services that actually build social capital. The Governance Gold Standard would offer transparency and embrace engagement with all stakeholders, would include full life cycle accountability, and would incorporate leaders who are not only ethical but transformative.

Attendees at this event discussed the question of what ESG criteria they would use to assess whether or not a company is a truly sustainable enterprise that can be a Capitalism 2.0 leader. This brainstorming led to as many unanswered questions as it did defined criteria ? this is one of the challenges of defining a Gold Standard for Capitalism 2.0. For example, it was suggested that ideally the company would have a ?noble purpose? ? a great concept, but how does one define criteria to assess this?

While all present agreed that a truly sustainable enterprise must have a solid foundation on all three legs of the ESG stool, what would be the implications of an enterprise that excelled in the areas represented by one or two legs, but was lacking on the other leg(s)?? Could such an enterprise ?buy? its way out of being ?bad? in one or two realms, similar to the idea of trading in carbon credits?

Where Should Accountability End

Another suggestion from those in attendance was that there should be equity in business operations, that no one be exploited through the operations of the company ? but how would such impacts be evaluated across all legal and social levels, and where does accountability end?? Would the company be responsible for assuring equity only in its own operations, or in the operations throughout its whole value chain?? And if it is responsible for equity throughout its value chain, then is there a point when enough is enough?? Is it possible to demand too much equity from a company, such that it may be forced to put itself out of business? But if it puts itself out of business, then the governance leg of the stool is broken, right?? Would such an outcome mean that the model is flawed, or would it merely mean that in the case of such an enterprise, the implementation of the model had been flawed?

Brad Zarnett is the Founder and Director of Toronto Sustainability Speaker Series (TSSS).?A further exploration of such questions will be fundamental to the 2013 TSSS white paper, Capitalism 2.0: Strategies for the 21st Century Enterprise.? This paper will provide strategic guidance on how organizations can thrive in the new economy of Capitalism 2.0 and will be released in April 2013.? Click here to be receive communications from TSSS so that you can be notified when this white paper is released.

At our next event on March 27^th we will be joined by the former Toronto Mayor, David Miller and the current Mayor of Guelph Ontario Karen Farbridge to discuss what lays ahead for Ontario?s cities in the era of climate change. For full details click here.

Stay Up-to-Date On Environmental Management, Energy & Sustainability News with EL's Free Daily Newsletter

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Source: http://www.environmentalleader.com/2013/03/18/exploring-the-sustainability-gold-standard/

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Earth's interior cycles contributor to long-term sea-level and climate change

Mar. 18, 2013 ? Ancient rises in sea levels and global warming are partially attributable to cyclical activity below Earth's surface, researchers from New York University and Ottawa's Carleton University have concluded in an analysis of geological studies.

However, the article's authors, NYU's Michael Rampino and Carleton University's Andreas Prokoph, note that changes spurred by Earth's interior are gradual, taking place in periods ranging from 60 million to 140 million years -- far less rapidly than those brought on by human activity.

Their analysis appears in Eos, a newspaper published by the American Geophysical Union.

Rampino and Prokoph's analysis considers long-term fluctuations in global climate, diversity of marine organisms, and sea level changes, aiming to identify a unifying cause for these changes. While much scientific study has centered on phenomena above Earth's crust, less attention has historically been paid to changes deep inside our planet.

In recent years, however, researchers have examined the upwelling of mantle plumes -- the rising up of heated rocks from earth's mantle that reach Earth's surface. These plumes have a notable impact on one geologic occurrence: the eruption of large igneous provinces (LIPs), which are large accumulation of rocks formed from congealed lava.

In their analysis of recent scientific findings, Rampino and Prokoph observe that mantle plumes coincide with cyclical surface changes, suggesting that the plumes themselves may be cyclical in nature. For example, Prokoph's previous research has found that many geological changes had cycles of 60 and 140 million years and suggested the cyclical uprising of these plumes to form hotspots -- areas on Earth's surface where volcanic activity has endured.

More broadly, the researchers write, mantle plumes push up against Earth crust, shifting water to continents, thereby producing sea-level rise, and precipitating volcanic activity, which produces additional CO₂, leading to a warmer climate.

"Mantle plumes appear to show regular cycles," Rampino explained. "So what's remarkable is there is a strong indication of a connection between changes on Earth's surface -- such as volcanic activity and rising sea levels -- and what's occurring deep inside Earth. This suggests a fascinating and powerful union between below-surface geological events and changes in our climate."

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Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_environment/~3/MVDaGfcznq0/130318132819.htm

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Military plane crashes in Mauritania

NOUAKCHOTT, Mauritania (AP) ? A Mauritanian official says that a military plane which was on a training mission crashed near the desert town of Aoujeft, located roughly 500 kilometers (300 miles) northeast of the capital.

The official said Monday that there were at least two people on board the plane, including the pilot and a mechanic. The official said one of the two was found alive, while the second has not yet been found, though he could not identify either. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he did not have permission to speak to the press.

In July 2012, a military plane crashed on the tarmac of the airport in the capital, Nouakchott, killing eight people.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/military-plane-crashes-mauritania-133202495.html

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Samsung's Dennis Miloseski backstage at Expand (video)

We had a chance to grill the head of Samsung's North American design studio, Dennis Miloseski, during our panel discussion about the growing sophistication of mobile devices here at Expand. As it turns out, he had even more to talk about, so we wired him up and threw him in the hot seat backstage. He gave us a look into the story behind the Galaxy S 4, the changing face of TouchWiz UI and building Samsung's design studio stateside. For the full interview, check out the video after the break.

Follow all of Engadget's Expand coverage live from San Francisco right here!

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Samsung

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

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PFT: Dumervil fires agent? |? NFLPA wants inquiry

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Eagles quarterback Mike Vick recently canceled his book tour due to death threats that were deemed credible.? Vick has now resumed his public effort to sell more copies of his autobiography, Finally Free.

And Vick had some strong words for those who are still upset about the fact that he engaged in a six-year habit of fighting dogs and killing dogs that were deemed unfit to fight.

?Why would you continue to bash somebody who?s trying to help make the world a better place?? Vick told Robert Klemko of USA Today.

?A lot of people are sick and tired of hearing about my past, because there are so many other problems that are going on in this world that need to have attention drawn to them,? Vick said.? ?People are dying every day, children are being killed, going to jail.? Not to say I overlook what I?ve done, but I try to do outreach as a positive.?

Actually, the people most sick and tired of hearing about Vick?s past are the ones who blindly accepted his defiant professions of innocence and then, when it turned out he was lying to them and everyone else, shrugged it all off by saying, ?It?s just dogs.?

Vick also explained the reason for postponing the book tour.

?It wasn?t so much fear, but you have to take precaution for yourself and your family, and for other people as well,? Vick said. ?I knew a lot of people were going to be at the signings, and I didn?t want to put anyone in jeopardy.

?I think the small fraction of people who are still making these derogatory comments and thinking irrationally, they?re in a league of their own.? But we won?t let it stop us from what we?re trying to do. . . .

?We?re definitely going to finish the book tour,? Vick added. ?Even if it happens again, we?re still going to move forward, but we?ll do it in a totally different way.? The book is doing great because of all the attention it?s gotten in the last couple days, so what more can I ask for??

He?s apparently asking for people to completely forget what he did, and labeling those who won?t do that as ?irrational.?? Actually, plenty of rational minds have lingering concerns about the lifestyle Vick led from 2001 through 2007 ? and which he still may have been leading if he hadn?t gotten caught.

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/03/16/elvis-dumervil-fires-his-agent/related/

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Rationally Speaking: Experimental philosophy is not an elephant

Rationally Speaking is a blog maintained by Prof. Massimo Pigliucci, a philosopher at the City University of New York. The blog reflects the Enlightenment figure Marquis de Condorcet's idea of what a public intellectual (yes, we know, that's such a bad word) ought to be: someone who devotes himself to "the tracking down of prejudices in the hiding places where priests, the schools, the government, and all long-established institutions had gathered and protected them." You're welcome. Please notice that the contents of this blog can be reprinted under the standard Creative Commons license.

Source: http://rationallyspeaking.blogspot.com/2013/03/experimental-philosophy-is-not-elephant.html

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Key step in manufacture of red blood cells decoded: Subtle regulatory chords that direct the birth of blood cells discovered

Mar. 14, 2013 ? A healthy adult must generate as many as one hundred billion new red blood cells each day, to maintain the numbers circulating in his blood. A team of EPFL researchers has identified a key step in the process by which red blood cells are born. The discovery could not only shed light on the causes of blood disorders such as anemia, it could also bring closer the medics' dream of being able to manufacture red blood cells in the lab -- thus providing a potentially inexhaustible supply of an essential component of blood for transfusion.

A red blood cell, or erythrocyte, is essentially a sack of haemoglobin that transports oxygen around the body. It starts life in the bone marrow as a haematopoietic stem cell, and undergoes a highly controlled process of proliferation and differentiation before acquiring its final identity.

One key step in that differentiation process is mitophagy, the elimination by absorption of the stem cell's respiratory apparatus, mitochondria. With the mitochondria gone, the cell's carrying capacity for haemoglobin is maximised. But the mechanism controlling mitophagy has never been properly understood, until now.

In a paper published this week in Science, Isabelle Barde of the EPFL's School of Life Sciences and Frontiers in Genetic Programme, and colleagues, describe experiments which show that KRAB-containing zinc finger proteins, working in concert with a cofactor called KAP1, modulate mitophagy in subtle and sophisticated ways.

The senior author on the paper, virologist Didier Trono, has been interested in the KRAB/KAP1 system for several years. 350 million years old, it is known to have a role in "silencing" components of the mammalian genome known as retroelements, because they were originally retroviruses that became incorporated into the genetic code of the organisms they infected. "It did such a good job that over the course of evolution it got co-opted to do many other things," Trono says.

Among the roles the KRAB/KAP1 system took on was regulating mitophagy. The researchers found that mice genetically modified to lack KAP1 quickly became anemic because they were unable to make red blood cells. More specifically, they found, the process of stem cell differentiation stalled at the stage where mitochondria were degraded in erythroblasts, the precursors of erythrocytes. And knocking out KAP1 had a similar effect in human blood cells, indicating that its role in regulating mitophagy has been conserved throughout evolution, from mouse to man.

The researchers went on to show that the KRAB/KAP1 system works by repressing repressors of mitophagy. In other words, like any good double negative, it activates the target process. That suggests that mutations in the various components of this regulatory system could contribute to blood disorders such as anemia and certain types of leukemia, which in turn indicates future therapeutic targets for those diseases. It also suggests ways in which red blood cell synthesis might be emulated in the lab.

But the finding has broader significance too. Mitochondria, while essential for the healthy functioning of many cells, can also be lethal to cells if they generate damaging free radicals -- by-products of cellular respiration under certain conditions. The oxidative stress these free radicals produce has been implicated in liver disease, heart attacks and obesity. Hence, understanding how mitophagy is controlled could lead to a better understanding, and potentially better treatment, of those conditions.

Trono thinks that the principle of multilayered and combinatorial regulation may apply to a wide range of physiological systems. "It gives a tremendous level of modularity to nature to accomplish physiological events," he says, likening it to the way in which a pipe organ works.

An organist has both a keyboard and a pedalboard at his disposal, and he uses them in multifarious combinations to modulate the sound his instrument produces. Similarly, tiny adjustments in one or a few controlling elements can produce significant effects in many biological processes. And though mutations in any one of them could potentially lead to malfunction, the damage tends to be limited because the contribution of each one is small. That, in turn, renders the system robust. It's that robustness, Trono believes, that evolution has been selecting and refining for hundreds of millions of years.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Ecole Polytechnique F?d?rale de Lausanne, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

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

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Journal Reference:

1. Isabelle Barde, Benjamin Rauwel, Ray Marcel Marin-Florez, Andrea Corsinotti, Elisa Laurenti, Sonia Verp, Sandra Offner, Julien Marquis, Adamandia Kapopoulou, Jiri Vanicek, and Didier Trono. A KRAB/KAP1-miRNA Cascade Regulates Erythropoiesis Through Stage-Specific Control of Mitophagy. Science, 14 March 2013 DOI: 10.1126/science.1232398

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/UubqsprnlLs/130314144348.htm

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Poll finds attitude shift among working moms

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Working mothers increasingly want full-time jobs, and tough economic times might be a big reason, according to a national survey.

In the Pew Research Center study being released Thursday, researchers saw a big spike in the share of working mothers who said they'd prefer to work full time; 37 percent said that was their ideal, up from 21 percent in 2007.

The poll comes amid a national debate on women in the workplace ignited by top Facebook executive Sheryl Sandberg, who writes in a new book about the need for women to be more professionally aggressive.

In "Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead," Sandberg argues that women have not made true progress in the workplace over the past decade and that they need to raise their hands more and "lean in" if they want to land more senior positions in corporate America.

The shift toward full-time work in the Pew poll, however, coincides with the recession and may have less to do with career ambitions than with financial realities.

"Women aren't necessarily evolving toward some belief or comfort level with work," says study co-author Kim Parker, an associate director at the center. "They are also reacting to outside forces and in this case, it is the economy."

Among women who said their financial situations aren't sufficient to meet basic expenses, about half said working full time was best for them. Of the women who said they live comfortably, only 31 percent said full time was their best situation.

Melody Armstrong, 34, of Hampton, N.H., works full time and says she wouldn't have it any other way.

"It works better for my family, and for our finances," Armstrong said in an interview. "It helps pay the bills and we can enjoy the lifestyle we have. We need to have two incomes."

Armstrong and her husband have six children between them, a blended family with one child off to college and a baby at home. She works for Double Black Imaging, a Colorado-based company that sells medical monitors. Armstrong says her company gives her the flexibility she needs to work her sales position from home.

"I do some work early in the morning or after dinner," Armstrong says, and can adjust around her children's school and sports schedules.

Mothers' attitudes ? both for those who work outside the home and those who don't ? have changed significantly. Among women with children under 18 years old, the proportion of those who say they would prefer to work full time has increased from 20 percent in 2007 to 32 percent last year.

When all adults were asked about working moms, however, just 16 percent said the best situation for a young child is to have a mother working full time. Slightly over 40 percent said part time was ideal, and one-third said staying home was best for kids.

Guiomar Ochoa, 38, of Chevy Chase, Md., has two young children and works full time. She says she'd rather work part time but says it's just not an option for her family.

"We just can't afford to not have two full-time incomes," Ochoa says. "We wouldn't be able to do it otherwise."

Ochoa, an international specialist with the National Endowment for the Arts, says she's doing her best to juggle her career and caring for her children.

"I've done a really good job of wearing my mom hat when I get home and putting everything aside as far as work goes and focusing on them," said Ochoa.

Most moms in the poll expressed confidence as parents. Nearly three-quarters of mothers with children under 18 said they were doing an excellent or very good job raising their children. Fathers were asked that question, too, and 64 percent gave themselves high marks.

Other findings in the poll:

?Roughly half of working mothers and fathers say they would rather be home with their children but work because they need the income.

?Fifty-six percent of working mothers and 50 percent of working fathers say it's either very or somewhat difficult for them to balance work and family.

?Forty percent of working mothers with children under 18 and 34 percent of working fathers say they always feel rushed.

The Pew Research findings are based on a survey of 2,511 adults nationwide conducted Nov. 28-Dec. 5, 2012. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.2 percentage points.

____

The Pew Research Center report can be found at: http://www.pewresearch.org/modern-parenthood/

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/poll-finds-attitude-shift-among-working-moms-040714451--finance.html

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Ed Asner Hospitalized With Exhaustion

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/03/ed-asner-hospitalized/

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Samsung Galaxy S IV: the rumor roundup

Compared to the sheer deluge of rumors surrounding last year's Galaxy S III, talk about the Galaxy S IV has been relatively hushed. That's partly owing to the contracted launch schedule -- despite Samsung's initial denials, the company is unveiling its next Android flagship almost two months before the GS3's first birthday. There's still been a fair share of rumormongering, however, and a picture is emerging of just what Samsung could unveil for yet another encore. Will the smartphone giant make a sharp break from tradition? Read past the break for a roundup of what to expect when Samsung hits the stage at Radio City Music Hall.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile, Samsung

Comments

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/Z-K6J-C8JrQ/

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53-year-old musher becomes oldest Iditarod champ

NOME, Alaska (AP) ? A 53-year-old former champion has won the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race to become the oldest winner of Alaska's grueling test of endurance.

Mitch Seavey and 10 dogs crossed the Nome finish line to cheering crowds at 10:39 p.m. Alaska time Tuesday.

"This is for all of the gentlemen of a certain age," he said on a live stream posted to the Iditarod website after completing the race in temperatures just above zero. His race time in the 1,000-mile race was nine days, 7 hours and 39 minutes.

Seavey's victory came after a dueling sprint against Aliy Zirkle, last year's runner-up, along the frozen, wind-whipped Bering Sea coast. Zirkle crossed the finish line 24 minutes after her rival, who greeted her after a while.

"You did a good job," Seavey told Zirkle as a camera crew filmed them. "You're going to win this thing, probably more than once."

After finishing, both mushers rushed to pet their dogs, with Seavey singling out his main leader, 6-year-old Tanner, posing for photos with the dog and another leader, Taurus, wearing yellow garlands.

Zirkle's dogs wagged their tails as she praised them. "My dog team is my heart," she said.

The pair jostled for the lead, with Zirkle never more than a few miles behind, in the final stretch.

"I just now stopped looking over my shoulder," Seavey said after winning.

Also trailing by a dozen or so miles was four-time champion Jeff King, who was followed by a cluster of contenders, including Seavey's son, Dallas Seavey. The younger Seavey at age 25 last year became the youngest Iditarod winner ever, beating Zirkle to the finish line by one hour.

Mitch Seavey first won the Iditarod in 2004. Before his Tuesday night win, King had been the oldest Iditarod champion, winning his fourth race at age 50 in 2006.

The oldies were still stellar performers in a race that ended last year with a top field featuring many finishers in their 20s and 30, noted Iditarod race spokeswoman Erin McLarnon.

"Last year, we saw a lot of those youngsters in the top 10," McLarnon said. "Some of those 45-plussers are taking back the lead this year. They are showing the young 'uns what they can really do out there on that trail."

Zirkle, 43, had hoped to be only the third woman to win the race and the first since Susan Butcher won her fourth Iditarod in 1990. Before this year's race, Zirkle noted the long time that had passed since a woman won.

"This is my 13th year, and I've wanted to win every year," she said before the race, which began March 2 with 66 teams at a ceremonial start in Anchorage.

The competitive part of the race began the following day in Willow 50 miles to the north. Since then, the race changed leaders several times. Those at the front of the field included four-time champions Lance Mackey and Martin Buser, who later fell behind.

En route to Nome, the race turned into an aggressively contested run among veterans along an often punishing trail.

Conditions on the Yukon River required dogs to go through deep snow and navigate glare ice. Above-freezing temperatures also led to overflow along the trail, a potentially dangerous situation where water has pushed up through the ice and refrozen, creating a weak top layer of ice that teams and mushers can break through.

For reaching Nome first, Seavey wins $50,400 and a new 2013 Dodge Ram pickup truck. The rest of the $600,000 purse will be split among the next 29 mushers to cross the finish line under the famed burled arch on Front Street, a block from the sea.

___

Associated Press writer Rachel D'Oro reported from Anchorage. Follow her on Twitter at https://twitter.com/rdoro.

___

Online:

http://iditarod.com

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/53-old-musher-becomes-oldest-iditarod-champ-064610073--spt.html

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Nissan recalls five models on air bag concerns

(Reuters) - Nissan Motor Co is recalling five 2013 model year vehicles, including top sellers Altima and Sentra, because the front passenger airbag may not deploy in a crash, the automaker told U.S. regulators.

The models in the recall are Nissan's Altima, Sentra, Pathfinder and Leaf as well as Infiniti JX35, it said on Wednesday.

Nissan did not supply the number of vehicles involved in the recall, or when they were manufactured. The reported recall affects only models sold in the United States. Nissan did not say whether vehicles in other countries will be recalled.

Sensors that determine if a passenger is sitting in a seat may not have met specifications and do not detect a rider, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said. If a crash occurs and no passenger is detected, the air bag may not deploy.

The recall is expected to begin next month.

Documents filed with the NHTSA did not say whether any injuries or accidents have occurred as a result of the potential defect.

Nissan determined a recall should be conducted on February 21, two months after the automaker noticed an increasing number of warranty claims from owners who said their airbag detection dashboard warning was lit, according to documents filed with the NHTSA.

Also, Nissan is recalling about 400 Sentras made from September 11 to October 4 last year because fuel tanks were not properly sealed. This may lead to a small leak of gasoline when the tanks are filled, Nissan told the NHTSA.

(Reporting by Bernie Woodall; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/nissan-recalls-five-2013-models-passenger-air-bags-140826289--finance.html

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FDA Says Writing Menu Labeling Regulations That Please ...

If you?re hankering for a calorie count on your local restaurant chain?s menus, it?s going to be awhile: the Food and Drug Administration says it?s finding the task of writing up menu labeling regulations a very tricky one. The requirement to include calorie counts on menus and in vending machines is part of the 2010 health care law, but the rules on which businesses must comply have yet to be written.

Big pizza already protested that calorie counts don?t make sense for its eateries, and they?re not the only industry fighting back against the idea. For the most part, restaurants seem to be onboard, but grocery stores and other non-restaurant businesses have been lobbying hard to be exempt, reports the Associated Press.

The head of the FDA tells the AP that writing up the new menu labeling law??has gotten extremely thorny,? as the agency tries to figure out who would fall under the menu labeling requirement umbrella.

?There are very, very strong opinions and powerful voices both on the consumer and public health side and on the industry side, and we have worked very hard to sort of figure out what really makes sense and also what is implementable,? FDA Commissioner Dr. Margaret Hamburg said in a recent interview with The Associated Press.

She adds that it?s become one of the most challenging issues for the FDA, as it might make sense on paper for some establishments to adhere to the law but in practice, it?d be pretty difficult.

Those same challenges of who has to do what are currently facing the Bloomberg administration in New York, as the mayor?s proposed ban on large sugary drinks was struck down as invalid by the state supreme court yesterday.

The FDA is in the final stages of writing up the regulations and the final word could come as soon as spring, but that deadline could be pushed back as the food industry and regulators keep fighting over how they should be written.

Under the proposed rule from 2011,?chain restaurants with 20 or more locations, along with bakeries, grocery stores, convenience stores and coffee chain would have to post the calorie count for every item they offer. Vending machines would also have to do the same if the info wasn?t clearly visible on the packaging.

Alcohol isn?t included in the requirement, and any businesses who don?t sell food as their primary business would also be exempt.

Menu labels a ?thorny? issue, FDA head says [Associated Press]

Source: http://consumerist.com/2013/03/12/fda-says-writing-menu-labeling-regulations-that-please-everyone-is-a-tough-task/

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America's new love: Water

In this Tuesday, March 5, 2013 photo, a selection of bottled waters stands on a kitchen counter in East Derry, N.H. Soda's reign as America's most popular drink could be entering its twilight years, with plain old bottled water making a run for the top spot. Already, bottled water has surged past juice, milk and beer in terms of per capita consumption. The result is that bottled water is slowly closing the gap for the No. 1 spot. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

In this Tuesday, March 5, 2013 photo, a selection of bottled waters stands on a kitchen counter in East Derry, N.H. Soda's reign as America's most popular drink could be entering its twilight years, with plain old bottled water making a run for the top spot. Already, bottled water has surged past juice, milk and beer in terms of per capita consumption. The result is that bottled water is slowly closing the gap for the No. 1 spot. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

In this Tuesday, March 5, 2013 photo, Walter Pugh, 83, of Belzoni, Miss., loads a case of his bottled water into his shopping cart in Jackson, Miss. As sugary drinks come under fire for fueling obesity rates, people are increasingly reaching for bottled water as a healthier, relatively affordable alternative. Already, bottled water has surged past juice, milk and beer in terms of per capita consumption. The result is that bottled water is slowly closing the gap for the No. 1 spot. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

In this Tuesday, March 5, 2013 photo, a customer takes a bottle of water off a store shelf in Jackson, Miss. As sugary drinks come under fire for fueling obesity rates, people are increasingly reaching for bottled water as a healthier, relatively affordable alternative. Already, bottled water has surged past juice, milk and beer in terms of per capita consumption. The result is that bottled water is slowly closing the gap for the No. 1 spot. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

NEW YORK (AP) ? It wasn't too long ago that America had a love affair with soda. Now, an old flame has the country's heart.

As New York City's ban on the sale of large cups of soda and other sugary drinks at some businesses starts on Tuesday, one thing is clear: soda's run as the nation's beverage of choice has fizzled.

In its place? A favorite for much of history: Plain old H2O.

For more than two decades, soda was the No. 1 drink in the U.S. with consumption peaking in 1998 at 54 gallons a year, according industry tracker Beverage Digest. Americans drank just 42 gallons a year of water at the time.

But over the years, as soda increasingly came under fire for fueling the nation's rising obesity rates, water quietly rose to knock it off the top spot.

Americans now drink an average of 44 gallons of soda a year, a 17 percent drop from the peak in 1998. Over the same time, the average amount of water people drink has increased 38 percent to about 58 gallons a year. Bottled water has led that growth, with consumption nearly doubling to 21 gallons a year.

Stephen Ngo, a civil defense attorney, quit drinking soda a year ago when he started running triathlons, and wanted a healthier way to quench his thirst.

Ngo, 34, has a Brita filter for tap water and also keeps his pantry stocked with cases of bottled water.

"It might just be the placebo effect or marketing, but it tastes crisper," said Ngo, who lives in Miami.

The trend reflects Americans' ever-changing tastes; it wasn't too far back in history that tap water was the top drink.

But in the 1980s, carbonated soft drinks overtook tap as the most popular drink, with Coca-Cola and PepsiCo putting their marketing muscle behind their colas with celebrity endorsements from the likes of pop star Michael Jackson and comedian Bill Cosby.

Americans kept drinking more of the carbonated, sugary drink for about a decade. Then, soda's magic started to fade: Everyone from doctors to health advocates to government officials were blaming soft drinks for making people fat. Consumption started declining after hitting a high in the late 1990s.

At the same time, people started turning to bottled water as an alternative. Its popularity was helped by the emergence of single-serve bottles that were easy to carry around.

Until then, bottled water had mainly been sold in "big jugs and coolers" for people who didn't trust their water supply, said John Sicher, publisher of Beverage Digest.

The new soft drink-like packaging helped fast-track bottled water's growth past milk and beer. In fact, the amount of bottled water Americans drink has risen nearly every year for more than two decades, while the estimates of how much tap water people drink has fluctuated up and down during that time. When taken together, water finally overtook soda in 2008, according to Beverage Digest. (It's difficult to track how much tap water people drink and how much is used for other things like washing dishes, so experts estimate consumption.)

Analysts expect water to hold onto to its top spot for years to come. But whether people will drink from the tap or a bottle is uncertain.

Based on current trajectories, Michael Bellas, the CEO of the industry tracker Beverage Marketing Corp., predicts that bottled water alone could overtake soda within the next decade. That's not counting enhanced and flavored waters, which are growing quickly but remain a small part of the bottled water industry.

Currently, people drink 21 gallons of bottled water a year. That compares with 37 gallons of other water, which includes tap, sparkling, flavored and enhanced waters such as Coca-Cola's vitaminwater.

But there are numerous factors that could tilt the scales in favor of tap water.

Because of concerns that plastic bottles create too much waste, experts say bottled water could be hit by a public backlash similar to the one that has whipsawed the soda industry with pushes for bans and taxes.

It's already starting to happen. The town of Concord, Mass. earlier this year banned the sale of water bottles that are less than a liter. And the University of Vermont became the first public university to ban the sale of bottled water last year.

Meanwhile, other cities are waging campaigns to promote tap water. New York City, which touts the high quality of its tap water, offers portable fountains at events around the city.

"Good old marketing has convinced people that they should spend a lot of money on bottled water," says Salome Freud, chief of New York City's distribution water quality operations.

Although companies such as Coca-Cola Co. and PepsiCo Inc. would rather have people buy bottled waters, they're even more invested in getting people to drink more soda again.

That's because soda and other drinks that the companies make, such as sports drinks and juices, are more profitable than bottled water. With bottled water, people tend to buy whatever is cheapest. That's a habit that forces companies to keep prices relatively low, which eats into profits.

It's why companies are investing so heavily in developing nations such as China and India, where the appetite for soda continues to grow.

Conversely, in the U.S., annual soda sales are more than five times as big as bottled water at $75.7 billion a year, according to Beverage Digest. In terms of volume, soda is only twice as big as bottled water.

At Coca-Cola, the No. 1 soda maker, three-quarters of its volume in gallons comes from soft drinks, compared with 8 percent for its bottled waters including Dasani. PepsiCo, the No. 2 soda maker, gets 64 percent of its volume from soft drinks and only 7 percent from its Aquafina bottled water.

It's why Coca-Cola, which holds 13 percent of the bottled water market compared with PepsiCo's 10 percent, doesn't seem to think bottled water will ever overtake soda. In an emailed statement, the Atlanta-based company noted that soft drinks remain a far larger category than bottled water and that it sees "upside" for sodas over the next several years.

However, the company added that it saw "great potential" for bottled water. Like its competitors, Coca-Cola said it's focusing on growing its portfolio of bottled waters profitably by offering brands such as Smartwater and its flavored vitaminwater, which fetch higher prices.

In the meantime, the chairman and former CEO of Nestle North America, Kim Jeffrey, is waiting for bottled water's moment in the spotlight. Nestle, the Swiss company that makes Poland Spring, Nestle Pure Life, Deer Park and other brands, has nearly half of the share of the bottled water market.

At a beverage industry conference late last year, Jeffrey noted that bottled water is "the elephant in the room."

And given the growing warnings over drinking too many calories ? including from juice, milk and other sugary drinks ? Jeffrey said he's confident that water will continue to grow in popularity.

"For thousands of years, water was beverage of choice for human beings," he said. "Now we're reverting back to that."

__

Follow Candice Choi at www.twitter.com/candicechoi

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2013-03-11-Rise%20of%20Water/id-ff1ac74c10cb4fe4a90c3971664948d3

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Study: Even ancient mummies had clogged arteries

LONDON (AP) ? Even without modern-day temptations like fast food or cigarettes, people had clogged arteries some 4,000 years ago, according to the biggest-ever study of mummies searching for the condition.

Researchers say that suggests heart disease may be more a natural part of human aging rather than being directly tied to contemporary risk factors like smoking, eating fatty foods and not exercising.

CT scans of 137 mummies showed evidence of atherosclerosis, or hardened arteries, in one third of those examined, including those from ancient people believed to have healthy lifestyles. Atherosclerosis causes heart attacks and strokes. More than half of the mummies were from Egypt while the rest were from Peru, southwest America and the Aleutian islands in Alaska. The mummies were from about 3800 B.C. to 1900 A.D.

"Heart disease has been stalking mankind for over 4,000 years all over the globe," said Dr. Randall Thompson, a cardiologist at Saint Luke's Mid America Heart Institute in Kansas City and the paper's lead author.

The mummies with clogged arteries were older at the time of their death, around 43 versus 32 for those without the condition. In most cases, scientists couldn't say whether the heart disease killed them.

The study results were announced Sunday at a meeting of the American College of Cardiology in San Francisco and simultaneously published online in the journal Lancet.

Thompson said he was surprised to see hardened arteries even in people like the ancient Aleutians who were presumed to have a healthy lifestyle as hunter-gatherers.

"I think it's fair to say people should feel less guilty about getting heart disease in modern times," he said. "We may have oversold the idea that a healthy lifestyle can completely eliminate your risk."

Thompson said there could be unknown factors that contributed to the mummies' narrowed arteries. He said the Ancestral Puebloans who lived in underground caves in modern-day Colorado and Utah, used fire for heat and cooking, producing a lot of smoke.

"They were breathing in a lot of smoke and that could have had the same effect as cigarettes," he said.

Previous studies have found evidence of heart disease in Egyptian mummies, but the Lancet paper is the largest survey so far and the first to include mummies elsewhere in the world.

Dr. Frank Ruehli of the University of Zurich, who runs the Swiss Mummy Project, said it was clear atherosclerosis was notably present in antiquity and agreed there might be a genetic predisposition to the disease.

"Humans seem to have a particular vulnerability (to heart disease) and it will be interesting to see what genes are involved," he said. Ruehli was not connected to the study. "This is a piece in the puzzle that may tell us something important about the evolution of disease."

Other experts warned against reading too much into the mummy data.

Dr. Mike Knapton, associate medical director at the British Heart Foundation, said calcified arteries could also be caused by other ailments including endocrine disorders and that it was impossible to tell from the CT scans if the types of calcium deposits in the mummies were the kind that would have sparked a heart attack or stroke.

"It's a fascinating study but I'm not sure we can say atherosclerosis is an inevitable part of aging," he said, citing the numerous studies that have showed strong links between lifestyle factors and heart disease.

Researcher Thompson advised people to live as healthy a lifestyle as possible, noting that the risk of heart disease could be reduced with good eating habits, not smoking and exercising. "We don't have to end up like the mummies," he said.

____

Online:

http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(13)60598-X/abstract

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2013-03-11-Mummies%20Heart%20Disease/id-10bd5faf938243c0904fb119374e5e14

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