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Soy supplements have little benefit for brain function of healthy postmenopausal women, study shows

Kathryn R. Bown
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Soy supplements have little benefit for brain function of healthy postmenopausal women, study shows

Soy supplements have little or no benefit for global cognition of healthy postmenopausal women, shows a new study conducted by the researchers of Stanford University School of Medicine and of the USC Keck School of Medicine.

Overall mental abilities, learning, thinking or memory skills do not appear to be ameliorated by taking daily isoflavone-rich soy protein, according to the research published in the June issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

Trying to find new strategies to improve cognitive function in aging, the scientists conducted a randomized, controlled, double-blind trial. National Institutes of Health-sponsored Women’s Isoflavone Soy Health Trial was done between 2004 and 2008 to determine the effect of soy isoflavones on the progression of atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) and, secondarily, the effect on cognition.

The senior investigators in the Women’s Isoflavone Soy Health Trial include Wendy Mack, PhD, professor of preventive medicine, and Howard Hodis, MD, professor of medicine, with the USC Keck School of Medicine. Other researchers from USC and the University of Hawaii Cancer Center also contributed to the study.

The work was funded by the National Center of Complementary and Alternative Medicine, the Office of Dietary Supplements and the Office of Research on Women’s Health. Solae LLC, based in St. Louis, provided study products without charge.

A total of 350 healthy postmenopausal women, aged 45 to 92 years, were enrolled and 313 of them were included in intention-to-treat analyses. Neuropsychological tests were given to the participants at the start and at the end of the study.

They received either daily 25 g of isoflavone-rich soy protein, comparable to that of traditional Asian diets, or a milk protein-matched placebo. This study was larger and longer than any previous trials on soy use.

After two and a half years, there was no statistically significant between-group difference in global cognition change from baseline (0.42 for soy supplements, and 0.31 for placebo-treated groups).

“There were no large effects on overall cognition one way or another,” said Dr. Victor Henderson, lead author, professor of health research and policy and of neurology and neurological sciences at Stanford University in California.

However, women in the isoflavone-treated group had a greater improvement in visual memory (memory for faces).

This observation could be important, but “the finding needs to be replicated in future studies,” Dr. Victor Henderson said.

“For healthy postmenopausal women, long-term dietary soy isoflavone supplementation in a dose comparable to that of traditional Asian diets has no effect on global cognition but may improve visual memory,” the authors wrote.

In the same time, the study should not discourage women who take soy supplements for other purposes.

“I don’t think they should be disappointed at all. They should be pleased that there aren’t negative effects on overall cognitive function and that there are potential gains in aspects of memory. If a woman enjoys eating soy and if there may be other health benefits, she should keep doing what she’s doing,” Dr. Victor Henderson said.

More study is needed for women of reproductive age and for men because the cognitive effects of soy isoflavones might differ, he said.

 

Although healthy postmenopausal women appear to have no cognitive benefits from soy supplements, soy could be a good addition for some people diets.
Although healthy postmenopausal women appear to have no cognitive benefits from soy supplements, soy could be a good addition for some people diets.

 

Soy supplements contain isoflavones, an estrogen-like compound.

Isoflavones might be able to improve overall brain function, it has been thought. The hippocampus, the part of the brain that controls memory, is rich in estrogen beta receptors, and isoflavones can activate these receptors. Some women choose to take soy supplements as an alternative to estrogen.

A previous study, published in a 2004 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, a trial which lasted twelve months and involved Dutch women, showed “no significant effect on cognitive endpoints” from daily intake of soy protein.

Also, there were randomized clinical trials on soy’s effect on mental abilities of women that have shown conflicting results regarding its benefits and risks. Improved cognition was seen in some findings, but other research suggested that soy could harm memory.

In the same time there were some worries that soy may increase the risk for breast cancer survivors (due to estrogen-like effects), but new research has partially eased those concerns. A study of women with history of breast cancer suggested those who took high quantities of soy supplements were 25 percent less likely to have a cancer recurrence.

Studies on this subject have generally shown conflicting findings on the role of soy in alleviating hot flashes and other symptoms of menopause, as well in lowering blood pressure or in preventing osteoporosis (bone loss), or in slowing the progression of atherosclerosis, by lowering high cholesterol.

However, some people may benefit from taking soy supplements, because of soy compounds (high protein, fiber and low fat), scientists said.

 

How small insects survive the rain

James J. Williams
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How small insects survive the rain

Scientists have found that mosquito’s tiny, low-weight body, is the key to its ability to survive flying in the rain.

A team from the Georgia Institute of Technology filmed the insects as they collided with raindrops.

This showed that their bodies put up so little resistance that, rather than the drop of water stopping in a sudden, catastrophic splash, the mosquito simply combined with the drop and the two continued to fall together.

The team reports their findings in PNAS.

Scientists have found that mosquito's tiny, low-weight body, is the key to its ability to survive flying in the rain
Scientists have found that mosquito's tiny, low-weight body, is the key to its ability to survive flying in the rain

As well as helping explain how the insects thrive in damp, humid environments, the research could ultimately help researchers to design tiny, flying robots that are just as impervious to the elements.

“I hope this will make people think a little bit differently about rain,” said lead researcher David Hu.

“If you’re small, it can be very dangerous. But it seems that these mosquitoes are so small that they’re safe.”

Dr. David Hu is interested in understanding completely the “tricks” that insects use to survive being so small.

After repeated attempts at what he described as the most difficult game of darts ever, he and his colleagues managed to hit flying mosquitoes with drops of water and capture footage of the result.

Each droplet was between two and 50 times the weight of a mosquito, so what they saw surprised them.

Describing the results, Dr. David Hu cited the Chinese martial art of Tai chi.

“There is a philosophy that if you don’t resist the force of your opponent, you won’t feel it,” he explained.

“That’s why they don’t feel the force; they simply join the drop, become one item and travel together.”

When a moving object crashes into another, it is the sudden halt that produces a damage-causing force. For example, when a car hits a wall at 30 mph, the stationary wall and the car have to absorb all of the energy carried by that moving car, causing a great deal of damage.

The trick for a mosquito is that it hardly slows the raindrop down at all, and absorbs very little of its energy.

Surviving the collision though, is not the end of the drama for a tiny insect. It has to escape from its watery cocoon before the droplet smashes the insect into the ground at more than 20 mph.

This is where the insect’s body, which is covered in water-repellent hairs, seems to give it another crucial survival technique.

Every mosquito studied in this experiment managed to separate itself from the water drop before it hit the ground.

 

Willow Glass, a new type of flexible ultra-thin glass, unveiled by Corning

James J. Williams
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Willow Glass, a new type of flexible ultra-thin glass, unveiled by Corning

Willow Glass, a new type of flexible ultra-thin glass has been unveiled by Corning, the company that developed Gorilla Glass.

Willow Glass can be “wrapped” around a device, said the New York-based developer Corning.

The glass was showcased at the Society for Information Display’s Display Week, an industry trade show in Boston.

Besides smartphones, Willow Glass could also be used for displays that are not flat, the company said.

But until such “conformable” screens appear on the market, the glass could be used for mobile devices that are constantly becoming slimmer.

“Displays become more pervasive each day and manufacturers strive to make both portable devices and larger displays thinner,” said Dipak Chowdhury, Willow Glass programme director at Corning.

Willow Glass can be "wrapped" around a device, said the New York-based developer Corning
Willow Glass can be "wrapped" around a device, said the New York-based developer Corning

The prototype demonstrated in Boston was as thin as a sheet of paper, and the company said that it can be made to be just 0.05 mm thick – thinner than the current 0.2 mm or 0.5 mm displays.

The firm has already started supplying customers developing new display and touch technology with samples of the product.

The material used to make Willow Glass is the result of the firm’s glassmaking process called Fusion.

The technique is melting the ingredients at 500 C, and then producing a continuous sheet that can be rolled out in a mechanism similar to a traditional printing press.

This roll-to-roll method is much easier and faster for mass production than the sheet-to-sheet process normally used to make super-thin glass, the firm said.

In future, Willow Glass may replace the already widely-used Gorilla Glass, found on many smartphones and tablets.

At this year’s CES trade show in Las Vegas, Corning unveiled Gorilla Glass 2, said to be 20% thinner than the original product but with the same strength.

The first-generation of Gorilla Glass, launched in 2007, has so far been used on more than 575 products by 33 manufacturers – covering more than half a billion devices worldwide.

It was first spotted by the Apple founder Steve Jobs, who contacted Corning when the firm was developing the screen for its first iPhone in 2006.

Willow Glass is not the first attempt to produce a futuristic flexible display.

During the past few years, scientists around the world have been working with a material called graphene, first produced in 2004 – a super-conductive form of carbon made from single-atom-thick sheets.

In a separate project, scientists from the Human Media Lab at Queen’s University, Canada, and Arizona State University’s Motivational Environments Research group, created a millimetres-thick prototype flexible smartphone in 2011, made of a so-called electronic paper.

The scientists said they used the same e-ink technology as found in Amazon’s Kindle e-book reader, bonded to flex sensors and a touchscreen that interpreted drawings and text written on it.

“This computer looks, feels and operates like a small sheet of interactive paper,” said one of the researchers, Dr. Roel Vertegaal.

“You interact with it by bending it into a cell phone, flipping the corner to turn pages, or writing on it with a pen.”

 

Syria expels ambassadors of Western states

Roy Siemens
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Syria expels ambassadors of Western states

Syria has decided to expel the ambassadors of several Western states, a week after governments around the world expelled its top diplomats.

The envoys of the US, UK, France and Turkey were among 17 diplomats designated “personae non gratae”.

President Bashar al-Assad blamed “foreign meddling” for Syria’s divisions in a speech on Sunday.

The move came as activists said at least seven people had been killed in violence across Syria on Tuesday.

Syria has decided to expel the ambassadors of several Western states, a week after governments around the world expelled its top diplomats
Syria has decided to expel the ambassadors of several Western states, a week after governments around the world expelled its top diplomats

Four civilians were killed overnight in a “huge military operation” in Kafrouaid, a village in the Jabal al-Zawiya area of the northern province of Idlib, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

Troops and pro-regime militiamen backed by tanks were also reported to have stormed the town of Kfar Zita in the central province of Hama, and killed two rebel fighters in the Mediterranean port city of Latakia.

Several villages south-west of the central city of Homs earlier came under intense army artillery- and mortar-fire, leaving three people dead, according to the Local Co-ordination Committees, an activist network.

 

 

Iron supplements may help women beat fatigue

Kathryn R. Bown
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Iron supplements may help women beat fatigue

Swiss researchers suggest that taking iron supplements may help some women with fatigue even if they are not officially anemic.

A severe shortage of iron is the most common cause of anemia resulting in lethargy, weakness and feeling faint.

A study of 198 women, published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, showed iron pills may also help those with moderately low iron levels too.

Taking too much iron, however, can be dangerous.

Swiss researchers suggest that taking iron supplements may help some women with fatigue even if they are not officially anemic
Swiss researchers suggest that taking iron supplements may help some women with fatigue even if they are not officially anemic

The researchers looked at reproductive age women, between 18 and 53, as menstruation is known to lower iron levels.

They said unexplained fatigue was a common problem in doctors’ surgeries, but it was as yet unknown whether iron supplements could help these women.

Nearly 200 women reporting fatigue, with no medical explanation, took part in the study. Half were given 80 mg oral iron tablets every day, while half were given sugar pills.

Medical “fatigue scores” were recorded before treatment and after 12 weeks of taking the medication.

One of the researchers, Dr. Bernard Favrat from the University of Lausanne in Switzerland, said: “We found that iron supplementation for 12 weeks decreased fatigue [scores] by 50%.

“Iron deficiency may be an under-recognized cause of fatigue in women of child-bearing age.

“For women with unexplained, prolonged fatigue, iron deficiency should be considered.”

 

Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Last Day Key Times

Diane A. Wade
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Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Last Day Key Times

The Queen’s Jubilee celebrations are to conclude with a glittering procession and service of thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral.

 

The Queen's Jubilee celebrations are to conclude with a glittering procession and service of thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral
The Queen's Jubilee celebrations are to conclude with a glittering procession and service of thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral

10:30 St Paul’s service begins

11:30 The Queen is driven to Mansion House reception

12:45 Livery hosts Diamond Jubilee Lunch at Westminster Hall

14:20 Carriage procession begins

14:40 Royal Family arrives at Buckingham Palace

 

Queen’s Diamond Jubilee: St Paul’s Cathedral service to wrap up jubilee events

Diane A. Wade
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Queen’s Diamond Jubilee: St Paul’s Cathedral service to wrap up jubilee events

The Queen’s Jubilee celebrations are to conclude with a glittering procession and service of thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral.

Prince Philip is still in hospital with a bladder infection and will miss the final events marking the Queen’s 60-year reign.

A service at St Paul’s Cathedral will be followed by a carriage procession and, weather allowing, an RAF flypast.

Queen Elizabeth II recorded a message of thanks to the nation ahead of a star-studded concert at Buckingham Palace on Monday.

The two-minute message, filmed in her private apartments at the palace, will be broadcast at 18:00 BST on radio and television in the UK and across the Commonwealth.

Crowds have started building up outside St Paul’s and Buckingham Palace, which the Queen will leave at 10:15 BST in her state Bentley for the service.

The fourth day of celebrations will be a more formal affair, with the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams, giving a sermon in front of the Royal Family and leading national figures.

Prime Minister David Cameron will lead the large representation from the government at St Paul’s alongside diplomats and foreign leaders.

After the service, the Queen will attend a reception at Mansion House – the official residence of the Lord Mayor of London. The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall will attend a similar event at the Guildhall.

The Queen's Jubilee celebrations are to conclude with a glittering procession and service of thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral
The Queen's Jubilee celebrations are to conclude with a glittering procession and service of thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral

A City of London Livery companies lunch at Westminster Hall will follow, after which the royals will take part in a carriage procession through Whitehall.

Guests will dine on salmon, followed by Welsh lamb, grilled Isle of Wight asparagus, Jersey Royal potatoes and chocolate delice, bread and butter pudding and berry compote with apple sauce.

Personnel from all three armed services will line the streets for the procession, and the King’s Troop will fire a 60-gun salute.

As the royals arrive back in the forecourt of Buckingham Palace, there will be a guard of honor. They will then gather on the balcony to watch a fly-past of World War II aircraft and a display by the Red Arrows.

Prince Charles, the Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, and Prince Harry are among the royal family members involved in the events.

Forecasters say the weather in central London will be cloudy and dry at first, with a top temperature of 14C, but there may be outbreaks of rain in the afternoon.

Prince Philip, 90, will remain under observation at King Edward VII Hospital in London, where he was taken on Monday as a “precautionary measure”.

In December, he was treated at Papworth Hospital in Cambridge for a blocked coronary artery.

At the concert on Monday night, attended by 12,000 people, Prince Charles paid tribute to his mother, describing her as “mummy” and a “very special person”.

But he added there was a disappointing edge to the night.

“The only sad thing about this evening is that my father couldn’t be with us because, unfortunately, he was taken ill,” Prince Charles said.

Take That star Gary Barlow, who helped organize much of the concert and sang a duet with Cheryl Cole, said the prince’s illness was “sad, really sad”.

Robbie Williams opened the show with Let Me Entertain You and was the first to perform for the Queen when he sang big band classic Mack the Knife. Other performers included Kylie Minogue, Jessie J, Annie Lennox, Sir Tom Jones, Madness, Stevie Wonder and Sir Cliff Richard – singing a medley of his songs from six different decades.

The concert was brought to a close by Sir Paul McCartney who played hits including Magical Mystery Tour, Let It Be and a rendition of Live and Let Die, complete with fireworks and pyrotechnics.

After the show, the Queen pressed a diamond-shaped crystal into a pod, igniting a beacon in The Mall to mark her 60 years on the throne. It was one of more than 4,000 lit across the UK and the Commonwealth.

 [youtube zZ7Pg9dFqjY]

[youtube D6LTjOLeipI]

Vladimir Putin arrives in China for a three-day visit

Diane A. Wade
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Vladimir Putin arrives in China for a three-day visit

President Vladimir Putin is beginning a three-day visit to China, with energy and foreign policy expected to dominate the agenda.

The Russian president said ahead of the trip that he wanted to further boost booming bilateral trade, which reached $84 billion last year.

The Syrian crisis is also expected to be discussed during the talks.

Russia and China have resisted Western pressure to remove President Bashar al-Assad from power amid ongoing unrest.

China’s envoy to the UN, Li Baodong, has described Syria as one of the most pressing issues on the agenda of the Security Council.

Beijing currently holds the council’s rotating presidency, and Li Baodong urged all parties to immediately implement the peace plan of UN envoy Kofi Annan.

President Vladimir Putin is beginning a three-day visit to China, with energy and foreign policy expected to dominate the agenda
President Vladimir Putin is beginning a three-day visit to China, with energy and foreign policy expected to dominate the agenda

Syria’s rebel Free Syrian Army said on Monday it was no longer committed to the nominal ceasefire.

Spokesman Sami al-Kurdi told Reuters news agency the FSA had begun attacking soldiers to “defend our people”.

Vladimir Putin will hold extensive talks with Chinese President Hu Jintao later on Tuesday.

The Russian leader is taking to Beijing six cabinet ministers, the head of gas giant Gazprom and other energy companies.

Some 17 major business and trade deals between Russia and China are expected to be signed in Beijing, Vladimir Putin’s aides say.

But it remains unclear whether this will include a long-awaited gas agreement that would allow Moscow to supply some 70 billion cubic metres of gas to its neighbor.

Latest reports suggest that pricing disagreements remain between Russia, the world’s biggest energy producer, and China, the largest consumer of energy.

On the eve of the visit, Vladimir Putin told China’s state media that he wanted to increase bilateral trade to $100 billion in 2015 and $200 billion by 2020.

He said the target could be achieved “ahead of schedule”.

On Wednesday, Vladimir Putin will meet Vice-Premier Li Keqiang, who is tipped to be the next premier, and Xi Jinping, who is expected to become next president after a stage-managed leadership change later this year.

While in China, Vladimir Putin will also attend a regional security summit on Thursday.

 

Venus Transit 2012 Timing

James J. Williams
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Venus Transit 2012 Timing

Venus is set to move across the face of the Sun as viewed from Earth in a more than six-and-a-half-hour transit, which starts just after 22.00 GMT on Tuesday.

The transit is a very rare astronomical phenomenon that will not be witnessed again until 2117.

Observers will position themselves in northwest America, the Pacific, and East Asia to catch the whole event.

Venus is set to move across the face of the Sun as viewed from Earth in a more than six-and-a-half-hour transit, which starts just after 22.00 GMT on Tuesday
Venus is set to move across the face of the Sun as viewed from Earth in a more than six-and-a-half-hour transit, which starts just after 22.00 GMT on Tuesday

• Times for the start of Venus transit will vary by a few minutes depending on one’s location

• The timings given here are calculated for a viewing position at the Earth’s centre

• Venus is seen to first touch (1) the edge of the Sun’s disc at 22:09 GMT (23:09 BST)

• It is completely on the disc (2) by 22:27 GMT (23:27 BST). The transit lasts over six hours

• Come Wednesday by 04:31 GMT (05:31 BST), Venus is touching the disc’s far side (3)

• At 04:49 GMT (05:49 BST), Venus has left the disc (4). The next transit is on 11 December 2117

 [youtube zE0NDEGQQwU]

How to view the Sun safely during Venus transit

James J. Williams
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How to view the Sun safely during Venus transit

Venus is set to move across the face of the Sun as viewed from Earth in a more than six-and-a-half-hour transit, which starts just after 22.00 GMT on Tuesday.

The transit is a very rare astronomical phenomenon that will not be witnessed again until 2117.

Observers will position themselves in northwest America, the Pacific, and East Asia to catch the whole event.

 

METHOD 1: Cut two holes in card for binocular eye-pieces. Push card onto binoculars and fix with tape. Block one lens (with lens cap, for example). Holding binoculars at waist height, angle towards Sun – do not look through them. Move binoculars around until card shadow minimized on viewing surface (piece of white card best). During six-hour transit, move set-up to follow path of Sun across sky, for example by mounting it on tripod or chair.

Observing the Sun with the naked eye or telescope, camera or other optical device, will seriously damage eyesight and may lead to permanent blindness
Observing the Sun with the naked eye or telescope, camera or other optical device, will seriously damage eyesight and may lead to permanent blindness

METHOD 2: Take piece of stiff card and pierce with pin. Hold it up and, looking away from the Sun, adjust angle of card until shadow minimized. Pinhole will project image of Sun into middle of shadowed area. Place another piece of card under shadow and adjust distance to get best picture – more distance gives larger but fainter image. Hole must be clean and as small as possible.

WARNING: Never observe the Sun with the naked eye or telescope, camera or other optical device. Doing so will seriously damage eyesight and may lead to permanent blindness.

 

Venus transit of the Sun visible from Earth today

James J. Williams
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Venus transit of the Sun visible from Earth today

Venus is set to move across the face of the Sun as viewed from Earth in a more than six-and-a-half-hour transit, which starts just after 22.00 GMT on Tuesday.

The transit is a very rare astronomical phenomenon that will not be witnessed again until 2117.

Observers will position themselves in northwest America, the Pacific, and East Asia to catch the whole event.

But some part of the spectacle will be visible across a much broader swathe of Earth’s surface, weather permitting.

Venus will appear as a tiny black disc against our star, but no-one should look for it without the proper equipment.

Looking directly at the Sun with the naked eye, or worse still through an open telescope or binoculars, can result in serious injury and even blindness.

It is recommended people attend an organized viewing event where the transit will be projected on to a screen; or they can visit one of the many institutional internet sites planning to stream pictures.

Venus transits occur four times in approximately 243 years; more precisely, they appear in pairs of events separated by about eight years and these pairs are separated by about 105 or 121 years.

The reason for the long intervals lies in the fact that the orbits of Venus and Earth do not lie in the same plane and a transit can only occur if both planets and the Sun are situated exactly on one line.

This has happened only seven times in the telescopic age: in 1631, 1639, 1761, 1769, 1874, 1882 and 2004.

Venus is set to move across the face of the Sun as viewed from Earth in a more than six-and-a-half-hour transit, which starts just after 22.00 GMT on Tuesday
Venus is set to move across the face of the Sun as viewed from Earth in a more than six-and-a-half-hour transit, which starts just after 22.00 GMT on Tuesday

Once the latest transit has passed, the next pair will not occur until 2117 and 2125. Most people alive today will probably be dead by then.

The phenomenon has particular historical significance. The 17th- and 18th-Century transits were used by the astronomers of the day to work out fundamental facts about the Solar System.

Employing a method of triangulation (parallax), they were able to calculate the distance between the Earth and the Sun – the so-called astronomical unit (AU) – which we know today to be about 149.6 million km (or 93 million miles).

This allowed scientists to get their first real handle on the scale of things beyond Earth.

The first person to predict a transit of Venus – the 6 December, 1631, event – was Johannes Kepler, but he died before it occurred.

Jeremiah Horrocks, the young English astronomer, was probably the first to record the phenomenon when he and his friend, William Crabtree, made separate observations of the passage on 24 November, 1639.

By the time the transits of 1761 and 1769 came around, they had become major scientific events. Expeditions were despatched all over the globe to get the data necessary to calculate the AU.

One such expedition was undertaken by Captain James Cook, whose epic voyage in the Endeavour took in the “new lands” of New Zealand and Australia.

Modern instrumentation now gives us very precise numbers on planetary positions and masses, as well as the distance between the Earth and the Sun. But to the early astronomers, just getting good approximate values represented a huge challenge.

This is not to say the 2012 Venus transit will be regarded as just a pretty show with no interest for scientists.

Planetary transits have key significance today because they represent one of the best methods for finding worlds orbiting distant stars.

NASA’s Kepler telescope, for example, is identifying thousands of candidates by looking for the tell-tale dips in light that accompany a planet moving in front of its host sun.

These planets are too far away to ever be visited by spacecraft, but scientists can learn something about them from the way the background star’s light is affected as it passes through the planetary atmosphere.

And observing a transiting Venus, which has a known atmospheric composition, provides a kind of benchmark to support these far-flung investigations.

But Venus itself will come in for scrutiny. Scientists will be using the event to probe the middle layers of the Venusian atmosphere – its mesosphere.

They will be looking for a very thin arc of light, called the aureole, which can only be seen when Venus appears to just touch the edge of the Sun’s disc.

The brightness and thickness of the aureole depends on the density and temperature of the atmospheric layers above Venus’s cloud tops.

Observations of the aureole will be combined with data from Europe’s Venus Express spacecraft in orbit around the planet to provide information on high-altitude winds.

The Venusian atmosphere experiences super-rotation. That is – the whole atmosphere circles the planet in four Earth days, on a body that turns around just once in 243 Earth days.

 [youtube p1aAG2TUNY0]

Queen’s Diamond Jubilee concert in front of Buckingham Palace

Diane A. Wade
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Queen’s Diamond Jubilee concert in front of Buckingham Palace

The A-list concert for Queen’s Diamond Jubilee is taking place outside Buckingham Palace.

The event kicked off with the Massed Bands of the Household Division playing for the 12,000 ticket holders and the thousands more on The Mall in London.

Pop star Robbie Williams then took to the specially-constructed stage around the Queen Victoria Memorial.

Stevie Wonder and Sir Paul McCartney are among the stars who have yet to perform before the Queen and other members of the Royal Family.

The Queen was not present for the first 90 minutes of the concert, taking her seat in the Royal Box at 21:00 BST.

The evening will end with the Queen lighting one of 4,500 beacons across the world marking her 60-year reign.

The concert is being broadcast live on BBC One and BBC Radio 2 in the UK and to millions around the world.

It is a joint venture between the BBC and Gary Barlow, who co-wrote Sing, the official song for the Diamond Jubilee celebrations.

Stevie Wonder and Sir Paul McCartney are among the stars who have yet to perform before the Queen and other members of the Royal Family
Stevie Wonder and Sir Paul McCartney are among the stars who have yet to perform before the Queen and other members of the Royal Family

Robbie Williams was followed on stage by Black Eyed Peas star Will.i.am, his fellow Voice judge Jessie J and boy band JLS.

Gary Barlow then took to the stage himself to perform a surprise duet with Cheryl Cole.

Next on the bill was Sir Cliff Richard, who performed a decade-straddling medley of hits and his 1968 Eurovision track Congratulations.

Singer Grace Jones surely deserved some herself for performing Slave to the Rhythm while spinning a hula hoop around her midriff.

The world of classical music has been represented by Chinese pianist Lang Lang, US soprano Renee Fleming and English tenor Alfie Boe.

Other artists who have performed include Annie Lennox, Ed Sheeran and Sir Tom Jones.

Dame Shirley Bassey performed Diamonds are Forever, while Kylie Minogue – dressed as a pearly queen – was joined by street dance crew Flawless.

She was followed by Sir Elton John, who sang such tracks as Crocodile Rock and Our Song in a sparkly pink jacket.

Later pop veterans Madness will perform Our House from the roof of Buckingham Palace – the same place that Queen guitarist Brian May played the National Anthem during the Golden Jubilee concert in 2002.

Between the music acts, hosting duties are being handled by Rob Brydon, Miranda Hart, Lenny Henry and Lee Mack.

The Duke of Edinburgh is not attending the event after being taken to hospital with a bladder infection.

“We all wish him the best for a speedy recovery,” said Sir Paul McCartney.

“I hear it’s not too bad.”

Speaking backstage, Sir Cliff Richard said he had enjoyed a “fantastic” view while performing on the £200,000 ($320,000) stage, designed by world-renowned architect Mark Fisher.

“When I looked down The Mall, the crowd seemed to go all the way up to the Admiralty Arch,” he said.

Musician and presenter Jools Holland was similarly enthused following his appearance.

“The memory I’ll have was the feeling of love off all the people,” he said.

“It’s a great unifier for everybody all over the island.”

 [youtube OXHPWmnycno]

Giant cosmic explosion from 774 AD left traces only in two cedar trees rings

James J. Williams
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Giant cosmic explosion from 774 AD left traces only in two cedar trees rings

Scientist Fusa Miyake from Nagoya University, Japan, studied the growth rings of two trees dating back 1,200 years and discovered that an explosion of epic proportions occurred between 774 and 775AD.

However, there is no record of something happening in our skies in that period – except perhaps for one tiny, obscure account by a 13th-century historian.

The problem is that there should be a record.

If this was a supernova – a star exploding deep in space – we should either be able to spot the remains with modern telescopes, or find visual accounts in the written accounts of Chinese and European historians.

To get the technical details out of the way first: Trees capture particles from the atmosphere during photosynthesis, and one particle that gets buried within the annual growth rings is carbon-14.

Carbon-14 forms when cosmic rays – generally caused by massive solar flares, or by supernovae – interact with nitrogen and oxygen in our atmosphere.

Fusa Miyake studied the growth rings of two trees dating back 1,200 years and discovered that an explosion of epic proportions occurred between 774 and 775AD
Fusa Miyake studied the growth rings of two trees dating back 1,200 years and discovered that an explosion of epic proportions occurred between 774 and 775AD

In the two cedar trees – and doubtless many other tree records from the period – there was a giant increase of 1.2% of carbon-14.

In comparison, the annual variation of the captured isotope is just 0.05%, making this more than a 20-fold increase.

In recorded history, at least two supernovae have exploded in the skies visible from Earth, their light travelling across light-years to hit the eyes of humans.

In 1006 and 1056, two stars went nuclear – at least, the light from their deaths arrived on Earth in those years.

Both explosions resulted in “stars” that were visible in the daytime for weeks afterwards, and were recorded around the world.

Yet even such giant events, which impacted on those who saw them enough that the records survive to this day, were not powerful to result in much of a variation in the carbon-14 levels.

So the 774AD explosion must have been on a scale much bigger.

But if a supernova had exploded of a force even just equal to the other two witnessed supernovae, we should be able to witness gas remnants – the corpse of the star – in space. But there is nothing in the skies to suggest this.

The only contemporaneous record is from a 13th-century English chronicler, called Roger of Wendover, who, according to New Scientist, is quoted as saying: “In the Year of our Lord 776, fiery and fearful signs were seen in the heavens after sunset; and serpents appeared in Sussex, as if they were sprung out of the ground, to the astonishment of all.”

This lends itself to just one other possibility, that of a solar flare. But if that was the case, it would be the biggest solar flare ever recorded by our sun.

And if that had occurred, it would have seriously hurt or even entirely destroyed our ozone – and at the least leaving traces that we could identify more than 1,000 years later, let alone leading to reports from all the chroniclers of the age.

Researcher Igor Moskalenko, an astrophysicist at Stanford University, California, who has followed the case but is not involved in the original study, says: “I cannot imagine a single flare which would be so bright.”

Instead, he offers his own hypothesis: “It may be a series of weaker flares over the period of one to three years.”

Other tree rings have also implied something big happened in the mid-770s, this time in the UK.

Researchers from Queen’s University Belfast, UK, also found the carbon-14 increase – but they have yet to publish their work.

Daniel Baker, a space physicist at the University of Colorado’s Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics in Boulder, Colorado also told New Scientist: “The work looks pretty solid – Some very energetic event occurred in about 775.”

 

Kris Humphries spotted with new girlfriend in Miami Beach

Lisa.Felice
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Kris Humphries spotted with new girlfriend in Miami Beach

Kris Humphries has been spotted on a lounger in Miami Beach with his rumored new flame, a woman who had long black hair and an hour-glass figure.

Kris Humphries, 26, and Kim Kardashian, now dating rapper/producer Kanye West, are in the middle of a contentious divorce after their blink-and-miss 72 days of marriage.

Although a bit heavier than the 31-year-old Kim Kardashian, the mystery brunette nonetheless looked very similar to her as she frolicked in a pink two-piece bikini.

The anonymous lady, who had a tattoo on her back, fussed with the bottom of her bathing suit after taking a dip in the Atlantic Ocean.

Kris Humphries has been spotted on a lounger in Miami Beach with his rumored new flame, a woman who had long black hair and an hour-glass figure
Kris Humphries has been spotted on a lounger in Miami Beach with his rumored new flame, a woman who had long black hair and an hour-glass figure

Like Kim Kardashian, the brunette knew how to accessorize. She carried a pricey Gucci hand bag and wore trendy white sandals.

Before the quickie wedding, Kris Humphries dated Bianka Kamber, a 28-year-old Canadian nurse, who was also full figured and dark haired and considered a “dead ringer” for Kim Kardashian.

Kris Humphries had met Bianka Kamber in a Toronto nightclub in 2008, but broke with her when he met and married Kim Kardashian last year.

There were rumors Kris Humphries had reconciled with Bianka Kamber after his divorce, but they seem unfounded.

Painted as a “husband from hell” by the Kardashians, Kris Humphries – unlike Kim – hasn’t been quick to join the dating pool again.

Aside from romp at the beach with the woman and some other friends, Kris Humphries has been keeping a low profile.

In fact, according to his Twitter page, he’s been home watching a lot of television.

“Watching Seinfeld until I pass out,” he tweeted on May 31.

Hours earlier, Kris Humphries wrote: “When does Season 2 of Homeland start?”

 

Prince Philip hospitalized with bladder infection after he stood in the freezing rain at Queen’s Jubilee river pageant

Diane A. Wade
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Prince Philip hospitalized with bladder infection after he stood in the freezing rain at Queen’s Jubilee river pageant

Prince Philip has been hospitalized with a bladder infection at King Edward VII hospital in London after paramedics were called to Windsor Castle this afternoon as a precautionary measure.

Prince Philip, who celebrates his 91st birthday this Sunday, is being treated and will remain in hospital for a few days.

Yesterday Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, stood for four hours in the freezing rain during the Queen’s Jubilee river pageant.

He appeared to be in good spirits when he joined the rest of his family on the royal barge for the Diamond Jubilee pageant.

Like the Queen, Prince Philip stood for most of the 80-minute journey down the Thames and did appear to be in discomfort.

The Duke of Edinburgh has previously suffered from a bladder infection in February 2002.

Today staff at ambulance control in Berkshire received a call from Windsor Castle shortly after 2:00 p.m. reporting that Prince Phillip was feeling unwell.

Prince Philip was reported to have been suffering from an infection and the medical crew used a chair to help him into the ambulance before he set off to a London hospital.

He had been due to attend a special concert at Buckingham Palace tonight organized by singer Gary Barlow with Sir Paul McCartney, Sir Tom Jones, Jessie J and others.

Queen Elizabeth II will continue with her engagements as planned as will the rest of the Royal family, despite the Duke’s health scare.

Tomorrow Prince Philip was also due to be at the Queen’s side during a service at St Paul’s Cathedral in the morning, followed by receptions at Mansion House and in the Guildhall, as well as lunch at Westminster Hall.

In the afternoon, a carriage procession in a State Landaus is due to take place with other members of the Royal family. However, the Queen will now attend the event without him at her side.

A Buckingham palace spokesman said: “The Duke of Edinburgh was this afternoon taken to the King Edward VII Hospital in London as a precautionary measure after developing a bladder infection. He is currently receiving treatment.

“He will remain in hospital under observation for a few days.

“He is understandably disappointed at missing this evening’s Diamond Jubilee concert and tomorrow’s engagement.”

Prince Philip has been hospitalized with a bladder infection at King Edward VII hospital in London after paramedics were called to Windsor Castle this afternoon as a precautionary measure
Prince Philip has been hospitalized with a bladder infection at King Edward VII hospital in London after paramedics were called to Windsor Castle this afternoon as a precautionary measure

Prince Philip has remained remarkably active in recent weeks despite being treated for a blocked coronary artery just before Christmas.

Just three weeks ago he was pictured lugging a heavy car battery around at the Windsor Horse Show apparently with little difficulty.

On December 23 Prince Philip was rushed to hospital via helicopter for emergency treatment.

Buckingham Palace said at the time the Prince underwent a “minimally invasive procedure of coronary stenting” after he was taken to hospital suffering chest pains.

The Royal Family had been gathering at Sandringham, a traditional royal retreat in Norfolk, for Christmas, when he fell ill.

Prince Philip spent four days recovering from the procedure – including Christmas Day – before he was released on December 27.

The Duke of Edinburgh is an incredibly active man, who has enjoyed good health for much of his life.

He has shunned the pursuits of typical pensioners and even as an octogenarian continued to compete in demanding carriage driving competitions.

Before his heart scare last Christmas, Prince Philip’s most recent illness was an uncharacteristic cold in October that forced him to pull out of an overnight stay in Italy for the launch of the ARC Green Pilgrimage Network.

Prince Philip had just completed a busy 11-day official royal tour to Australia with Queen Elizabeth II, 85, that saw them visit Perth, Melbourne, Canberra and Brisbane.

Commentators billed the long haul trip as the couple’s last to the continent because of their age, but the Palace dismissed speculation it was a “farewell” visit.

In 2008 Prince Philip was treated for a serious chest infection. On that occasion he stayed at the private King Edward VII’s Hospital in London

However, most of Prince Philip’s ailments and injuries have been sports-related.

He suffered arthritis in his right wrist from playing polo and tried to dull the pain with Butazolodin, a drug more usually given to lame horses and recommended by his head groom.

It was reported he later stopped taking it because of the side effects.

In 1961, the Duke of Edinburgh broke a bone in his left ankle in a collision on the polo field and in 1963, again playing polo, he suffered a gash to his left arm which needed three stitches.

He was X-rayed in 1964 after a fall from his polo pony when he pulled a ligament in his left shoulder.

Prince Philip also developed synovitis, a rheumatoid condition of the tendon in the hand, after a polo fall.

Accidental mishaps sometimes left the Duke looking the worse for wear.

In 2005, Prince Philip was seen sporting dark glasses and a badly-bruised left eye after slipping in the bath and catching the side of his eye with his thumb.

In May 2006, the Duke pulled out of a royal engagement after suffering from a trapped nerve in his neck.

After a weekend recovering, Prince Philip attended the Chelsea Flower Show, appearing none the worse for wear.

A chest infection laid him low in April 2008 for a number of days and he was eventually admitted to hospital for treatment.

But even with the respiratory problem, he walked into hospital and walked out three days later and went on to make a full recovery.

In August 2008, Buckingham Palace took the unusual step of speaking out to deny a report that the Duke had been diagnosed with prostate cancer.

The newspaper involved later apologized, saying it accepted the story was untrue.

In January 2009, 87-year-old Prince Philip missed a string of engagements with a bad back after pulling a muscle while carriage driving.

Soon after, it emerged that the Queen had cancelled a state visit due to take place in spring 2009.

Buckingham Palace insisted this was due to “other commitments”, not the Queen’s age nor the Duke’s health.

In June 2010, the Duke had minor surgery on his left hand just before his 89th birthday to cure carpal tunnel syndrome – a common condition that causes pain, numbness and a burning sensation in the hand and fingers.

The hand operation forced Prince Philip to cancel an official trip with the Queen to Crewe.

The first public acknowledgement of his advancing years came as he was preparing to turn 90.

The Palace announced that Prince Philip planned to step down as president or patron of more than a dozen organizations.

 

Revitalift Laser Renew Advanced Anti-Ageing Moisturiser from L’Oréal Paris

Kathryn R. Bown
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Revitalift Laser Renew Advanced Anti-Ageing Moisturiser from L’Oréal Paris

Revitalift Laser Renew is not a laser treatment but it will give you intense action and target wrinkles, skin firmness and skin texture leaving your skin feeling smoother, plumper and looking more even.

Revitalift Laser Renew is an advanced anti-ageing care product with visible results in just 4 weeks.

Advanced science:

• Independently tested Hyaluronic Acid

• 3% Pro-Xylane: our highest concentration.

Revitalift Laser Renew is an advanced anti-ageing care product with visible results in just 4 weeks
Revitalift Laser Renew is an advanced anti-ageing care product with visible results in just 4 weeks

Proven results:

REPLUMPS: Wrinkles appear reduced

REFIRMS: Skin feels firmer

REFINES: skin looks smoother.

How to Use:

Apply the cream every morning and/or evening to a thoroughly cleansed face and massage into the skin in circular motions.

To complete your regime use Revitalift Laser Renew Super Serum before using the cream and Laser Renew Precision Eye Cream around the eyes.

Ingredients:

AQUA / WATER, GLYCERIN, ISOHEXADECANE, HYDROXYPROPYL TETRAHYDROPYRANTRIOL, DIMETHICONE, ISOPROPYL ISOSTEARATE, ALUMINUM STARCH OCTENYLSUCCINATE, PROPYLENE GLYCOL, NYLON-12, OCTYLDODECANOL, CETYL ALCOHOL, AMMONIUM POLYACRYLDIMETHYLTAURAMIDE / AMMONIUM, POLYACRYLOYLDIMETHYL TAURATE, BEHENYL ALCOHOL, C13-14 ISOPARAFFIN, PEG-100 STEARATE, STEARIC ACID, STEARYL ALCOHOL, ARACHIDYL ALCOHOL, TRIETHANOLAMINE, CETEARYL ALCOHOL, CETEARYL GLUCOSIDE, PALMITIC ACID, ADENOSINE, DISODIUM EDTA, DISODIUM STEAROYL GLUTAMATE, HYDROLYZED HYALURONIC ACID, CAPRYLOYL SALICYLIC ACID, LAURETH-7, POLYACRYLAMIDE, POLYETHYLENE, METHYLISOTHIAZOLINONE, METHYLPARABEN, PHENOXYETHANOL, CI 15985 / YELLOW 6, CI 19140 / YELLOW 5, LINALOOL, ISOEUGENOL, LIMONENE, CITRONELLOL, BENZYL ALCOHOL, PARFUM / FRAGRANCE.

 

Revitalift Laser X3 study results comparable to laser CO2

Kathryn R. Bown
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0
Revitalift Laser X3 study results comparable to laser CO2

A clinical study has been carried out by cosmetic company L’Oréal in order to compare the efficacy of its new anti-ageing cream Revitalift Laser X3 to another dermatological laser built up from fragmented CO2.

Revitalift Laser X3 is claimed to induce collagen synthesis with the effect of increasing the density, firmness and tonicity of the skin.

L’Oréal undertook its study on 50 women aged between 45 and 55 and intends to make report the results in a scientific publication.

After 8 weeks of Revitalift Laser X3 treatment applied twice daily, the product reduced cutaneous micro-relief by 18 percent compared with 20 percent for the laser CO2
After 8 weeks of Revitalift Laser X3 treatment applied twice daily, the product reduced cutaneous micro-relief by 18 percent compared with 20 percent for the laser CO2

It was found that after eight weeks of Revitalift Laser X3 treatment applied twice daily, the product reduced cutaneous micro-relief by 18% compared with 20% for the laser CO2.

Revitalift Laser X3 is based on a patented molecule.

 

Luka Rocco Magnotta arrested in a cybercafe in Berlin

Diane A. Wade
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Luka Rocco Magnotta arrested in a cybercafe in Berlin

Luka Rocco Magnotta, the Canadian porn actor wanted for the murder and dismemberment of his lover, has been arrested Berlin, Germany.

Luka Rocco Magnotta, 29, was reportedly picked up in a cybercafe in Berlin’s Neukoelln district.

An Interpol notice says Luka Rocco Magnotta is suspected of killing Jun Lin, a 33-year-old Chinese student, in Montreal. Body parts were posted to political parties in Canada.

Earlier, French police said Luka Rocco Magnotta had flown to Paris from Montreal.

Luka Rocco Magnotta is suspected of killing Jun Lin, a 33-year-old Chinese student, in Montreal
Luka Rocco Magnotta is suspected of killing Jun Lin, a 33-year-old Chinese student, in Montreal

A video posted online, in which a man apparently uses an ice pick to kill another man, is believed to show Jun Lin’s murder, investigators say.

The suspect had reportedly worked as a bisexual porn actor and model.

Luka Rocco Magnotta was spotted by someone travelling on a bus from France to Berlin, the German news website Spiegel reports.

According to Germany’s BZ website, the internet cafe owner in Berlin recognized Luka Rocco Magnotta and alerted police.

Earlier, police in Paris found items of his in a hotel room – pornographic magazines and airline sick bags, French media say.

The hotel is in Bagnolet, an eastern suburb of Paris near the peripherique ring road.

 

Bedbugs are not exterminated with bug-bombs foggers. Ineffective use of these products can lead to further resistance in insects.

Kathryn R. Bown
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Bedbugs are not exterminated with bug-bombs foggers. Ineffective use of these products can lead to further resistance in insects.

New research shows that bug bombs are ineffective against bed-bug pests. In a new study, the first of its kind to be published, etymologists at Ohio State University tested three commercially available foggers – sold under the Hot Shot, Spectracide, and Eliminator brands, respectively – and concluded that all three products were virtually useless at fighting bed bug infestations.

In “Ineffectiveness of Over-the-Counter Total-Release Foggers Against the Bed Bug (Heteroptera: Cimicidae),” an article appearing in the June issue of JEE, authors Susan C. Jones and Joshua L. Bryant provide the first scientific evidence that these products should not be recommended for control of this increasingly worrisome urban pest.

“There has always been this perception and feedback from the pest-management industry that over-the-counter foggers are not effective against bed bugs and might make matters worse,” said Susan Jones, an urban entomologist with the university’s Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC) and a household and structural pest specialist with OSU Extension. “But up until now there has been no published data regarding the efficacy of foggers against bedbugs.”

Researchers exposed five different groups of live bedbugs to the products for two hours, and found few adverse effects on the bugs. When the bugs had a place to hide, as in real-world conditions, few died as a result of exposure to the foggers.

The only exception was one group of bedbugs that died in significant numbers five to seven days after being directly exposed to one of the foggers.

But the researchers say it’s very unlikely that bedbugs will be directly exposed to the mist from insect foggers because they can hide very easily in small spaces.

“These foggers don’t penetrate in cracks and crevices where most bed bugs are hiding, so most of them will survive,” Jones said. “If you use these products, you will not get the infestation under control, you will waste your money, and you will delay effective treatment of your infestation. Bed bugs are among the most difficult and expensive urban pests to control. It typically takes a professional to do it right. Also, the ineffective use of these products can lead to further resistance in insects.”

Bedbugs are hitchhikers, they get into your house by clinging on to clothing, shoes, handbags and upholstered furniture. Once they’re in our house, they can live up to eight months without “eating”. The tiny bugs breed quickly and if you don’t treat for bedbugs quickly, you’ll have a major infestation on your hands. Experts say 40 bed bugs today will be 6000 in 6 months! Bedbugs don’t have to live on mattresses, they can also live in furniture and in walls.Bed Bugs close-up

Bed bugs are a major nuisance but generally don’t pose a threat to health, as their bites rarely cause more than itching welts or the occasional allergic reaction. Foggers, on the other hand, can be hazardous if used incorrectly.

In a 2008 report, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicated that at least 466 fogger-related injuries or illnesses were documented across eight states between 2001 and 2006. The most common ill effects—such as headaches, nausea, and coughing – tended to be minor and short-lived, although hospitalization was required in 21 cases.

“Bedbugs are among the most difficult and expensive urban pests to control. It typically takes a professional to do it right,” says Jones. “Also, the ineffective use of these products can lead to further resistance in insects.”

Additionally, the CDC says excessive use of bug bombs, foggers, and other insecticides against bedbugs can lead to human illness and possibly death.

 

Journal source: http://www.entsoc.org/Pubs/Periodicals/JEE

Investors set their eyes on Europe and stocks follow global markets lower

Clyde K. Valle
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Investors set their eyes on Europe and stocks follow global markets lower

Signs of economic weakness around the globe and Europe’s intensifying debt crisis are unnerving investors, who have been piling out of riskier investments like commodities and equities for the perceived safety of higher-rated government bonds.

U.S. banking stocks are heading into a bear market as Europe’s debt crisis pressures the sector. The KBW Bank index , which measures the performance of 24 U.S. banks, is down 16 percent from a peak in March. The index was down 1.2 percent just after the open on Monday.

Morgan Stanley has come under pressure as bond markets treat the bank as a junk-rated company, and the higher borrowing costs could already be putting it at a disadvantage even before an expected ratings downgrade. The bank’s stock is off 40 percent since late March.

“We may well have a snap back rally on the equity side but I don’t think it will be a big one, there is still a lot of caution out there,” said Frank Lesh, a futures analyst and broker at FuturePath Trading LLC in Chicago.

“All we’ve really done is seen some short covering here in the stock indexes and we are just stable, bonds are still very elevated.”

With little on the economic or corporate calendar Monday, investors are taking most of their cues from any comments out of Europe.

 “Europe is front and center, back, left and right,” said Dan Greenhaus, chief global strategist at BTIG.

Germany’s DAX lost 0.9% to 5,993 and Switzerland’s SMI shed 0.6% to 5,741, though France’s CAC-40 managed to rise 0.5% to 2,968.49. Markets in Britain were closed for a holiday.

Peter Cardillo, chief market economist at Rockwell Global Capital in New York said he was watching 1,275 as a support level on the S&P 500 after the index broke through its 200-day moving average on Friday following the worst decline for the index in 7 months.

“If we close under that tonight, then the market is headed lower in the short-term, possibly by 3 or 4 percent,” he said.

In a potential boost for markets looking for measures to end the debt crisis, German Chancellor Angela Merkel is pressing for much more ambitious measures, including a central authority to manage euro-area finances, and major new powers for the European Commission, European Parliament and European Court of Justice.

Three leading Portuguese banks said on Monday they would draw on funds provided under the country’s 78 billion-euro ($96-billion) international bailout to meet tough new capital requirements as they struggle with the country’s debt crisis.

 

Stock trends

 

Investors sold shares in Asia as well, including stock in Sony, which fell below 1,000 yen for the first time since 1980 — the year after it introduced the iconic Walkman portable cassette player.

Japan’s Nikkei 224 index dropped 1.7% to close at 8,295.63, its lowest finish since Nov. 28, 2011. The broader Topix index ended below the 700 mark for the first time since December 1983, Kyodo News Agency said.

Japan’s shares fell sharply on Monday, with the broader Topix index hitting a 28-year low as investors reacted to the disappointing Friday U.S. jobs data.

“While we are not down 20 percent and in official bear market territory, we believe that we have entered a bear market,” wrote Wayne Kaufman, chief market analyst at John Thomas Financial in a note on Monday.

“Equities have not responded to oversold conditions or to very attractive valuations versus bonds, and we must take that as a warning,” he said.

There are also worries about slowing growth in emerging markets such as China and India. Recent reports out of China last week showed the manufacturing sector contracted more than expected in May.

 

The S&P 500 (SPX) lost 3 points, or 0.1%. The Nasdaq (COMP) moved down 3 points, or 0.1%. The Dow Jones industrial average (INDU) dropped 24 points, or 0.2%.

 

Facebook IPO aftermath

 

Companies: Shares of Facebook (FB), which have gotten hammered since the company’s IPO, edged slightly lower.

Groupon (GRPN) shares added 0.6% after dropping sharply Friday. The online discount service, which has been dogged with questions about its accounting practices since its initial public offering in November, ended its lock-up period Friday, meaning that insiders who own shares are now able to sell them.

 

Currencies and commodities

The dollar rose against the euro and Japanese yen, but fell versus the British pound.

Oil for July delivery lost 23 cents to $83.47 a barrel.

Gold futures for August delivery lost $2.60 to $1,614.60 an ounce.

 

Marine Le Pen threatens to sue Madonna after depicting her as a Nazi during Tel Aviv concert

Lisa.Felice
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2
Marine Le Pen threatens to sue Madonna after depicting her as a Nazi during Tel Aviv concert

Madonna was today threatened with legal action and accused of being an ageing self-publicist after she depicted Marine Le Pen, the head of France’s National Front, as a Nazi during a concert in Israel.

An image of Marine Le Pen with a swastika on her forehead appeared on a giant screen at the singer’s concert in Tel Aviv, Israel on Thursday.

Marine Le Pen has threatened to sue Madonna if she repeats the stunt when her tour reaches France in July.

The politician said: “We understand how old singers who need to get people talking about them go to such extremes.”

Asked if she was likely to sue, Marine Le Pen, 43, said: “If she does that in France, we’ll be waiting.”

Madonna, who will turn 54 in August, is due in France next month, when she will appear at the Stade de France in Paris and then in Nice on the Riviera.

Madonna was today threatened with legal action and accused of being an ageing self-publicist after she depicted Marine Le Pen, the head of France’s National Front, as a Nazi during a concert in Israel
Madonna was today threatened with legal action and accused of being an ageing self-publicist after she depicted Marine Le Pen, the head of France’s National Front, as a Nazi during a concert in Israel

Other sources in the National Front, which has frequently been linked with anti-Semitism and racism, said Madonna had offended all of its members.

“We are not a Nazi party, and object to being depicted as such,” said a source in the party, which won a fifth of the popular vote during the first round of presidential elections in April.

“If you accuse the National Front of being anti-Semitic and racist then you accuse a fifth of the French people of being anti-Semitic and racist.

“If Madonna repeats this slur in France then she will certainly be taken to court.”

Wallerand de Saint-Just, the National Front’s lawyer, confirmed he was looking into the possibility of legal action.

Marine Le Pen pledged to reform the party after taking over the leadership from her notorious father, Jean-Marie Le Pen last year.

He is a convicted racist and anti-Semite who has in the past denied that the Nazi Holocaust actually took place during World War II.

Despite this, Jean-Marie Le Pen came runner-up in the French presidential election in 2002, proving that he had widespread support.

Marine Le Pen has toned down the party’s extremist views, but regularly pledges to limit Muslim immigration, and to clamp down on Islamic culture in France.

Madonna’s depiction of Marine Le Pen appeared as she performed her song Nobody Knows Me in Tel Aviv last Thursday.

Madonna is well known for her provocative acts, and is currently dating a Frenchman called Brahim Zaibat who has a North African Muslim immigrant background.

Marine Le Pen won just under 18% of votes in the presidential election and is currently standing to become an MP in France’s National Assembly.

 

Tiananmen Square Anniversary: Chinese authorities arrest activists and place others under surveillance

Diane A. Wade
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Tiananmen Square Anniversary: Chinese authorities arrest activists and place others under surveillance

Chinese authorities have arrested activists and placed others under increased surveillance to stop them from marking the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown.

Searches on social media sites have also been restricted to try to prevent any reference to the 1989 events.

The foreign ministry expressed “strong dissatisfaction” over a call from the US to free those still in prison for their involvement in the protests.

In 1989, the army shot dead hundreds of civilians rallying for democracy.

Beijing says the June 1989 events were a counter-revolutionary revolt and defends its response. The Communist Party still prevents any public remembrance of the event.

Chinese authorities have arrested activists and placed others under increased surveillance to stop them from marking the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown
Chinese authorities have arrested activists and placed others under increased surveillance to stop them from marking the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown

On Sunday, the US government urged China to free all those still in prison after the crackdown on protesters.

It called China’s “violent suppression” of the Tiananmen Square demonstrations a “tragic loss of innocent lives”.

From the capital, Beijing, to Fuzhou on the east coast and Guiyang in the far south-west, Chinese police have moved to detain and pressure activists.

Hundreds have been rounded up in Beijing to prevent them from marking the anniversary, rights campaigners told AFP news agency.

A small group of elderly men who organized a protest in a park in Guizhou a week ago have been rounded up.

A human rights group, the Dui Hua Foundation, estimates that fewer than a dozen activists arrested in the 1989 Tiananmen crackdown remain in jail. Hundreds were rounded up at the time.

Those left in jail are not students who led the protests, but people who committed arson or attacked martial law troops, Dui Hua executive director John Kamm told the Associated Press news agency.

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Vladimir Putin to be pressed by EU officials to take a stronger line on Syria crisis at St Petersburg summit

Diane A. Wade
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Vladimir Putin to be pressed by EU officials to take a stronger line on Syria crisis at St Petersburg summit

Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to be pressed by EU officials to take a stronger line on the crisis in Syria during a summit in St Petersburg.

EU member states want Russia to put pressure on its ally to withdraw heavy weapons from cities and comply fully with UN envoy Kofi Annan’s peace plan.

Russia and China are also resisting US and European calls to condemn President Bashar al-Assad and seek his removal.

On Sunday, Bashar al-Assad denied his forces had any role in the Houla massacre.

In a televised address, President Bashar al-Assad told parliament the killing of more than 108 people in their homes, including 49 children, was an “ugly crime” that even “monsters” would not carry out.

Witnesses have blamed pro-government militiamen for the massacre, which has triggered international condemnation and led to several countries expelling Syrian diplomats in protest.

Bashar al-Assad said the only way to resolve the crisis was through political dialogue, and that “foreign meddling” was to blame for Syria’s divisions.

European Council President Herman Van Rompuy, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton are among those attending Monday’s summit.

On Sunday, Vladimir Putin invited the EU leaders for dinner ahead of the talks at a lavish estate on the outskirts of the city.

Vladimir Putin will hold talks with Jose Manuel Barroso and Herman Van Rompuy
Vladimir Putin will hold talks with Jose Manuel Barroso and Herman Van Rompuy

European diplomats regard the meeting as a chance to renew ties with Vladimir Putin since his return to the presidency earlier this month.

The leaders are also expected to discuss trade and Iran’s controversial nuclear programme. Russia will also be looking to speed up moves towards visa free travel in Europe.

“We need to make sure that Russia is using fully its leverage in convincing the [Assad] regime to implement [the peace plan],” an EU official quoted by the Reuters news agency said.

“The Russian side has certainly not been very helpful in finding solutions in terms of a political way out.”

Moscow insists it is not protecting Bashar al-Assad but says his removal cannot be a precondition for political dialogue.

Baroness Catherine Ashton, who met Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov before Sunday’s dinner, said in a statement: “Russia’s role is crucial for the success of Annan’s plan.”

She said the EU wanted to “work closely with Russia to find a way to end the violence”.

The statement added that Baroness Catherine Ashton had spoken to Kofi Annan by telephone on Sunday and they had agreed that the crisis was at “a critical point”.

Analysts say pressure is growing on Moscow to concede that the initiative is stalled and to promote a compromise in which President Bashar al-Assad stands down to allow a transition of power.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Sunday that she had “made it very clear” to Sergei Lavrov in a telephone conversation that the focus was shifting to a political transition.

“Assad’s departure does not have to be a precondition, but it should be an outcome so the people of Syria have a chance to express themselves,” she said during a visit to Stockholm.

Although the summit is not expected to produce any major breakthrough in relations between Russia and the EU, it is still important.

EU leaders will be able to reacquaint themselves with Vladimir Putin and it is also a chance to gauge what kind of relationship Moscow and Brussels are likely to have during his six-year presidency.

 

MTV Movie Awards 2012 Winners Full List

Sonia Pantiss
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MTV Movie Awards 2012 Winners Full List

MTV MOVIE AWARDS 2012 WINNERS

MOVIE OF THE YEAR: The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1

BEST FEMALE PERFORMANCE: Jennifer Lawrence – The Hunger Games

BEST MALE PERFORMANCE: Josh Hutcherson – The Hunger Games

BEST GUT-WRENCHING PERFORMANCE: Bridesmaids – Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, Melissa McCarthy, Wendi McLendon-Covey and Ellie Kemper

Twilight took home the Best Movie Award from MTV Movie Awards 2012 for the fourth year running
Twilight took home the Best Movie Award from MTV Movie Awards 2012 for the fourth year running

BEST FIGHT: Jennifer Lawrence & Josh Hutcherson vs. Alexander Ludwig – The Hunger Games

BEST KISS: Robert Pattinson & Kristen Stewart – The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn

BEST ON-SCREEN DIRTBAG: Jennifer Aniston – Horrible Bosses

BEST HERO: Daniel Radcliffe – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

BEST MUSIC: Party Rock Anthem – LMFAO (21 Jump Street)

BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE: Shailene Woodley – The Descendants

BEST COMEDIC PERFORMANCE: Melissa McCarthy – Bridesmaids

BEST CAST: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (Warner Bros. Pictures) – Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Tom Felton

BEST ON-SCREEN TRANSFORMATION: Elizabeth Banks – The Hunger Games

BEST TRUE TRAILBLAZER: Emma Stone

GENERATION AWARD: Johnny Depp

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MTV Movie Awards 2012: The Hunger Games beats Twilight with four gongs

Sonia Pantiss
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MTV Movie Awards 2012: The Hunger Games beats Twilight with four gongs

The big winner of this year MTV Movie Awards was the breakout hit The Hunger Games that swept the ceremony, taking home four gongs.

The film’s star Jennifer Lawrence won the prestigious Best Female Performance award – but unfortunately the 22-year-old wasn’t in Los Angeles to collect her trophy.

However, Jennifer Lawrence accepted her award via a pre-recorded video as she is currently filming in Prague, after her win was announced by Kristen Stewart and Chris Hemsworth, the brother of her Hunger Games co-star Liam.

She said: “Thank you, MTV and all the fans, for this award. I want to thank Suzanne Collins for creating such an iconic, powerful character in Katniss Everdeen.

“It’s been such an honour to portray her and have audiences around the world embrace this movie.”

Looking at her golden popcorn trophy, Jennifer Lawrence humorously added: “I can’t eat this.”

Her co-star Josh Hutcherson also scooped a coveted award in the form of Best Male Performance, which was presented to him by Emma Watson and her Perks of Being a Wallflower co-stars Logan Lerman and Ezra Miller.

Josh Hutcherson said: “I’ve wanted to hold a Golden Popcorn since I was like four years old. This is incredible.

“It’s insane too, because every single one of those actors I admire and I want to be, so to even be up here is blowing my mind right now.”

He added to his many admirers: “You guys are the best fans in the world. You’re crazy and passionate and you make our job amazing.”

The Hunger Games’ star Josh Hutcherson scooped a coveted award at the MTV Movie Awards 2012 in the form of Best Male Performance
The Hunger Games’ star Josh Hutcherson scooped a coveted award at the MTV Movie Awards 2012 in the form of Best Male Performance

And Elizabeth Banks, who plays outlandish Effie Trinket in the movie, won Best On-screen Transformation.

Elizabeth Banks was presented the award by Magic Mike stars Matthew McConaughey, Channing Tatum and Joe Managaniello, who was dressed in a saucy fireman’s outfit.

The actress was carried out by the hunks after telling the audience: “I just want to thank MTV for this moment right here. This is just the best moment of my life.”

Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson also scooped Best Fight, alongside Alexander Ludwig. Josh and Alexander took to the stage to collect the award from Charlize Theron and Michael Fassbender.

But before they announced the winner, the duo indulged in a play fight which saw Charlize Theron pretend to knee Michael Fassbender in the face.

While The Hunger Games was the clear winner, the missed out on the Best Movie award, which went to Twilight for the fourth year running.

Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner accepted the accolade.

And Kristen Stewart also received the award for Best Kiss for the fourth year in a row, alongside her on and off-screen beau Robert Pattinson, who wasn’t in attendance at the bash.

So Kristen Stewart was a good sport and turned around to pretend she was smooching up a storm when she collected her trophy alone from That’s My Boy stars Leighton Meester, Adam Sandler and Andy Samberg.

Harry Potter won two awards – one for Best Hero and one for Best Cast, the latter of which was accepted on behalf of everyone by Emma Watson.

The first award of the evening went to Jennifer Aniston, who scooped the Best On-screen Dirtbag title for Horrible Bosses.

The actress looked stunning in leather and was clearly tickled by the accolade as she said in her acceptance speech: “I mean, do you know how long I have tried to unleash my on-screen dirtbag?”

She added: “I would like to say thank you to the television show Friends for letting me unleash my inner sweetheart and [Horrible Bosses director] Seth Gordon for letting me channel my inner dirtbag.”

The Breakthrough Performance gong went to Shailene Woodley for her role in The Descendants and the 20-year-old was overwhelmed by her win.

After Shailene Woodley hugged happy couple Emma Stone and Andrew Garfield who handed her the trophy, she told the crowd: “Dude, this is nuts. I’m so nervous right now.”

Johnny Depp took part in a special performance alongside The Black Keys, after which he was presented with the special Generation Award by Steven Tyler and Joe Perry of Aerosmith.

The Hollywood heavyweight was clearly touched by the accolade as he mouthed the word, “Wow”, but he quickly turned to humor and said: “This is like the <<get out of the business>> award.”

Emma Stone also won a special title – the True Trailblazer Award. After a hilarious video clip was aired which saw stars including Mila Kunis, Jim Carrey and Anna Faris talk about the star, she grew tearful while delivering her acceptance speech, stating she is “a cryer”.

Bridesmaids won two awards, for Best Gut-Wrenching Performance and Best Comedic Performance by Melissa McCarthy, although their wins were not televised.

And an excited LMFAO took home the prize for Best Music.

The audience saw Christian Bale grow emotional when seeing Heath Ledger as The Joker as part of a preview clip for The Dark Knight Rises, and Wiz Khalifa performed during the show.

Russell Brand hosted the event and used the opportunity to say he was on the hunt for his “next wife” after splitting from Katy Perry, also making fun of old pal Michael Fassbender.

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