The Business Travel Coalition has welcomed a crackdown by US competition authorities on hidden fees, or ?drip pricing?, imposed on hotel guests.
It is calling for similar action against airline ancillary fees and has launched a petition in an effort to get action from the White House.
The US Federal Trade Commission sent warning letters to 22 hotel groups over mandatory extra fees which can be as high as $30 a night.
It conducted a review of online hotel booking websites and found in many cases that ?total prices? often only includes the room rate and taxes.
?These practises violate the law by misrepresenting the price consumers can expect to pay for their hotel rooms,? the FTC letter says.
?We believe that online hotel reservation sites should include in the quoted total price any unavoidable and mandatory fees, such as resort fees, that consumers will be charged to stay at the hotel.
?While a hotel reservation site may breakdown the components of the reservation estimate (e.g., room rate, estimated taxes, and any mandatory, unavoidable fees), the most prominent figure for consumers should be the total inclusive estimate.?
The FTC?s letter says: ?One common complaint consumers raised involved mandatory fees hotels charge for amenities such as newspapers, use of onsite exercise or pool facilities, or internet access, sometimes referred to as ?resort fees?.
?Specifically, consumers complained that they did not know that they would be required to pay resort fees in addition to the quoted hotel room rate.
?Several stated that they only learned of the fees after they arrived at the hotel, long after making a reservation at what they believed to be the total room price.
?Others paid for the reservation in advance, and only found out after they arrived at the hotel that they would have to pay additional mandatory fees.?
The Business Travel Coalition says similar hidden ancillary fees imposed by airlines ?represent an unfair and deceptive marketing practice? that is costing all air travellers dearly.
Chairman Kevin Mitchell said: ?BTC this week launched an official White House petition-campaign requesting that true air travel comparison-shopping be restored for consumers. The coalition has until December 25 to secure 25,000 signatures.
?If successful, then the White House is committed to formally reviewing this request and providing a public response.?
The US Department of Transportation must require airlines, via a rulemaking, to provide fee information to sales channels where they offer base fares so consumers can see, compare and buy the complete air travel product, added Mitchell.
DFG to fund 11 new Collaborative Research CentersPublic release date: 30-Nov-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Marco Finetti marco.finetti@dfg.de 49-228-885-2230 Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
Ranging from insect timing to obesity mechanisms to the cultural history of leisure
This press release is available in German.
The Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) will establish eleven Collaborative Research Centres (CRCs) as of 1 January 2013. This was decided by the responsible Grants Committee during its fall session in Bonn. The new CRCs will be funded initially for a period of four years with a total of 101.5 million euros, including a 20% programme allowance for indirect project costs.
The newly established Collaborative Research Centres will explore a variety of complex topics, ranging from the development of pioneering internet-based communication models to new imagery processes in biology to a cultural history of leisure. Other Collaborative Research Centres will more precisely determine the control of immune responses or investigate the role of proper timing in the life of insects. One of the approved centres is a CRC/Transregio, which has multiple locations.
The responsible committee also approved the extension of 25 Collaborative Research Centres for an additional funding period. As a result, the DFG will be funding a total of 232 Collaborative Research Centres as of January 2013.
The new CRCs (in alphabetical order by host university):
In the past, several fundamental principles of protein mechanisms were discovered at the interface of biology, chemistry, and physics. The CRC "Protonation Dynamics in Protein Function" follows through on this work and seeks to decode a new functional principle. The researchers define protonation dynamics as the movement of hydrogen ions, which allows the coordination of several different functional locations in complex proteins, for example, and which is the foundation of the conversion of light signals in plants and cyanobacteria. The precise way in which local displacement of protons proceeds in hydrogen bridge networks as well as proton transfer over greater distances will be examined using four selected protein systems. The objective is to understand protonation dynamics as a determining factor in protein function at a fundamental physical/chemical level. This shall be achieved through the combination of new biophysical experiments with molecular simulations and quantum-chemical calculations. Research into the fundamentals of protein function can be of long-term benefit in order to technologically implement novel concepts, such as light-driven water splitting or oxygen reduction (in energy sciences).
(Host University: Free University of Berlin; Spokesperson: Prof. Dr. Holger Dau; Additional Participating Universities: Technical University of Berlin, Humboldt University, Berlin; Additional Participating Institution: Leibniz Institute for Molecular Pharmacology (FMP), Berlin)
The CRC "The Mathematics of Emergent Effects" will examine how the interaction of many units on a small scale leads to the appearance of new effects on a large scale. For this purpose new rigorous mathematical concepts and methods will be developed and applied to specific examples. In doing so, the CRC will focus on three primary areas: Analysis of the collective behaviour of multiple particle systems in both quantum and classical mechanics, investigation of stochastic systems and continuum limits, as well as systematic observation of such systems from analytical, geometric, algorithmic, and theoretical probability perspectives. By linking analysis, probability theory, and numerics, the CRC intends to lay the groundwork for new, complementary approaches, such as in multiple-particle quantum mechanics.
(Host University: University of Bonn; Spokesperson: Prof. Dr. Stefan Mller)
The CRC "MAKI - Multi-Mechanism Adaptation for the Internet of the Future" will take a look into the future of communication systems. In view of the increasingly mobile use of the internet, e.g. via smartphones, the researchers will seek ways to improve mechanisms of exchanging data, so the mechanisms can react with greater flexibility to various conditions without compromising quality. Therefore, the CRC will focus its research on the adaptability, interaction, and continuous improvement of so-called protocols. Such protocols enable and document data transfer and are comprised of a variety of mechanisms that must react flexibly to the flow of traffic or bandwidth of the internet. In ongoing operations, this currently represents a special case. Against this background, the CRC is working on improving interactions between mechanisms within the network that are functionally dependent on each other and enabling automated and coordinated adaptation of the overall system to changing conditions. By developing new design methods and new communication models and processes, the research association will make a large contribution to the future of the internet.
(Host University: Technical University of Darmstadt; Spokesperson: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Ralf Steinmetz; Additional Participating Universities: RWTH Aachen University, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA)
Cultural-historical analyses of leisure are the focus of the CRC "Leisure. Concepts, Spaces, Figures". This CRC will investigate from philological, philosophical, sociological, psychological, and ethnological perspectives the question of how times of leisure can be created and justified in a society generally, but also specifically in the largely efficiency-oriented information society of the 21st century. Leisure is thereby defined as free time that provides space for creativity, thought, and experiences. However, in addition to this potential, leisure also contains the risk of destabilizing social orders because it disturbs daily routines. The new research association will explore this source of conflict and clarify with an interdisciplinary approach how cultural orders in leisure initiate the potential for excess and how they simultaneously shield leisure lifestyles from criticism by venerating the concept of unproductive productivity. Special attention will also be paid to demands for "freedom of leisure" in science and the humanities. The theory here is that leisure is an essential component of all forms of science and academia.
(Host University: University of Freiburg; Spokesperson: Prof. Dr. Burkhard Hasebrink)
The common practice of forgoing electronic components in measurement systems in fields such as medicine and aerospace creates the challenge of developing alternative sensor systems. Such optronic systems simultaneously offer the opportunity to capture the properties of their environment across a large area and space-resolved. The CRC/TRR "Planar Optronic Systems (PlanOS)" will pursue this task and attempt to further develop novel polymer materials in such a way that they can be used as large-format, flat films and substrates for fully integrated, distributed sensor networks. The supra-regional research association intends to research the fundamentals of these novel material systems, drive forward the realisation of suitable polymer structures and micro-optical components in optical quality, and successfully assemble the individual components to create sensor systems. These efforts will be backed up by simulations of such systems and the pursuit of resource-conserving and economical production methods.
(Host University: University of Hanover; Spokesperson: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Ludger Overmeyer; Additional Applying University: University of Freiburg; Also Participating: Technical University of Braunschweig, Technical University of Clausthal, Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V.)
Many factors converge to influence obesity: Genetics, behaviour, and lifestyle influence the increase in fat mass through elevated size and quantity of fat cells. Questions remain about precisely how this fetal programming, appetite control, energy consumption, and accessibility of nourishment work in combination. The CRC "Obesity Mechanisms" will concentrate on three central complexes: Why do obese people exhibit a positive energy balance? How does over-nourishment lead to improper distribution and inflammation of fat tissue? And which signals from the fat tissue are responsible for obesity accessory symptoms and secondary diseases? Since the mechanisms that may lead to morbid obesity are multifaceted, researchers hope that an interdisciplinary approach will result in fundamental resolution of core questions of pathogenesis and eventually opportunities for prevention.
(Host University: University of Leipzig; Spokesperson: Prof. Dr. Matthias Blher; Also Participating: Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Israel, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, both Leipzig)
One of the most important capabilities of the nervous system is the active maintenance of a balanced and stable internal state (homoeostasis) while at the same time dealing with a continuously changing environment. The permanently ongoing adaptation to changing environmental influences is performed both by general mechanisms of cell functions as well as by locally limited processes within specialized cellular compartments. The CRC "Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms of Neural Homoeostasis" will investigate the fundamental processes within nervous systems which establish or maintain a condition of stability throughout the entire lifespan. In pursuit of this, various classes of molecules will be examined, such as those that are important for controlling cell-cell interactions and signal processes. As a result, the importance of homoeostatic mechanisms for organisms and particularly for the diseased human nervous system shall be better understood.
(Host University: University of Mainz, Spokesperson: Prof. Dr. Robert Nitsch; Additional Participating University: Goethe University of Frankfurt a.M.; Additional Participating Institutions: Max Planck Institute of Biophysics, Frankfurt, Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, Frankfurt, Institute for Molecular Biology gGmbH, Mainz)
Virus infections threaten human health and result in healthcare expenditures that strain local financial and healthcare systems around the world. RNA viruses represent a special challenge in this area: Due to the absence of a corrective function in their enzymes, they form so-called quasispecies that, during a change of hosts, result in new virus variations that can again reproduce quickly and continue to adapt. A few families of RNA viruses contain highly infectious pathogens that can cause fever associated with haemorrhaging or acute pulmonary disease. In the CRC "RNA Viruses: RNA Metabolism, Host Response and Pathogenesis" researchers intend to investigate the virus group from several perspectives: This shall provide understanding of the composition and metabolism of viral RNA and discover factors that turn the virus groups into pathogens. In addition, cellular defensive mechanisms against RNA viruses shall be found and suppression thereof through viral factors clarified. This knowledge shall lead to a fundamentally better understanding of the biology of RNA viruses and consequently facilitate preventative care.
(Host University: University of Marburg; Spokesperson: Prof. Dr. Stephan Becker; Additional Applying University: University of Giessen)
T-lymphocytes play a central role in immune defence. However, if the T-cells exhibit elevated or low activity, they may also contribute to immune-mediated diseases such as tumours, chronic infection, or allergies. The causes of this failure of immunological control are largely unknown. The CRC "Control and Plasticity of Cell-Fate Decisions in the Immune System" intends to close this gap in research and more closely analyse individual switching elements of the immune system. The focus will be on differentiation pathways and signals that turn precursor cells into efficient, defence-capable T-cells. In particular, the signals that determine the stability and flexibility of the cell differentiation process shall be identified. Since T-cells, in addition to dendritic cells, are primarily responsible for sending the most suitable possible immune-system responses to microbial pathogens, they are of great interest for improved treatment of inflammatory diseases, allergies, auto-immune disease, or cancer. Over the long term, collaboration between immunologists, stem cell researchers, vaccine developers, and others is expected to alter the differentiation of immune cells in such a way that they would be suitable for therapeutic use.
(Host University: LMU Munich; Spokesperson: Prof. Dr. Thomas Brocker; Additional Participating University: Technical University of Munich; Additional Participating Institutions: Helmholtz Zentrum Munich, Max Planck Institute for Biochemistry, Planegg)
Most natural systems are in "non-equilibrium". In physics, this term describes the state of material outside of the thermodynamic balance resulting from a continuous or abrupt outflow or inflow of particles and energy. In the human body, such non-equilibrium processes occur at the molecular, cellular, and tissue levels. These processes involve collaboration between many particles, which is why an understanding of the collective effects plays an important role for a complete understanding of active dynamic processes in living cells. The concept of pattern formation is ubiquitous in biological systems ranging from the microscopic to the macroscopic levels, from intracellular oscillation to tissue formation. The CRC "Physical Modelling of Non-Equilibrium Processes in Biological Systems" intends to more closely identify these imbalance phenomena, subject them to quantitative analysis, and develop theoretical models through interaction between researchers from the natural and life sciences.
(Host University: University of Saarbrcken; Spokesperson: Prof. Dr. Heiko Rieger)
It all comes down to timing: Timing determines success or failure in the search for food and a mate as well as the ability to escape from enemies or harmful environmental influences. The CRC "Insect Timing: Mechanisms, Plasticity and Interactions" will investigate on selected model organisms such as the fruit fly how the proverbial inner clocks of animals provide the ability to anticipate and adapt to daily and yearly rhythms. Very little is currently known about the functionality and adaptability of these essential timing mechanisms. This will be the researchers' starting point. They wish to examine the complex synchronisation of individual "time calculation" in the interaction with others as well as more precisely determine the importance of the inner clock for the effectiveness of the organism. In doing so, the CRC follows the approach of placing the various levels of timing into ecological context and to investigate the accuracy of timing within the time periods of one day, the lifecycle of an individual, and across multiple generations.
(Host University: University of Wrzburg, Spokesperson: Prof. Dr. Charlotte Frster)
###
Further Information
Further information will be provided by the spokespersons of the Collaborative Research Centres.
DFG programme contact:
Dr. Klaus Wehrberger, Head of Research Centres Division, Tel. +49 228 885-2355, Klaus.Wehrberger@dfg.de
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
DFG to fund 11 new Collaborative Research CentersPublic release date: 30-Nov-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Marco Finetti marco.finetti@dfg.de 49-228-885-2230 Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
Ranging from insect timing to obesity mechanisms to the cultural history of leisure
This press release is available in German.
The Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) will establish eleven Collaborative Research Centres (CRCs) as of 1 January 2013. This was decided by the responsible Grants Committee during its fall session in Bonn. The new CRCs will be funded initially for a period of four years with a total of 101.5 million euros, including a 20% programme allowance for indirect project costs.
The newly established Collaborative Research Centres will explore a variety of complex topics, ranging from the development of pioneering internet-based communication models to new imagery processes in biology to a cultural history of leisure. Other Collaborative Research Centres will more precisely determine the control of immune responses or investigate the role of proper timing in the life of insects. One of the approved centres is a CRC/Transregio, which has multiple locations.
The responsible committee also approved the extension of 25 Collaborative Research Centres for an additional funding period. As a result, the DFG will be funding a total of 232 Collaborative Research Centres as of January 2013.
The new CRCs (in alphabetical order by host university):
In the past, several fundamental principles of protein mechanisms were discovered at the interface of biology, chemistry, and physics. The CRC "Protonation Dynamics in Protein Function" follows through on this work and seeks to decode a new functional principle. The researchers define protonation dynamics as the movement of hydrogen ions, which allows the coordination of several different functional locations in complex proteins, for example, and which is the foundation of the conversion of light signals in plants and cyanobacteria. The precise way in which local displacement of protons proceeds in hydrogen bridge networks as well as proton transfer over greater distances will be examined using four selected protein systems. The objective is to understand protonation dynamics as a determining factor in protein function at a fundamental physical/chemical level. This shall be achieved through the combination of new biophysical experiments with molecular simulations and quantum-chemical calculations. Research into the fundamentals of protein function can be of long-term benefit in order to technologically implement novel concepts, such as light-driven water splitting or oxygen reduction (in energy sciences).
(Host University: Free University of Berlin; Spokesperson: Prof. Dr. Holger Dau; Additional Participating Universities: Technical University of Berlin, Humboldt University, Berlin; Additional Participating Institution: Leibniz Institute for Molecular Pharmacology (FMP), Berlin)
The CRC "The Mathematics of Emergent Effects" will examine how the interaction of many units on a small scale leads to the appearance of new effects on a large scale. For this purpose new rigorous mathematical concepts and methods will be developed and applied to specific examples. In doing so, the CRC will focus on three primary areas: Analysis of the collective behaviour of multiple particle systems in both quantum and classical mechanics, investigation of stochastic systems and continuum limits, as well as systematic observation of such systems from analytical, geometric, algorithmic, and theoretical probability perspectives. By linking analysis, probability theory, and numerics, the CRC intends to lay the groundwork for new, complementary approaches, such as in multiple-particle quantum mechanics.
(Host University: University of Bonn; Spokesperson: Prof. Dr. Stefan Mller)
The CRC "MAKI - Multi-Mechanism Adaptation for the Internet of the Future" will take a look into the future of communication systems. In view of the increasingly mobile use of the internet, e.g. via smartphones, the researchers will seek ways to improve mechanisms of exchanging data, so the mechanisms can react with greater flexibility to various conditions without compromising quality. Therefore, the CRC will focus its research on the adaptability, interaction, and continuous improvement of so-called protocols. Such protocols enable and document data transfer and are comprised of a variety of mechanisms that must react flexibly to the flow of traffic or bandwidth of the internet. In ongoing operations, this currently represents a special case. Against this background, the CRC is working on improving interactions between mechanisms within the network that are functionally dependent on each other and enabling automated and coordinated adaptation of the overall system to changing conditions. By developing new design methods and new communication models and processes, the research association will make a large contribution to the future of the internet.
(Host University: Technical University of Darmstadt; Spokesperson: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Ralf Steinmetz; Additional Participating Universities: RWTH Aachen University, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA)
Cultural-historical analyses of leisure are the focus of the CRC "Leisure. Concepts, Spaces, Figures". This CRC will investigate from philological, philosophical, sociological, psychological, and ethnological perspectives the question of how times of leisure can be created and justified in a society generally, but also specifically in the largely efficiency-oriented information society of the 21st century. Leisure is thereby defined as free time that provides space for creativity, thought, and experiences. However, in addition to this potential, leisure also contains the risk of destabilizing social orders because it disturbs daily routines. The new research association will explore this source of conflict and clarify with an interdisciplinary approach how cultural orders in leisure initiate the potential for excess and how they simultaneously shield leisure lifestyles from criticism by venerating the concept of unproductive productivity. Special attention will also be paid to demands for "freedom of leisure" in science and the humanities. The theory here is that leisure is an essential component of all forms of science and academia.
(Host University: University of Freiburg; Spokesperson: Prof. Dr. Burkhard Hasebrink)
The common practice of forgoing electronic components in measurement systems in fields such as medicine and aerospace creates the challenge of developing alternative sensor systems. Such optronic systems simultaneously offer the opportunity to capture the properties of their environment across a large area and space-resolved. The CRC/TRR "Planar Optronic Systems (PlanOS)" will pursue this task and attempt to further develop novel polymer materials in such a way that they can be used as large-format, flat films and substrates for fully integrated, distributed sensor networks. The supra-regional research association intends to research the fundamentals of these novel material systems, drive forward the realisation of suitable polymer structures and micro-optical components in optical quality, and successfully assemble the individual components to create sensor systems. These efforts will be backed up by simulations of such systems and the pursuit of resource-conserving and economical production methods.
(Host University: University of Hanover; Spokesperson: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Ludger Overmeyer; Additional Applying University: University of Freiburg; Also Participating: Technical University of Braunschweig, Technical University of Clausthal, Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V.)
Many factors converge to influence obesity: Genetics, behaviour, and lifestyle influence the increase in fat mass through elevated size and quantity of fat cells. Questions remain about precisely how this fetal programming, appetite control, energy consumption, and accessibility of nourishment work in combination. The CRC "Obesity Mechanisms" will concentrate on three central complexes: Why do obese people exhibit a positive energy balance? How does over-nourishment lead to improper distribution and inflammation of fat tissue? And which signals from the fat tissue are responsible for obesity accessory symptoms and secondary diseases? Since the mechanisms that may lead to morbid obesity are multifaceted, researchers hope that an interdisciplinary approach will result in fundamental resolution of core questions of pathogenesis and eventually opportunities for prevention.
(Host University: University of Leipzig; Spokesperson: Prof. Dr. Matthias Blher; Also Participating: Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Israel, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, both Leipzig)
One of the most important capabilities of the nervous system is the active maintenance of a balanced and stable internal state (homoeostasis) while at the same time dealing with a continuously changing environment. The permanently ongoing adaptation to changing environmental influences is performed both by general mechanisms of cell functions as well as by locally limited processes within specialized cellular compartments. The CRC "Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms of Neural Homoeostasis" will investigate the fundamental processes within nervous systems which establish or maintain a condition of stability throughout the entire lifespan. In pursuit of this, various classes of molecules will be examined, such as those that are important for controlling cell-cell interactions and signal processes. As a result, the importance of homoeostatic mechanisms for organisms and particularly for the diseased human nervous system shall be better understood.
(Host University: University of Mainz, Spokesperson: Prof. Dr. Robert Nitsch; Additional Participating University: Goethe University of Frankfurt a.M.; Additional Participating Institutions: Max Planck Institute of Biophysics, Frankfurt, Max Planck Institute for Brain Research, Frankfurt, Institute for Molecular Biology gGmbH, Mainz)
Virus infections threaten human health and result in healthcare expenditures that strain local financial and healthcare systems around the world. RNA viruses represent a special challenge in this area: Due to the absence of a corrective function in their enzymes, they form so-called quasispecies that, during a change of hosts, result in new virus variations that can again reproduce quickly and continue to adapt. A few families of RNA viruses contain highly infectious pathogens that can cause fever associated with haemorrhaging or acute pulmonary disease. In the CRC "RNA Viruses: RNA Metabolism, Host Response and Pathogenesis" researchers intend to investigate the virus group from several perspectives: This shall provide understanding of the composition and metabolism of viral RNA and discover factors that turn the virus groups into pathogens. In addition, cellular defensive mechanisms against RNA viruses shall be found and suppression thereof through viral factors clarified. This knowledge shall lead to a fundamentally better understanding of the biology of RNA viruses and consequently facilitate preventative care.
(Host University: University of Marburg; Spokesperson: Prof. Dr. Stephan Becker; Additional Applying University: University of Giessen)
T-lymphocytes play a central role in immune defence. However, if the T-cells exhibit elevated or low activity, they may also contribute to immune-mediated diseases such as tumours, chronic infection, or allergies. The causes of this failure of immunological control are largely unknown. The CRC "Control and Plasticity of Cell-Fate Decisions in the Immune System" intends to close this gap in research and more closely analyse individual switching elements of the immune system. The focus will be on differentiation pathways and signals that turn precursor cells into efficient, defence-capable T-cells. In particular, the signals that determine the stability and flexibility of the cell differentiation process shall be identified. Since T-cells, in addition to dendritic cells, are primarily responsible for sending the most suitable possible immune-system responses to microbial pathogens, they are of great interest for improved treatment of inflammatory diseases, allergies, auto-immune disease, or cancer. Over the long term, collaboration between immunologists, stem cell researchers, vaccine developers, and others is expected to alter the differentiation of immune cells in such a way that they would be suitable for therapeutic use.
(Host University: LMU Munich; Spokesperson: Prof. Dr. Thomas Brocker; Additional Participating University: Technical University of Munich; Additional Participating Institutions: Helmholtz Zentrum Munich, Max Planck Institute for Biochemistry, Planegg)
Most natural systems are in "non-equilibrium". In physics, this term describes the state of material outside of the thermodynamic balance resulting from a continuous or abrupt outflow or inflow of particles and energy. In the human body, such non-equilibrium processes occur at the molecular, cellular, and tissue levels. These processes involve collaboration between many particles, which is why an understanding of the collective effects plays an important role for a complete understanding of active dynamic processes in living cells. The concept of pattern formation is ubiquitous in biological systems ranging from the microscopic to the macroscopic levels, from intracellular oscillation to tissue formation. The CRC "Physical Modelling of Non-Equilibrium Processes in Biological Systems" intends to more closely identify these imbalance phenomena, subject them to quantitative analysis, and develop theoretical models through interaction between researchers from the natural and life sciences.
(Host University: University of Saarbrcken; Spokesperson: Prof. Dr. Heiko Rieger)
It all comes down to timing: Timing determines success or failure in the search for food and a mate as well as the ability to escape from enemies or harmful environmental influences. The CRC "Insect Timing: Mechanisms, Plasticity and Interactions" will investigate on selected model organisms such as the fruit fly how the proverbial inner clocks of animals provide the ability to anticipate and adapt to daily and yearly rhythms. Very little is currently known about the functionality and adaptability of these essential timing mechanisms. This will be the researchers' starting point. They wish to examine the complex synchronisation of individual "time calculation" in the interaction with others as well as more precisely determine the importance of the inner clock for the effectiveness of the organism. In doing so, the CRC follows the approach of placing the various levels of timing into ecological context and to investigate the accuracy of timing within the time periods of one day, the lifecycle of an individual, and across multiple generations.
(Host University: University of Wrzburg, Spokesperson: Prof. Dr. Charlotte Frster)
###
Further Information
Further information will be provided by the spokespersons of the Collaborative Research Centres.
DFG programme contact:
Dr. Klaus Wehrberger, Head of Research Centres Division, Tel. +49 228 885-2355, Klaus.Wehrberger@dfg.de
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Spring feels like a long way away, but when pictures of two brand new makeup collections landed in our inbox yesterday, we couldn't help but get very excited about these good-enough-to-eat candy colours.
First up is the Dior Cherie Bow range, which, according to the press release, is a "uniquely fresh fusion of the House of Dior?s iconic codes". Translation: three new stunning palettes, eyeshadow pens, a BB cream, a lip glow and three more Dior Le Vernis, all of which are centred around a pink and grey colour scheme. To summarise, we love.
As for the second show-stopping Spring collection, Butter London will launch its Sweetie Shop range next year. Not only does this mean six super cute new colours, but the people at Butter really had fun with the naming game too. Meet Cuppa (creamy khaki), Fruit Machine (candy pink), Molly Coddles (violet), Fiver (mint), Jasper (lemon) and Kerfuffle (sherbet).
Dior Cherie Bow will launch exclusively at Selfridges from 4th January 2013 and nationwide from 18th January 2013, available from ?18 - ?59. Butter London's Sweetie Shop will also launch in Boots and Harvey Nichols in January, priced at ?12 each.
Here's what this month has to offer on the beauty front:
Topshop Lip And Eye Crayons
The perfect way to add some colour to your party looks this season. ?6.50 from <a href="http://www.topshop.com/">Topshop</a>
Dior Tattoos
24-carat gold tattoos? They could only be from Dior. ?80, available exclusively at <a href="http://www.harrods.com/">Harrods</a> from 2 November
Chanel Christmas Collection
Chanel's Eclats Du Soir collection comes complete with eyeshadow palettes, a new Rouge Allure and Le Vernis, all centred aroundn a rich, plum shade. From ?18 - ?43, available from department stores on 9 November
Clinique Chubby Sticks
Chubby sticks have become a bit of a beauty cult and we have good news for fans! Clinique is launching a new collection, with eight shades to choose from. We love the neutral but glossy Curviest Caramel. ?16 available from <a href="http://www.clinique.co.uk/">Clinique</a> in mid November.
Decleor Nature To Nature Collection
Decleor has teamed up with Aqua Sana at Center Parcs to create this miniature skincare collection. Not only does it come in the perfect size for jet-setters, the brand will donate ?1 from every Nature to Nature Collection sold to The Tree Council. ?49.50 from Aqua Sana at Center Parcs
Mac Glamour Daze
New from Mac this month is the Glamour Daze collection and as usual, it includes everything you'll need in your makeup bag. From eye shadows and lip glosses in candy colours to the shimmering Skin Finishes, this will see you through the festive season in style. ?15 - ?21.50 from <a href="http://www.maccosmetics.co.uk/">Mac Cosmetics</a>
ghd Metallic Collection
ghd's in Christmas colours? That's a present for your beauty junkie friend sorted. ?135, from <a href="http://www.ghdhair.com/">ghd</a>
Nars Andy Warhol Collection
Nars' limited edition Silver Factory Christmas collection takes inspiration from Andy Warhol. The result? Colour-popping palettes, nail polishes and eye-shadow duos. Already at the top of our wish-list. ?14 - ?54, from <a href="http://www.narscosmetics.co.uk/">Nars Cosmetics</a>
Bare Minerals Ready Luminzers
Bare Minerals is launching two new palettes this month, which nourish and condition skin whilst adding a subtle touch of radiance to the cheeks. ?36 each, from <a href="http://www.bareminerals.co.uk/">Bare Minerals</a>
All-in-one desktops offer users the appealing prospect of freeing up desk space without necessarily sacrificing performance or breaking the bank. The Vizio 24-inch All-in-One (CA24T-A4) ($1,299 list) is a great example of why these systems continue to grow in popularity, serving up a sleek system with a 10-finger capacitive touch-screen display for navigating through Windows 8. It also has a few other nifty tricks up its sleeve, like an included remote that enables the system to effectively function as a television, and a power supply (PSU) cleverly hidden in a subwoofer enclosure. Ultimately, these attributes outweigh the CA24T-A4's negatives and make it a solid choice.
Design and Features
With the exception of its slightly smaller display, the A24T is a virtual dead-ringer for the Vizio 27-inch All-in-One PC (CS27-A1). This is because, like the Vizio CS27-A1, all of the CA24T-A4's components are distributed throughout the base while the power supply (PSU) is encased within a separate subwoofer enclosure. Consequently, the A24 features an attractive, slim display and an equally svelte base that looks significantly less bulky than that of the Asus ET2300INTI-B022K. A tapered chrome-finished arm, meanwhile, connects the display to the base. Despite their similarities, a critical distinction between the CA24T-A4 and Vizio's previous lineup of all-in-one systems is that the former features a ten-finger capacitive touchscreen display. Since the CA24T-A4 ships with Windows 8, the responsive touchscreen goes a long way towards improving the user interface and making navigating through the tiled interface a considerably more intuitive experience.
Touch capabilities aside, the CA24T-A4's 24-inch display has a maximum resolution of 1,920-by-1,080 (1080p), and it's every bit as lovely as it is responsive. Vizio has had plenty of experience in the eye-candy arena, and the crisp colors and deep blacks on the CA24T-A4's display makes that abundantly clear. Given its dazzling display, it's something of a shame that the CA24T-A4 doesn't feature a built-in optical drive for watching movies. However, this isn't an entirely fatal omission, as the CA24T-A4 features dual HDMI-in ports that can accommodate Blu-ray players as well HD cable boxes and game consoles. That said, users on the market for an all-in-one that can play DVDs would be better off with the ET2300. Meanwhile, cinephiles who prefer the clarity of Blu-rays should check out the Asus ET2701INKI-B046C .
Since the CA24T-A4's PSU is housed in its included 6W subwoofer, it acts as a sort of conduit between system and wall outlet. Since this design sidesteps the need to separately plug in the system and the subwoofer (and connect the two to one another), it contributes to a more streamlined layout that reduces wire clutter. It also means that you must find a place for the subwoofer, as the system won't work without it connected. The subwoofer's 2.1 surround sound nicely complements the system's built-in speaker that wraps around three of the base's four edges. Taken together, they can easily fill a room with sound, and although the bass isn't as thunderous as one might expect from a dedicated subwoofer, it still succeeds in packing a punch for movies and music.
The included keyboard and mouse, on the other hand, are one of the CA24T-A4's most obvious shortcomings. In addition to connecting wirelessly and sporting an admittedly cool silver finish, both also share an almost complete absence of ergonomic soundness. The keyboard's compact size results in a cramped layout that's exacerbated by flat key caps, and its thin profile yields unpleasantly shallow keystrokes. While the touchpad fares a bit better and by enabling Windows 8-optimized gesture controls like swiping and two-finger sliding, it's responsiveness is average at best. That said, these peripherals can easily be replaced, and the touchpad's mediocrity is alleviated by the fact that the CA24T-A4 sports a touchscreen.
The CA24T-A4's base sports decent connectivity options, with an SD card reader, a headphone jack, and a USB 3.0 port on the left side for easy access. The rear panel features an eSATA port, three USB 3.0 ports, and dual HDMI inputs. Televisions are in Vizio's DNA, and these HDMI inputs showcase Vizio's savvy in this arena since they can accommodate cable, satellite, and game consoles. Even better, the display and included remote both work even when the CA24T-A4 isn't booted up, making the CA24T-A4 perfect for dorms rooms or for anyone who can't squeeze both a television and a computer into their space. It would be nice if the CA24T-A4 had have at least one HDMI output to allow users who already have a television set to use the two devices together or use another display in a multi-monitor configuration.
The CA24T-A4 we reviewed is blissfully free of bloatware, so you don't have to worry about uninstalling any trial software when turning on the system for the first time. This desktop comes equipped with Microsoft Security Essentials, which is better than the usual anti-virus trialware that typically ships with systems. It ships with a two-year warranty on parts and labor and, moreover, features what Vizio calls a "V-key" on the F1 button that serves as a shortcut to various support options, including live-chatting with a Vizio representative.
Performance
The CA24T-A4's 2.50GHz Intel Core i5-3210 and 6GB RAM helped the system produce decent results on our benchmark tests, though it was often overshadowed by its peers. Its PCMark 7 score of 2,970 points fell to the bottom of the pack, but it still came within striking distance of the Vizio CA27-A1 (3,158 points) and Asus ET2300 (3,291 points), though it was handily outgunned by the ET2701INKI-B046C (3,512 points). The A24T was a mixed bag in our multimedia tests. It completed our Handbrake video-encoding test in 1 minute 13 seconds, faster than both the Sony VAIO Tap 20 (2:53) and the CA27-A1 (1:44) but significantly slower than the class-leading ET2300 (44 seconds). Moreover, its Cinebench R11.5 score of 2.90 points succeeded in outgunning the Vaio Tap 20 (2.40 points) but was easily outflanked by the ET2300 (4.97 points) and, to a larger extent, the ET2701INKI-B046C (7.08 points). The 4 minutes and 45 seconds it took for the A24T to complete our Photoshop CS6 test, meanwhile, was roughly on par with the ET2300 (3:58) but came nowhere near the ET2701INKI-B046C (1:43). All said, the CA24T-A4 is good for light media creation, but enthusiasts would be better off with a system featuring a discrete GPU like the Asus ET2300 or Asus ET2701INKI-B046C.
Like the rest of the systems in its class, the CA24T-A4 wasn't designed with high-end gaming in mind, so it came as no surprise that its integrated Intel HD Graphics 4000 GPU failed to crack the critical 30 frames per second (fps) playability barrier when it came to 3D games that required quick movment and high detail levels. Accordingly, its performance in our Aliens Vs. Predator benchmark tests (14fps with medium-quality settings in 1,366-by-768 resolution; 5fps with maximum-quality in 1,920-by-1,080 resolution) was roughly on par with the Asus ET2300 (25fps and 5fps, respectively). Likewise, its performance on our Heaven benchmark tests (12fps with medium-quality settings in 1,366-by-768 resolution; 4fps with maximum-quality in 1,920-by-1,080 resolution) was similar to that of the Sony Tap 20 (13fps and 5fps, respectively) and was only slightly behind the Asus ET2300 (20fps and 7fps, respectively).
The Vizio 24-inch All-in-One (CA24T-A4) is an attractive all-in-one desktop that, despite its less-than-ideal keyboard and touchpad, is nonetheless worth considering, and its ability to function as a television makes it an especially solid choice for users who don't have a lot of physical space to spare. That said, the Asus ET2701INKI-B046C also features an HDMI input, and the fact that it has a larger display, built-in Blu-ray player, and beefier processing power for an extra $100 justifies its status as our current Editors' Choice. Still, the A24T's sleek design and gorgeous touch-screen makes it a solid choice.
BENCHMARK TEST RESULTS:
COMPARISON TABLE Compare the Vizio 24-inch All-in-One (CA24T-A4) with several other desktops side by side.
More desktop reviews: ??? Vizio 24-inch All-in-One (CA24T-A4) ??? AVADirect Mini Gaming PC Core i5 Z77 ??? Apple Mac mini (Late 2012) ??? Asus ET2300INTI-B022K ??? Lenovo H520s ?? more
Hosea 4: 6 (KJV) My people perish from a lack of knowledge.
Knowledge is power for survival when it comes to overcoming disasters. It is vital to get educated on how to survive in the event of a myriad disaster scenerios. Many people die or get injured because they did not adequately plan, prepare or mitigate for unseen emergencies. In order to win the war on disasters; American citizens must take disaster preparation seriously and strengthen themselves mentally, spiritually, and physically to overcome the challenges in the future.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency states on their website that there are actions that should be taken before, during, and after an event that are unique to each hazard. Each person or group should identify the hazards that have happened or could happen in their area and plan for the unique actions for each hazard. They further note that mitigation can be defined as actions to reduce loss of life and property by decreasing the impact of disasters.? What this means is??taking action now??before the next disaster?to reduce human and financial consequences later (analyzing risk, reducing risk, insuring against risk).? Effective mitigation requires that we all understand local risks, address the hard choices, and invest in long-term community well-being. Without these actions, people jeopardize their safety, financial security, and self-reliance and quality of life.
Building an emergency kit with first aid equipment and taking medical classes are best practices in mitigation that can assist in reducing risk and loss to families and the community.? It is important to analyze what type of hazards would affect the community during a disaster, as well the decision to shelter in place or evacuate to a safe location.? By following this risk analysis process, it would help clarify what type and size of container or bag to place first aid items inside, the quantity, what too and what not to pack, where to pack it, the environment, hazard scenario and number of people it can provide care too. Your first aid kit or emergency supplies should be designed around an all hazards approach that insures against the risk of not being able to treat or prevent hazards from overtaking you and your group. These hazards can cause temporary or permanent damage to the critical infrastructure of this nation. Therefore everyone should be a stakeholder in public safety and security of this nation. As a result, many are designing their first aid kits around temporary disaster events where there is a short recovery period, while others are preparing their kits for a total collapse of the system where medical resources will be hard to find.
Caution: for medical legal and health safety reasons-Disaster Preparers should think about:
Preparing physically, mentally, and spiritually now to adapt to changes caused by impact of disasters and?continuity of civil and infastructure recovery.
Familiarizing with their local, state and federal laws on the boundaries of giving care to humans, pets and livestock.
Getting prior training on how to use the items in the first aid kit.
Working as a trained and covenant group, not loner.
Trying to get written certification or medical authority to perform certain procedures.
Not going beyond their scope of practice or their medical certifications.
Abiding by the local laws of what is allowed in your first aid or medical kit.
(Personal, Force, Asset?Protection)Avoiding making themselves a target for thieves, murderers, drug addicts that use false emergency scenes or requests for help.
A first aid kit can be purchased at many stores, disaster preparedness organizations and online merchants. Medical supplies can also be purchased individually to build your own kit.? Some have also combined the two as one mitigation measure. Others have crafted their own replacement first aid products by improvising. They use tampons for bleeding, card board for splints, and other homemade items, or pet supplies for their kit?s inventory. The real issue is finding the right items and kit skin for your needs. There are many questionable claims to first kits such as the number of people that it can actually treat in an emergency, the quality, sterility and durability of items, the protective covering of the container or bag and excessive prices for minimal supplies. This is why it is vital to do a risk analysis and make appropriate mitigation decisions for your own needs from an all hazards approach.
?Non exhaustive Example of items for Emergency First aid Survival Kit:
Airway Control Kit
_____ Pocket Mask kit
_____ Breathing Barrier with gloves kit
Diagnostic Instruments/Tools
_____ First aid booklet _____Trauma/Bandage scissors _____Protective Face masks
Medical supplies for a first aid kit can be put inside of a various items that are all weather resistant, waterproof, durable, floatable, not previously had any toxic or corrosive materials stored inside of it, and clearly marked as a first aid or medical kit. Ziploc bags and plastic trash bags can give extra all weather protection and longetivity of items. The kit should also be easy to carry with straps or handles, have reasonable space or compartments for medical items, and easy to open or secure during an emergency. The size and type of first aid emergency kit may be based on varied factors such as the personal needs of the individual, group, or community, different hazards, ?medical training, number of sick and injured, terrain, response time, life cycle of disaster, use with vehicles, walking distance, evacuation, and weather.
Examples:
Military Unfolding zippered Aid Bag M-3 & M-17
Military Chest with handles
Military Aid Station chest containers
Military hard plastic or metal containers
Nylon, Leather or Canvas Back Packs
Luggage with wheels and handle
Purse or designer bag
Lunch box
Square or rectangle storage containers
Tupperware containers
Plastic Ice Cream or used Food Containers
Hunting vests
Belt Pouches
A well-stocked and well maintained list of items in the first aid kit should be kept up to date at all times by rotating and replacing items.? A best practice for maintaining the mitigation investment of life saving equipment is doing inventory and preventative maintenance checks before and after using the kit. It can take place on a daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, or yearly cycle. ?The outside and inside of the emergency kit should be inspected for damage such as cracks, tears or holes. Mitigations measures such as health safety inspections for spoilage and expiration dates of items are important also.? However, some questions have been raised about keeping items regardless of expiration dates because of future scarcity of items during extreme disaster periods. These questions should be addressed by medical authorities who are expert in disasters and laws of the land. ?In any case, some items can lose their shelf life, sterility, durability, and may become toxic because of the hot storage temperatures. Another temperature issue is freezing. ?Solutions can freeze causing the containers to crack and break causing contamination of other items or damaging the first aid container.
The kit should work as expected: treat injuries and save life when you need it and cause no harm when it is not needed. It is vital to verify that the items consisting within the kit still function as expected, including the batteries in the medical equipment. The first aid kit should be stored in a place that is of the right temperature for medical supplies, in a safe location, away from pests, where no damage can occur, can be accessible to adults, but not to children or pets that can be poisoned and injured.
In summary, disasters can happen at anytime and anyplace. The consequences of not preparing for them may be immeasurable. To minimize this risk, it is vital to mitigate these impacts by building an emergency first aid kit based on analyzing, reducing, and insuring against future risks. It would be wise to assemble an emergency first aid kit that is adaptable and maintainable for your needs, take first aid classes, get familiarized with medical ? legal laws, learn how to take protective measures in emergency situations, and establish mutual-aid and covenant partnerships well in advance of an emergency situation. All of these steps help reduce the impact of hazards associated with future events and improve the chances of winning the war over disasters.? Americans, must remember that everyone is a stakeholder in public safety, God given freedoms, continuity of civil government,?and protecting the critical infastructure and key resources of this nation.
Consumer confidence rose to a four-and-a-half-year high in November as consumers became more optimistic about the outlook for the economy, according to a private sector report released on Tuesday.
The Conference Board, an industry group, said its index of consumer attitudes rose to 73.7 up from an upwardly revised 73.1 the month before, its highest since February 2008. Economists had expected a reading of 73.0, according to a Reuters poll.
October was originally reported as 72.2.
"Over the past few months, consumers have grown increasingly more upbeat about the current and expected state of the job market, and this turnaround in sentiment is helping to boost confidence," Lynn Franco, director of The Conference Board Consumer Research Center, said in a statement.
The expectations index rose to 85.1 from 84.0, while the present situation index edged slightly lower to 56.6 from 56.7.
Consumers' labor market assessment was little changed in November. The "jobs hard to get" index was flat at 38.8 percent, while the "jobs plentiful" rose to 11.2 percent from 10.4 percent.?
Analysts said the latest figures should bode well for the holiday shopping season.
"Despite the 'fiscal cliff,' Hurricane Sandy and a weaker stock market in November, households seem to be upbeat," said Ray Stone, economist and managing director for Stone & McCarthy Research Associates.?"That means they should be willing to spend money on Christmas. Shoppers won't be busting down doors, but sales should be pretty upbeat."?
Microsoft's Skype communications apps for iPhone and iPad have been updated to version 4.2. New features include the ability to chat with Messenger, Hotmail, and Outlook.com, and merge them all together into one, happy, mega-Microsoft account. If you're a first timer, you can also create an account from within the app now. You can also tap and hold to edit messages now, choose emoticons while typing, and -- terrifically or horrifically, depending on your point of view -- use animated emoticons in full on Retina quality. (I'm firmly in the latter camp -- I'd pay good money for a Skype update that killed animated emoticons dead. For everyone. Because, my eyes. My eyes.) There's also the usual round of bug fixes.
If you haven't used Skype yet, it remains much like democracy -- terrible except when compared to everything else. It's cross-platform, more reliable than most, and enjoys full background access on iOS (though keep an eye on your battery while it's active). If you're already a Skype user, it's a no-brainer update. Go get it.
A YEAR ago in these pages, I congratulated the Danish government on its revolutionary experiment. It had just implemented a world-first fiscal and public health measure - a tax on food products containing more than 2.3 per cent saturated fat.
This experiment has now been dropped. Under intense pressure from the food industry in an already weak economy, the Danish government has repealed the fat tax and abandoned an impending tax on sugars.
Nobody likes taxes, and the fat tax was especially unpopular among Danish consumers, who resented having to pay more for butter, dairy products and meats - foods naturally high in fat.
But the real reason for the repeal was to appease business interests. The ministry of taxation's rationale was that the levy on fatty foods raised the costs of doing business, put Danish jobs at risk and drove customers to buy food in Sweden and Germany.
In June this year, a coalition of Danish food businesses organised a national repeal-the-tax campaign. The coalition said that fat and sugar taxes would cause the loss of 1300 jobs, generate high administrative costs and increase cross-border shopping - precisely the arguments cited by the government for its U-turn.
We can now ask the obvious questions. Did the tax achieve its aims? Was it good public policy? What should governments be doing to reduce dietary risk factors for obesity?
The purpose of food taxes is to reduce sales of the products concerned. In bringing in its fat tax, the Danish government also wanted to raise revenue, reduce costs associated with obesity-related diseases, and increase health and longevity. A year is hardly time to assess the impact on health, but the tax did bring in $216 million. Danes will now face higher income taxes to make up for the loss of the fat tax.
Business groups insist that the tax had no effect on the amount of fat that Danes ate, although they chose cheaper foods. In contrast, economists at the University of Copenhagen say Danish fat consumption fell by 10 to 20 per cent in the first three months after the tax went into effect. But it is not possible to know whether it fell, and cross-border shopping rose, because of the tax or because of the slump that hit the Danish economy.
A recent analysis in the BMJ suggests that 20 per cent is the minimum tax rate on food to produce a measurable improvement in public health. The price of Danish foods hit by the tax increased by up to 9 per cent, enough to cause a political firestorm but not to make much of a difference to health.
Is a saturated-fat tax good public policy? A tax on sugary drinks would be a better idea. To see why, recall that obesity is the result of an excess intake of calories over what we burn. Surplus calories, whether from carbohydrate, protein or fat, are stored as body fat. All food fats are a mix of unsaturated and saturated fatty acids; all provide the same number of calories per unit weight.
Saturated fats raise the risk of coronary heart disease, although not by much. Trans fats, banned in Denmark since 2003, are a greater risk factor. Because the different saturated fatty acids vary in their risk, imposing a single tax on them as if they are indistinguishable is difficult to support scientifically.
For these reasons, anti-obesity tax measures in other countries have tended to avoid targeting broad nutrient groups. Instead, they focus on processed foods, fast food or sugary drinks - all major sources of calories. Taxing them seems like a more promising strategy.
What else should governments be doing? That they have a role in addressing the health problems caused by obesity is beyond debate, not least because they bear much of the cost of dealing with such problems. In the US, economists estimate the cost of obesity-related healthcare and lost productivity at between $147 billion and $190 billion a year. The need to act is urgent. But how?
One lesson from Denmark is that small countries with open borders cannot raise the prices of food or anything else unless neighbouring countries also do so. But the greater lesson is that any attempt to encourage people to eat less will encounter fierce food-industry opposition. Eating less is bad for business.
In the US, state and city efforts to tax sugary drinks have met with overwhelming opposition from soft-drink companies. They have successfully spent tens of millions of dollars lobbying legislators and convincing the public that such measures deprive voters of their "right to choose" or, as in Denmark, can damage the economy.
What's more, the poor cannot be expected to support measures that increase food costs, even though obesity-related problems are much more common among low-income groups.
If governments really want to reduce the costs of obesity-related chronic diseases, they will have to address the problem at its source: the production and marketing of unhealthy food products.
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ScienceDaily (Nov. 26, 2012) ? An international team of biologists led by Indiana University's David M. Kehoe has identified both the enzyme and molecular mechanism critical for controlling a chameleon-like process that allows one of the world's most abundant ocean phytoplankton, once known as blue-green algae, to maximize light harvesting for photosynthesis.
Responsible for contributing about 20 percent of the total oxygen production on the planet, the cyanobacteria Synechococcus uses its own unique form of a sophisticated response called chromatic acclimation to fine tune the absorption properties of its photosynthetic antenna complexes to the predominant ambient light color. The researchers identified and characterized an enzyme, MpeZ, that plays a pivotal role in the mechanism that allows two different water-soluble proteins in Synechococcus -- phycoerythrin I and II -- to alter their pigmentation in order to maximize photon capture for photosynthesis.
Scientists want to understand how cyanobacteria optimize their photosynthetic activities in different light conditions to gain a better appreciation of how human activities affect the phytoplankton's ability to produce oxygen and uptake the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide, which they consume in order to grow. Science and industry also use the pigment-protein complex phycoerythrin for fluorescent imaging and as fluorescent markers in biotechnology and health care applications.
"We now have the ability to attach a novel chromophore, part of a molecule responsible for its color, to phycoerythrin, which provides a new chromophore-protein combination that absorbs and fluoresces at a wavelength that is not currently commercially available," said Kehoe, a professor in the IU Bloomington College of Arts and Sciences' Department of Biology. "Our results suggest that this new chromoprotein is brighter and more stable than most on the market today."
Kehoe also noted IU has begun the process of filing a patent on the invention. The team found that the gene encoding the MpeZ enzyme is activated in blue light. Once produced, MpeZ then binds to antenna proteins containing pigments that normally catch green light and attaches an alternative chromophore that allows the antennae to capture blue light. The specific mechanism, called type IV chromatic acclimation, involves replacing three molecules of the green light-absorbing chromophore with an equal number of blue light-absorbing chromophore. This color-shifting is reversible and is controlled by the ratio of blue to green light in the environment.
"These 'chromatic adapters' are true chameleons that can efficiently live in green coastal waters as well as in blue offshore waters by modifying their pigmentation," Kehoe said. "Synechococcus cells maintained in blue light harvest preferentially blue light, while cells grown in green light harvest more green."
Funding for this work came from the Agence Nationale Recherches in France, the European program MicroB3, IU's Office of International Programs, the National Science Foundation and the Lilly Foundation.
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Journal Reference:
A. Shukla, A. Biswas, N. Blot, F. Partensky, J. A. Karty, L. A. Hammad, L. Garczarek, A. Gutu, W. M. Schluchter, D. M. Kehoe. Phycoerythrin-specific bilin lyase-isomerase controls blue-green chromatic acclimation in marine Synechococcus. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2012; DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1211777109
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FILE - In this March 12, 2012 file photo, actor Angus T. Jones arrives at the Paleyfest panel discussion of the television series "Two and a Half Men" in Beverly Hills, Calif. Jones, the teenage actor who plays the half in the hit CBS comedy "Two and a Half Men" says it's "filth" and through a video posted by a Christian church has urged viewers not to watch it. (AP Photo/Dan Steinberg, File)
FILE - In this March 12, 2012 file photo, actor Angus T. Jones arrives at the Paleyfest panel discussion of the television series "Two and a Half Men" in Beverly Hills, Calif. Jones, the teenage actor who plays the half in the hit CBS comedy "Two and a Half Men" says it's "filth" and through a video posted by a Christian church has urged viewers not to watch it. (AP Photo/Dan Steinberg, File)
NEW YORK (AP) ? The teenage actor who plays the half in the hit CBS comedy "Two and a Half Men" says in a video posted online by a Christian church that the show is "filth" and that viewers shouldn't watch it.
Nineteen-year-old Angus T. Jones has been on the show, which used to feature bad-boy actor Charlie Sheen and remains heavy with sexual innuendo, since he was 10 but says he doesn't want to be on it anymore.
"Please stop watching it," Jones said. "Please stop filling your head with filth."
Jones plays Jake, the son of Jon Cryer's uptight divorced chiropractor character, Alan, and the nephew of Sheen's hedonistic philandering music jingle writer character, Charlie. Sheen, who has publicly criticized CBS, was fired and replaced by Ashton Kutcher, who plays billionaire Walden.
In the video posted by the Forerunner Christian Church in Fremont, Calif., Jones describes a search for a spiritual home. He says the type of entertainment he's involved in adversely affects the brain and "there's no playing around when it comes to eternity."
"You cannot be a true God-fearing person and be on a television show like that," he said. "I know I can't. I'm not OK with what I'm learning, what the Bible says, and being on that television show."
CBS and producer Warner Bros. Television had no comment Monday.
"Two and a Half Men" survived a wild publicity ride less than two years ago, when Sheen was fired for his drug use and publicly complained about the network and the show's creator, Chuck Lorre. Sheen later said he wasn't still angry at the sitcom's producers and the network and acknowledged he would have fired himself had he been in their shoes.
The show was moved from Monday to Thursday this season, and its average viewership has dropped from 20 million an episode to 14.5 million, although last year's numbers were somewhat inflated by the intense interest in Kutcher's debut. It is the third most popular comedy on television behind CBS's "The Big Bang Theory" and ABC's "Modern Family."
The actors on "Two and a Half Men" have contracts that run through the end of this season.
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Public release date: 30-Nov-2012
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The CA24T-A4's 2.50GHz Intel Core i5-3210 and 6GB RAM helped the system produce decent results on our benchmark tests, though it was often overshadowed by its peers. Its PCMark 7 score of 2,970 points fell to the bottom of the pack, but it still came within striking distance of the Vizio CA27-A1 (3,158 points) and Asus ET2300 (3,291 points), though it was handily outgunned by the ET2701INKI-B046C (3,512 points). The A24T was a mixed bag in our multimedia tests. It completed our Handbrake video-encoding test in 1 minute 13 seconds, faster than both the Sony VAIO Tap 20 (2:53) and the CA27-A1 (1:44) but significantly slower than the class-leading ET2300 (44 seconds). Moreover, its Cinebench R11.5 score of 2.90 points succeeded in outgunning the Vaio Tap 20 (2.40 points) but was easily outflanked by the ET2300 (4.97 points) and, to a larger extent, the ET2701INKI-B046C (7.08 points). The 4 minutes and 45 seconds it took for the A24T to complete our Photoshop CS6 test, meanwhile, was roughly on par with the ET2300 (3:58) but came nowhere near the ET2701INKI-B046C (1:43). All said, the CA24T-A4 is good for light media creation, but enthusiasts would be better off with a system featuring a discrete GPU like the Asus ET2300 or Asus ET2701INKI-B046C.
