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June 28, 2013 ? A new study from researchers at Uppsala University and University of Havana uses mathematic modeling and experiments on ants to show that a group is capable of developing flexible resource management strategies and characteristic responses of its own.
The results are now published in Physical Review Letters.
Group-living animals are led to regulate their activity and to make decisions on how to manage resources, under the action of a variety of environmental stimuli and of their intrinsic interactions. The latter are typically cooperative, in the sense that the activity of a single animal increases nonlinearly with the number of already active ones.
The researchers monitored experimentally and using mathematical modeling the activity profile of food-searching ants in a natural environment. The number of ants entering in or exiting the nest was recorded as well as the local temperature over several days.
The study shows that the group is capable of developing flexible resource management strategies and characteristic responses of its own. This is achieved by operating in an aperiodic fashion close to a regime of chaos, where nonlinearity is especially pronounced and offers the group more options than just following passively the day/night temperature cycle.
Furthermore, the group bursts into its foraging activity rapidly and subsequently relaxes to the inactive mode more slowly. This flexible behavior is reminiscent of "free will" in the sense that groups' activities are not totally constrained by the environment but on the contrary constitute new, emerging modes of behavior not encoded in the external stimuli or in the activity rhythms of the individuals within the group.
"Our results are likely to account for a wide range of temporal rhythms observed across the animal kingdom as well as in human societies," says Stamatios Nicolis, researcher at the Department of Mathematics, who lead the study.
"For instance, signal processing in the brain typically leads to complex patterns of electrical activity as witnessed by the electroencephalogram whose aperiodic, chaotic-looking structure is not a simple replica of the signal but reflects instead the ability of the brain to store vast amounts information and to process them selectively depending on the circumstances," says Stamatios Nicolis.
LONDON (Reuters) - Britons' expectations for the level of inflation over the coming years were unchanged in June, a monthly survey by polling company YouGov showed on Friday.
Inflation expectations for the next 12 months held steady at May's level of 2.5 percent, and for the next five to 10 years were unchanged at 3.3 percent, the poll showed.
Both figures are slightly lower than earlier in the year.
"These results should reassure the (Bank of England), providing further evidence that the long period of above-target inflation has not destabilised inflation expectations," said Michael Saunders, an economist at Citi, which sponsors the survey.
(Reporting by David Milliken and Olesya Dmitracova)
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - A senior Israeli official on Saturday played down the prospect of shuttle diplomacy by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry reviving long-stalled peace negotiations with the Palestinians.
Asked whether new talks might be imminent, Civil Defense Minister Gilad Erdan, a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's security cabinet, told Israel's Channel Two television: "To my regret, no, as of now."
He blamed "preconditions" set by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, whom Kerry met in Jordan twice in two days, alternating the meetings with talks with Netanyahu in Jerusalem.
(Writing by Dan Williams; Editing by Kevin Liffey)
By Tara Fowler Roland Emmerich returns this weekend with "White House Down," yet another ode to all-out mayhem and destruction (not that I'm complaining). This time around, he hired Channing Tatum as our savior in a white tank top (again, not complaining). Before you go see "WHD," here is everything you could possibly need to [...]
June 27, 2013 ? A new report by an independent task force commissioned by the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM), has found that people absorb less radiation from airport X-ray backscatter scanner than they do while standing in line waiting for the scan itself.
Measurements made on two scanners in active use at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), as well as seven other scanners not in active use at the time of measurement, found that full-body scanners deliver a radiation dose equivalent to what a standard man receives every 1.8 minutes on the ground, or every 12 seconds during an airplane flight.
Put another way, an individual would have to receive more than 22,500 scans in a year to reach the standard maximum safe yearly dose determined by the American National Standards Institute and the Health Physics Society, according to AAPM Report No. 217, "Radiation Dose from Airport Scanners."
"This report represents a wholly independent review of the X-ray scatter airport scanners and is the first we know of to look at multiple scanners including those in actual airport use," said Christopher Cagnon, PhD, DABR, the chief of radiology physics at UCLA Medical Center and one of the lead authors of the new report. "We think the most important single take-away point for concerned passengers is to keep an appropriate perspective: the effective radiation dose received by a passenger during screening is comparable to what that same passenger will receive in 12 seconds during the flight itself or from two minutes of natural radiation exposure."
Sources of Radiation
Natural sources of radiation on the ground include terrestrial sources such as radon in the air, cosmic radiation from space, and even the decay of potassium in the human body. Radiation doses are greater in the air because at cruising altitude, there is less atmosphere to shield passengers and crew from cosmic radiation.
To compare naturally occurring radiation with that emitted by airport scanners, AAPM convened a volunteer task force composed of medical physicists from the University of California, Los Angeles and the University of California, Davis who donated their time. They measured the radiation delivered by Rapiscan Secure 1000 SP backscatter X-ray scanners, a model once commonly used in American airports but which the Transportation Security Administration has largely pulled from major airports due to passenger concerns over privacy.
The task force found that for a standard man -- approximately 178.6 cm (5'10") tall and 73.2 kg (161.4 pounds) -- one full-body scan delivered approximately 11.1 nanosieverts of radiation. (The "Sievert" is a common unit of radiation dose, and one "nanosievert" is one billionth of a sievert.)
On the ground, the same man receives approximately 3.11 millisieverts of radiation per year -- more than 10,000 times as much. The task force also found that the radiation dose a passenger receives during an average 2.84-hour plane flight -- 9.4 microsieverts -- is nearly 1,000 times greater than the dose delivered by one full-body scan.
"To our knowledge, all prior studies were contracted by the government and looked at a single scanner that was either of an older model or mocked up from component parts," Cagnon said. "A significant difference in our work is we were able to look at multiple working scanners both in the factory and in an international airport."
The AAPM report found that the LAX scanners emitted doses that were even lower than reported in the government contracted studies. The report also examines dose to skin and other superficial organs. To avoid any appearance of conflict of interest, this work was performed by independent physics experts volunteering their expertise, Cagnon added.
Full report: http://www.aapm.org/pubs/reports/RPT_217.pdf
FILE - In this May 3, 2006 file photo, a student purchases a brown sugar Pop-Tart from a vending machine in the hallway outside the school cafeteria, in Wichita, Kan. High-calorie sports drinks and candy bars will be removed from school vending machines and cafeteria lines as soon as next year, replaced with diet drinks, granola bars and other healthier items the Agriculture Department said Thursday June 27, 2013.(AP Photo/The Wichita Eagle, Mike Hutmacher, File)
FILE - In this May 3, 2006 file photo, a student purchases a brown sugar Pop-Tart from a vending machine in the hallway outside the school cafeteria, in Wichita, Kan. High-calorie sports drinks and candy bars will be removed from school vending machines and cafeteria lines as soon as next year, replaced with diet drinks, granola bars and other healthier items the Agriculture Department said Thursday June 27, 2013.(AP Photo/The Wichita Eagle, Mike Hutmacher, File)
WASHINGTON (AP) ? Kids, your days of blowing off those healthier school lunches and filling up on cookies from the vending machine are numbered. The government is onto you.
For the first time, the Agriculture Department is telling schools what sorts of snacks they can sell. The new restrictions announced Thursday fill a gap in nutrition rules that allowed many students to load up on fat, sugar and salt despite the existing guidelines for healthy meals.
"Parents will no longer have to worry that their kids are using their lunch money to buy junk food and junk drinks at school," said Margo Wootan, a nutrition lobbyist for the Center for Science in the Public Interest who pushed for the new rules.
That doesn't mean schools will be limited to doling out broccoli and brussels sprouts.
Snacks that still make the grade include granola bars, low-fat tortilla chips, fruit cups and 100 percent fruit juice. And high school students can buy diet versions of soda, sports drinks and iced tea.
But say goodbye to some beloved school standbys, such as doughy pretzels, chocolate chip cookies and those little ice cream cups with their own spoons. Some may survive in low-fat or whole wheat versions. The idea is to weed out junk food and replace it with something with nutritional merit.
The bottom line, says Wootan: "There has to be some food in the food."
Still, 17-year-old Vanessa Herrera is partial to the Cheez-It crackers and sugar-laden Vitaminwater in her high school's vending machine. Granola bars and bags of peanuts? Not so much.
"I don't think anyone would eat it," said Herrera of Rockaway, N.J.
There are no vending machines at Lauren Jones' middle school in Hoover, Ala., but she said there's an "a la carte" stand that sells chips, ice cream and other snacks.
"Having something sweet to go with your meal is good sometimes," the 13-year-old said, although she also thinks that encouraging kids to eat healthier is worthwhile.
The federal snack rules don't take effect until the 2014-15 school year, but there's nothing to stop schools from making changes earlier.
Some students won't notice much difference. Many schools already are working to improve their offerings. Thirty-nine states have some sort of snack food policy in place.
Rachel Snyder, 17, said earlier this year her school in Washington, Ill., stripped its vending machines of sweets. She misses the pretzel-filled M&M's.
"If I want a sugary snack every now and then," Snyder said, "I should be able to buy it."
The federal rules put calorie, fat, sugar and sodium limits on almost everything sold during the day at 100,000 schools ? expanding on the previous rules for meals. The Agriculture Department sets nutritional standards for schools that receive federal funds to help pay for lunches, and that covers nearly every public school and about half of private ones.
One oasis of sweetness and fat will remain: anything students bring from home, from bagged lunches to birthday cupcakes.
The Agriculture Department was required to draw up the rules under a law passed by Congress in 2010, championed by first lady Michelle Obama, as part of the government's effort to combat childhood obesity.
Nutritional guidelines for subsidized lunches were revised last year and put in place last fall.
Last year's rules making main lunch fare more nutritious faced criticism from some conservatives, including some Republicans in Congress, who said the government shouldn't be telling kids what to eat. Mindful of that backlash, the Agriculture Department left one of the more controversial parts of the rule, the regulation of in-school fundraisers like bake sales, up to the states.
The rules have the potential to transform what many children eat at school.
In addition to meals already subject to nutrition standards, most lunchrooms also have "a la carte" lines that sell other foods ? often greasy foods like mozzarella sticks and nachos. That gives students a way to circumvent the healthy lunches. Under the rules, those lines could offer healthier pizzas, low-fat hamburgers, fruit cups or yogurt and similar fare.
One of the biggest changes will be a near-ban on high-calorie sports drinks. Many beverage companies added sports drinks to school vending machines after sodas were pulled in response to criticism from the public health community.
The rule would only allow sales in high schools of sodas and sports drinks that contain 60 calories or less in a 12-ounce serving, banning the highest-calorie versions of those beverages.
Low-calorie sports drinks ? Gatorade's G2, for example ? and diet drinks will be allowed in high school.
Elementary and middle schools will be allowed to sell only water, carbonated water, 100 percent fruit or vegetable juice, and low fat and fat-free milk, including nonfat flavored milks.
At a congressional hearing Thursday, a school nutritionist said schools have had difficulty adjusting to the 2012 changes, and the new "a la carte" standards could also be a hardship.
And the healthier foods are expensive, said Sandra Ford, president of the School Nutrition Association and director of food and nutrition services for a school district in Bradenton, Fla. She also predicted that her school district could lose $975,000 a year under the new "a la carte" guidelines because they would have to eliminate many of the popular foods they sell.
The food industry has been onboard with many of the changes, and several companies worked with Congress on the child nutrition law three years ago.
Angela Chieco, a mother from Clifton Park, N.Y., sees the guidelines as a good start but says it will take a bigger campaign to wean kids off junk food.
"I try to do less sugar myself," Chieco said. "It's hard to do."
___
Associated Press writer Stacy A. Anderson contributed to this report.
___
Follow Mary Clare Jalonick on Twitter at http://twitter.com/mcjalonick
Follow Connie Cass on Twitter at http://twitter.com/ConnieCass
In this Monday, June 10, 2013 photo, traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. Global stock markets staged a modest recovery Wednesday, June 26, 2013 boosted by strong data releases that portray a U.S. economy on the upswing. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
In this Monday, June 10, 2013 photo, traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. Global stock markets staged a modest recovery Wednesday, June 26, 2013 boosted by strong data releases that portray a U.S. economy on the upswing. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
NEW YORK (AP) ? The U.S. economy slowed down, but the stock market went up for a second day in a row on Wednesday.
The gains were decisive. The Dow Jones industrial average jumped 149.83 points, or 1 percent, 14,910.14. All 10 sectors in the Standard & Poor's 500 index were higher.
The appraisal of the economy was just as clear, and contrary: The government reported that the economy grew at an annual rate of 1.8 percent in the first three months of the year, down significantly from the previous estimate of 2.4 percent and anemic by the standards of many economists.
It might seem counterintuitive for stocks and growth to go in opposite directions, but analysts said it made sense.
The slower growth made traders and investors less anxious that the Federal Reserve might act too soon to end measures aimed at propping up the economy and stock market. Investors also seemed to realize that they dumped too many stocks last week, when they panicked after the Fed outlined plans on how it might eventually end the measures.
"The sell-off was a little bit overdone," said David Coard, head of fixed-income sales and trading at Williams Capital Group in New York. "Sometimes you've got to take a breather."
Tuesday and Wednesday marked the stock market's first two-day gain since the Fed gave its timetable for throttling back its economic stimulus a week ago. That announcement, which followed weeks of speculation about its next move, had spooked markets, causing stocks to gyrate and bond yields to spike.
The Standard & Poor's 500 rose 15.23, or 1 percent, to 1,603.26. The Nasdaq composite index gained 28.34, or 1 percent, to 3,376.22.
The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell for the first time since June 14, slipping to 2.54 percent from 2.61 percent.
The price of gold plunged $45.30, or 3.6 percent, to $1,229.80 an ounce, its lowest price in three years.
The markets have been unpredictable for weeks, ever since Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke started hinting that a pullback in Fed stimulus programs would start soon. In the last 25 trading days, the Dow has ricocheted through 17 triple-digit swings, split almost evenly between ups and downs.
British Airways' Airbus 321 in flight. Photo courtesy of British Airways.
British Airways will become the first European airline to let passengers use their smartphones and other electronic devices immediately after landing.
Starting July 1, British Airways passengers will be able to check emails, make phone calls and texts, or switch on other gadgets just after the aircraft has left the runway, rather than waiting until it has stopped at an airport gate, according to an article in Britain?s?Daily Mail.
Worldwide, some airlines have moved toward allowing in-flight cell phone use. U.S. regulators, however, restrict the use of cell phones during flights until a plane reaches 10,000 feet. Most airlines ban passengers from using electronic devices on planes while taxiing, taking off or landing?based on worries that they could interfere with guidance and communications systems.
?Customers will no longer have the frustration of having to wait until their plane has arrived at the terminal building before being able to use their mobile phones and other handheld electronic devices,? Ian Pringle, flight training manager for British Airways, told the Daily Mail.
British Airways said the change is in response to feedback from customers. Its new policy will?not affect restrictions on electronic gadgets during take-off until a plane reaches 10,000 feet.
Here in the United States, Stateside, federal regulators also are looking at whether to ease the rules about using electronic devices on planes during flights. I blogged about it earlier this week.
In the case of British Airways, Britain?s Civil Aviation Authority said it?s satisfied that there are no safety implications.
WASHINGTON (AP) ? The voting law that became a major turning point in black Americans' struggle for equal rights and political power is now outdated, the Supreme Court says.
Whether that's a marker of racial progress or proof of backsliding will be hotly debated. But neither side denies that remarkable changes were wrought through the nearly half-century-old Voting Rights Act.
As the issue moves to Congress, a look at the law's history:
___
15th AMENDMENT
The right to vote, for American men at least, was supposed to be guaranteed when the 15th Amendment was added to the U.S. Constitution after the Civil War.
The amendment says: "The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude."
Freed slaves began voting and even winning office, but former Confederate states came up with tactics to evade the 15th Amendment.
These literacy tests, poll taxes and other discriminatory laws, as well as intimidation and violence, continued for decades. In 1940, only 3 percent of eligible blacks in the South were registered to vote, according to the American Civil Liberties Union.
Nearly a century after the amendment was ratified in 1870, the civil rights movement forced the nation to acknowledge the injustice.
___
THE MARCH FROM SELMA
Activists who tried to help blacks register in the South in the 1960s were met with violence. The fatal shooting of a demonstrator by a law officer in Alabama inspired the idea of a march to the state capital on March 7, 1965.
Hundreds of marchers on their way to Montgomery were clubbed and tear-gassed by state troopers at the Edmund Pettus Bridge near Selma. TV news cameras captured what became known as "Bloody Sunday."
Protesters across the country rallied in support of the marchers. The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. flew to Selma to lead demonstrations. And President Lyndon Johnson seized the momentum to propel the Voting Rights Act through Congress.
He signed it into law on Aug. 6, 1965.
___
VOTING RIGHTS ACT
The law outlawed racial discrimination against voters in local, state and federal elections.
Some entire states, as well as counties in other states, were subjected to special federal enforcement, based on a formula used to weigh their record on voting rights. They had to get approval in advance before they could make even minor changes to voting laws, such as moving polling places.
The enforcement provisions were originally seen as emergency measures that might be allowed to expire in 1970 if no longer needed.
But lawmakers extended the provisions in 1970, 1975 and 1982. In 2006, Congress voted overwhelmingly to keep them another 25 years.
"We've made progress toward equality, yet the work for a more perfect union is never ending," President George W. Bush said as he signed the legislation.
___
NEARLY A HALF CENTURY LATER
The Supreme Court's 5-4 decision Tuesday effectively halts enforcement of the Voting Rights Act, unless Congress updates it.
The court said Congress has failed to adjust the law to reflect decades of strides toward racial equality. The United States now has a black president; a black justice sits on the Supreme Court. And 48 years after "Bloody Sunday," Selma is governed by a black mayor, Chief Justice John Roberts noted, writing for the court's conservative majority.
The Supreme Court decision means that a host of state and local laws in covered jurisdictions now can take effect without Justice Department approval. Prominent among those are voter identification laws in Alabama and Mississippi.
The other covered states are Alaska, Arizona, Georgia, Louisiana, South Carolina, Texas and Virginia. Certain counties in California, Florida, New York, North Carolina and South Dakota, and some local jurisdictions in Michigan, are also included.
Enforcement coverage has been triggered by discrimination not only against blacks, but also against American Indians, Asian-Americans, Alaska Natives and Hispanics.
Under the law, jurisdictions can break away from federal oversight if they show a clean record on voting rights for 10 years. Towns in New Hampshire were released in March.
___
WHAT'S NEXT
President Barack Obama said the Supreme Court decision was a disappointing setback. He called on Congress to act to rectify the situation.
The Republican-led House and Democratic-led Senate find few points of agreement these days, however. And Congress did nothing in response to a 2009 Supreme Court ruling that warned lawmakers that the Voting Rights Act's enforcement formula needed to be updated.
Unless Congress acts, there will be no deterrent to changes that would undermine voting rights, such as redrawing districts to dilute the power of minority voters. Voters can still use lawsuits to challenge such changes.
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, writing in dissent, said throwing out effective enforcement was akin to "throwing away your umbrella in a rainstorm because you are not getting wet."
___
Associated Press writer Mark Sherman contributed to this report.
___
Follow Connie Cass on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ConnieCass
Ben-Gurion U. and UChicago research collaboration targets water resource innovationsPublic release date: 26-Jun-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Andrew Lavin andrewlavin@alavin.com 516-944-4486 American Associates, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
More than $1 million committed for 5 inaugural projects
BEER-SHEVA, Israel, June 25, 2013 The University of Chicago (UChicago) and Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) will begin funding a series of ambitious research collaborations that apply the latest discoveries in nanotechnology to create new materials and processes for making clean, fresh drinking water more plentiful and less expensive by 2020.
The announcement came on Sunday following a meeting in Jerusalem among Israeli President Shimon Peres, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, University of Chicago President Robert J. Zimmer, BGU President Rivka Carmi and leading scientists in the field. The joint projects will explore innovative solutions at the water-energy nexus, developing more efficient ways of using water to produce energy and using energy to treat and deliver clean water.
The University of Chicago also brings to the effort two powerful research partners already committed to clean-water research, the Argonne National Laboratory in Lemont, Illinois, and the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, Massachusetts.
"We feel it is critical to bring outstanding scientists together to address water resource challenges that are being felt around the world, and will only become more acute over time," said Zimmer.
"Our purification challenges in the Great Lakes region right now are different from the scarcity issues some of our colleagues at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev are addressing, but our combined experience will be a tremendous asset in turning early-stage technologies into innovative solutions that may have applications far beyond local issues," he said.
"Clean, plentiful water is a strategic issue in the Middle East and the world at large, and a central research focus of our university for more than three decades," said Carmi. "We believe that this partnership will enhance state-of-the-art science in both universities, while having a profound effect on the sustainable availability of clean water to people around the globe."
The first wave of research proposals include fabricating new materials tailored to remove contaminants, bacteria, viruses, and salt from drinking water at a fraction of the cost of current technologies; biological engineering that will help plants maximize their own drought-resistance mechanisms; and polymers that can change the water retention properties of soil in agriculture.
UChicago, BGU and Argonne have jointly committed more than $1 million in seed money over the next two years to support at least five inaugural projects, with the first projects getting underway this fall.
One proposed project would attempt to devise multi-functional and anti-fouling membranes for water purification. These membranes, engineered at the molecular level, could be switched or tuned to remove a wide range of biological and chemical contaminants and prevent the formation of membrane-fouling bacterial films. Keeping those membranes free of fouling would extend their useful lives and decrease energy usage while reducing the operational cost of purifying water.
Another proposal focuses on developing polymers for soil infusion or seed coatings to promote water retention. Such polymers conjure visions of smart landscapes that can substantially promote agricultural growth while reducing irrigation needs.
Officials from both the U.S. and Israel hailed the collaboration as an example of the potential for collaborative innovation that can improve quality of life and boost economic vitality.
Mayor Emanuel said, "Chicago's worldwide leadership in water management continues to grow as we invest in our water infrastructure, creating jobs for our residents and economic activity in our neighborhoods. I strongly support this partnership and I look forward to working with leading institutions like BGU and University of Chicago to create innovations and opportunities for the future."
The institutions have moved swiftly following the signing of an initial memorandum of understanding in Chicago on March 8, 2013 to explore a research partnership that would innovate water production and purification technologies to meet a growing thirst for fresh water resources globally. Leading the efforts are Matthew Tirrell, the Pritzker Director of UChicago's Institute for Molecular Engineering, and Moshe Gottlieb, BGU's Frankel Professor of Chemical Engineering.
For its part, the Institute for Molecular Engineering will commit tens of millions of dollars to the molecular engineering of water resources over the next decade. The institute is pursuing the molecular engineering of water resources as one of five emerging research themes, with plans to hire up to six faculty members specializing in this area. BGU researchers will have a significant presence at Hyde Park to further facilitate the collaborations.
"The Institute for Molecular Engineering aims to bring molecular-level science to technological problems of global importance," Tirrell said. "Water technology clearly meets that standard, and the institute brings new ideas for materials, membranes, biotechnologies, and catalytic technologies, among other approaches, that could address major needs in this domain."
Tirrell's and Gottlieb's teams met for two days in Israel in April to explore their mutual interests in water chemistry, materials science, flow in soils and other porous substances, microbiology, and nanotechnology. The first day of meetings took place on BGU's main campus in Beer-Sheva. The researchers reconvened for a second day at BGU's Sede Boqer campus, site of the Zuckerberg Institute for Water Research.
The Israeli government founded BGU with a mandate to spearhead the development of the Negev Desert. BGU has worked at the forefront of water-related research for more than four decades, having developed several innovative technologies in the field. Work at the Zuckerberg Institute for Water Research has helped make it possible for Israel to produce more than 60 percent of its fresh water needs by desalination.
Tirrell's team includes researchers at Argonne, which UChicago manages for the United States Department of Energy. Argonne has assembled state-of-the-art infrastructure and gathered extensive scientific expertise for the study of clean water technologies. The laboratory's water-research portfolio includes projects pertaining to wastewater discharges into Lake Michigan, the effects of Glen Canyon Dam operations on the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon, and carbon tetrachloride contamination of surface and groundwater in Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska.
Researchers at the Marine Biological Laboratory at Woods Hole have been prominent in bringing problems of water contamination to the attention of scientists and the public. MBL brings additional strengths in biological sciences and the marine environment to this developing partnership. UChicago and MBL recently signed a landmark affiliation, effective July 1, joining the leadership and scientific eminence of the two institutions, while bringing outstanding researchers together for innovative collaborations and education programs in microbial sciences, molecular engineering and related areas.
###
Links to Photos:
BGU President Prof. Rivka Carmi and UChicago President Prof. Robert Zimmer sign a water research agreement in the presence of President Shimon Peres of Israel and Mayor Rahm Emanuel, City of Chicago, on Sunday June 23, 2013 at the President's Residence in Jerusalem.
http://imagelibrary.bgu.ac.il/pf.tlx/H3EH3lHdzzNo
BGU President Prof. Rivka Carmi and UChicago President Prof. Robert Zimmer with Mayor Rahm Emanuel, City of Chicago, at a press conference in Jerusalem on Sunday June 23, 2013 to announce a major water research partnership.
http://imagelibrary.bgu.ac.il/pf.tlx/kL2kfIk6omc8
Photo Credit: Dani Machlis/BGU
American Associates, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (AABGU) plays a vital role in sustaining David Ben-Gurion's vision, creating a world-class institution of education and research in the Israeli desert, nurturing the Negev community and sharing the University's expertise locally and around the globe. With some 20,000 students on campuses in Beer-Sheva, Sede Boqer and Eilat in Israel's southern desert, BGU is a university with a conscience, where the highest academic standards are integrated with community involvement, committed to sustainable development of the Negev. AABGU is headquartered in Manhattan and has nine regional offices throughout the U.S., including one in Chicago. For more information, please visit http://www.aabgu.org.
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Ben-Gurion U. and UChicago research collaboration targets water resource innovationsPublic release date: 26-Jun-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Andrew Lavin andrewlavin@alavin.com 516-944-4486 American Associates, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
More than $1 million committed for 5 inaugural projects
BEER-SHEVA, Israel, June 25, 2013 The University of Chicago (UChicago) and Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) will begin funding a series of ambitious research collaborations that apply the latest discoveries in nanotechnology to create new materials and processes for making clean, fresh drinking water more plentiful and less expensive by 2020.
The announcement came on Sunday following a meeting in Jerusalem among Israeli President Shimon Peres, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, University of Chicago President Robert J. Zimmer, BGU President Rivka Carmi and leading scientists in the field. The joint projects will explore innovative solutions at the water-energy nexus, developing more efficient ways of using water to produce energy and using energy to treat and deliver clean water.
The University of Chicago also brings to the effort two powerful research partners already committed to clean-water research, the Argonne National Laboratory in Lemont, Illinois, and the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, Massachusetts.
"We feel it is critical to bring outstanding scientists together to address water resource challenges that are being felt around the world, and will only become more acute over time," said Zimmer.
"Our purification challenges in the Great Lakes region right now are different from the scarcity issues some of our colleagues at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev are addressing, but our combined experience will be a tremendous asset in turning early-stage technologies into innovative solutions that may have applications far beyond local issues," he said.
"Clean, plentiful water is a strategic issue in the Middle East and the world at large, and a central research focus of our university for more than three decades," said Carmi. "We believe that this partnership will enhance state-of-the-art science in both universities, while having a profound effect on the sustainable availability of clean water to people around the globe."
The first wave of research proposals include fabricating new materials tailored to remove contaminants, bacteria, viruses, and salt from drinking water at a fraction of the cost of current technologies; biological engineering that will help plants maximize their own drought-resistance mechanisms; and polymers that can change the water retention properties of soil in agriculture.
UChicago, BGU and Argonne have jointly committed more than $1 million in seed money over the next two years to support at least five inaugural projects, with the first projects getting underway this fall.
One proposed project would attempt to devise multi-functional and anti-fouling membranes for water purification. These membranes, engineered at the molecular level, could be switched or tuned to remove a wide range of biological and chemical contaminants and prevent the formation of membrane-fouling bacterial films. Keeping those membranes free of fouling would extend their useful lives and decrease energy usage while reducing the operational cost of purifying water.
Another proposal focuses on developing polymers for soil infusion or seed coatings to promote water retention. Such polymers conjure visions of smart landscapes that can substantially promote agricultural growth while reducing irrigation needs.
Officials from both the U.S. and Israel hailed the collaboration as an example of the potential for collaborative innovation that can improve quality of life and boost economic vitality.
Mayor Emanuel said, "Chicago's worldwide leadership in water management continues to grow as we invest in our water infrastructure, creating jobs for our residents and economic activity in our neighborhoods. I strongly support this partnership and I look forward to working with leading institutions like BGU and University of Chicago to create innovations and opportunities for the future."
The institutions have moved swiftly following the signing of an initial memorandum of understanding in Chicago on March 8, 2013 to explore a research partnership that would innovate water production and purification technologies to meet a growing thirst for fresh water resources globally. Leading the efforts are Matthew Tirrell, the Pritzker Director of UChicago's Institute for Molecular Engineering, and Moshe Gottlieb, BGU's Frankel Professor of Chemical Engineering.
For its part, the Institute for Molecular Engineering will commit tens of millions of dollars to the molecular engineering of water resources over the next decade. The institute is pursuing the molecular engineering of water resources as one of five emerging research themes, with plans to hire up to six faculty members specializing in this area. BGU researchers will have a significant presence at Hyde Park to further facilitate the collaborations.
"The Institute for Molecular Engineering aims to bring molecular-level science to technological problems of global importance," Tirrell said. "Water technology clearly meets that standard, and the institute brings new ideas for materials, membranes, biotechnologies, and catalytic technologies, among other approaches, that could address major needs in this domain."
Tirrell's and Gottlieb's teams met for two days in Israel in April to explore their mutual interests in water chemistry, materials science, flow in soils and other porous substances, microbiology, and nanotechnology. The first day of meetings took place on BGU's main campus in Beer-Sheva. The researchers reconvened for a second day at BGU's Sede Boqer campus, site of the Zuckerberg Institute for Water Research.
The Israeli government founded BGU with a mandate to spearhead the development of the Negev Desert. BGU has worked at the forefront of water-related research for more than four decades, having developed several innovative technologies in the field. Work at the Zuckerberg Institute for Water Research has helped make it possible for Israel to produce more than 60 percent of its fresh water needs by desalination.
Tirrell's team includes researchers at Argonne, which UChicago manages for the United States Department of Energy. Argonne has assembled state-of-the-art infrastructure and gathered extensive scientific expertise for the study of clean water technologies. The laboratory's water-research portfolio includes projects pertaining to wastewater discharges into Lake Michigan, the effects of Glen Canyon Dam operations on the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon, and carbon tetrachloride contamination of surface and groundwater in Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska.
Researchers at the Marine Biological Laboratory at Woods Hole have been prominent in bringing problems of water contamination to the attention of scientists and the public. MBL brings additional strengths in biological sciences and the marine environment to this developing partnership. UChicago and MBL recently signed a landmark affiliation, effective July 1, joining the leadership and scientific eminence of the two institutions, while bringing outstanding researchers together for innovative collaborations and education programs in microbial sciences, molecular engineering and related areas.
###
Links to Photos:
BGU President Prof. Rivka Carmi and UChicago President Prof. Robert Zimmer sign a water research agreement in the presence of President Shimon Peres of Israel and Mayor Rahm Emanuel, City of Chicago, on Sunday June 23, 2013 at the President's Residence in Jerusalem.
http://imagelibrary.bgu.ac.il/pf.tlx/H3EH3lHdzzNo
BGU President Prof. Rivka Carmi and UChicago President Prof. Robert Zimmer with Mayor Rahm Emanuel, City of Chicago, at a press conference in Jerusalem on Sunday June 23, 2013 to announce a major water research partnership.
http://imagelibrary.bgu.ac.il/pf.tlx/kL2kfIk6omc8
Photo Credit: Dani Machlis/BGU
American Associates, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (AABGU) plays a vital role in sustaining David Ben-Gurion's vision, creating a world-class institution of education and research in the Israeli desert, nurturing the Negev community and sharing the University's expertise locally and around the globe. With some 20,000 students on campuses in Beer-Sheva, Sede Boqer and Eilat in Israel's southern desert, BGU is a university with a conscience, where the highest academic standards are integrated with community involvement, committed to sustainable development of the Negev. AABGU is headquartered in Manhattan and has nine regional offices throughout the U.S., including one in Chicago. For more information, please visit http://www.aabgu.org.
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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.
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) ? A series of explosions and gunfire have been heard outside the presidential palace in Kabul, one of the most heavily guarded areas in the Afghan capital.
Reporters gathering for an event early Tuesday with President Hamid Karzai counted at least a half dozen explosions outside the eastern gate of the palace but it was not immediate clear whether it was a suicide bomb attack, hand grenades or both. Small arms fire also could be heard.
BOSTON, MA - JUNE 24: Chris Kelly #23 of the Boston Bruins scores past Corey Crawford #50 of the Chicago Blackhawks in the first period during Game Six of the Stanley Cup Final on June 24, 2013 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)
2013 NHL Stanley Cup Final - Game Six
BOSTON, MA - JUNE 24: Tyler Seguin #19, Daniel Paille #20, and Johnny Boychuk #55 of the Boston Bruins talk during a timeout in the first period against the Chicago Blackhawks during Game Six of the Stanley Cup Final on June 24, 2013 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)
2013 NHL Stanley Cup Final - Game Six
BOSTON, MA - JUNE 24: Chris Kelly #23 of the Boston Bruins celebrates with teammates after scoring against the Chicago Blackhawks in the first period during Game Six of the Stanley Cup Final on June 24, 2013 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)
2013 NHL Stanley Cup Final - Game Six
BOSTON, MA - JUNE 24: Tuukka Rask #40 of the Boston Bruins makes a save in the first period against the Chicago Blackhawks during Game Six of the Stanley Cup Final on June 24, 2013 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)
2013 NHL Stanley Cup Final - Game Six
BOSTON, MA - JUNE 24: Andrew Shaw #65 of the Chicago Blackhawks lies on the ice following a play in the first period against the Boston Bruins during Game Six of the Stanley Cup Final on June 24, 2013 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)
2013 NHL Stanley Cup Final - Game Six
BOSTON, MA - JUNE 24: Chris Kelly #23 of the Boston Bruins scores a goal in the first period against goalie Corey Crawford #50 of the Chicago Blackhawks in Game Six of the 2013 NHL Stanley Cup Final at TD Garden on June 24, 2013 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
2013 NHL Stanley Cup Final - Game Six
BOSTON, MA - JUNE 24: Johnny Boychuk #55 of the Boston Bruins and Viktor Stalberg #25 of the Chicago Blackhawks fight for the puck in the first period during Game Six of the Stanley Cup Final on June 24, 2013 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)
2013 NHL Stanley Cup Final - Game Six
BOSTON, MA - JUNE 24: Corey Crawford #50 of the Chicago Blackhawks stands in goal after losing his stick in the first period against the Boston Bruins during Game Six of the Stanley Cup Final on June 24, 2013 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)
2013 NHL Stanley Cup Final - Game Six
BOSTON, MA - JUNE 24: Chris Kelly #23 of the Boston Bruins celebrates with teammate Daniel Paille #20 after scoring a goal in the first period against Corey Crawford #50 of the Chicago Blackhawks in Game Six of the 2013 NHL Stanley Cup Final at TD Garden on June 24, 2013 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)
2013 NHL Stanley Cup Final - Game Six
BOSTON, MA - JUNE 24: Chris Kelly #23 of the Boston Bruins scores a goal in the first period against Corey Crawford #50 of the Chicago Blackhawks in Game Six of the 2013 NHL Stanley Cup Final at TD Garden on June 24, 2013 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
2013 NHL Stanley Cup Final - Game Six
BOSTON, MA - JUNE 24: Chris Kelly #23 of the Boston Bruins scores a goal in the first period against Corey Crawford #50 of the Chicago Blackhawks in Game Six of the 2013 NHL Stanley Cup Final at TD Garden on June 24, 2013 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
2013 NHL Stanley Cup Final - Game Six
BOSTON, MA - JUNE 24: Chris Kelly #23 of the Boston Bruins scores a goal in the first period against Corey Crawford #50 of the Chicago Blackhawks in Game Six of the 2013 NHL Stanley Cup Final at TD Garden on June 24, 2013 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
2013 NHL Stanley Cup Final - Game Six
BOSTON, MA - JUNE 24: Chris Kelly #23 of the Boston Bruins celebrates after he scored a first period goal against goalie Corey Crawford #50 of the Chicago Blackhawks in Game Six of the 2013 NHL Stanley Cup Final at TD Garden on June 24, 2013 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
2013 NHL Stanley Cup Final - Game Six
BOSTON, MA - JUNE 24: Goalie Corey Crawford #50 of the Chicago Blackhawks gives up a first period goal to Chris Kelly #23 of the Boston Bruins in Game Six of the 2013 NHL Stanley Cup Final at TD Garden on June 24, 2013 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
2013 NHL Stanley Cup Final - Game Six
BOSTON, MA - JUNE 24: Jonathan Toews #19 of the Chicago Blackhawks celebrates with teammate Patrick Kane #88 after Toews scored a goal in the second period against Tuukka Rask #40 of the Boston Bruins in Game Six of the 2013 NHL Stanley Cup Final at TD Garden on June 24, 2013 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
2013 NHL Stanley Cup Final - Game Six
BOSTON, MA - JUNE 24: Andrew Shaw #65 of the Chicago Blackhawks lays on the ice after being hit in the face with a puck by the Boston Bruins in Game Six of the 2013 NHL Stanley Cup Final at TD Garden on June 24, 2013 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
2013 NHL Stanley Cup Final - Game Six
BOSTON, MA - JUNE 24: Tyler Seguin #19 of the Boston Bruins looks to pass the puck in the first period against Niklas Hjalmarsson #4 of the Chicago Blackhawks in Game Six of the 2013 NHL Stanley Cup Final at TD Garden on June 24, 2013 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
2013 NHL Stanley Cup Final - Game Six
BOSTON, MA - JUNE 24: Goalie Corey Crawford #50 of the Chicago Blackhawks reaches to make a save as Tyler Seguin #19 of the Boston Bruins is up ended in front of the net in the first period in Game Six of the 2013 NHL Stanley Cup Final at TD Garden on June 24, 2013 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
2013 NHL Stanley Cup Final - Game Six
BOSTON, MA - JUNE 24: Goalie Corey Crawford #50 of the Chicago Blackhawks gives up a first period goal to Chris Kelly #23 of the Boston Bruins in Game Six of the 2013 NHL Stanley Cup Final at TD Garden on June 24, 2013 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
2013 NHL Stanley Cup Final - Game Six
BOSTON, MA - JUNE 24: Goalie Corey Crawford #50 of the Chicago Blackhawks gives up a first period goal to Chris Kelly #23 of the Boston Bruins in Game Six of the 2013 NHL Stanley Cup Final at TD Garden on June 24, 2013 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
2013 NHL Stanley Cup Final - Game Six
BOSTON, MA - JUNE 24: Jonathan Toews #19 celebrates with teammate Patrick Kane #88 of the Chicago Blackhawks after scoring a goal in the second period against the Boston Bruins during Game Six of the Stanley Cup Final on June 24, 2013 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)
2013 NHL Stanley Cup Final - Game Six
BOSTON, MA - JUNE 24: Viktor Stalberg #25 of the Chicago Blackhawks and Tyler Seguin #19 of the Boston Bruins fight for the puck in the second period during Game Six of the Stanley Cup Final on June 24, 2013 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)
2013 NHL Stanley Cup Final - Game Six
BOSTON, MA - JUNE 24: Carl Soderberg #34 of the Boston Bruins dives on the ice in the second period against the Chicago Blackhawks during Game Six of the Stanley Cup Final on June 24, 2013 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)
2013 NHL Stanley Cup Final - Game Six
BOSTON, MA - JUNE 24: Jonathan Toews #19 of the Chicago Blackhawks celebrates after scoring a goal in the second period against Tuukka Rask #40 of the Boston Bruins in Game Six of the 2013 NHL Stanley Cup Final at TD Garden on June 24, 2013 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
2013 NHL Stanley Cup Final - Game Six
BOSTON, MA - JUNE 24: Torey Krug #47 of the Boston Bruins and Brandon Saad #20 of the Chicago Blackhawks fight for the puck along the boards in the second period during Game Six of the Stanley Cup Final on June 24, 2013 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)
Carl Soderberg, Johnny Oduya
Boston Bruins center Carl Soderberg (34), of Sweden, and Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Johnny Oduya (27), of Sweden, fight for position along the boards during the second period in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals Monday, June 24, 2013 in Boston. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
Johnny Oduya, Daniel Paille
Boston Bruins left wing Daniel Paille (20) checks Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Johnny Oduya (27), of Sweden, during the second period in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals Monday, June 24, 2013 in Boston. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
Johnny Oduya, Daniel Paille
Boston Bruins left wing Daniel Paille (20) checks Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Johnny Oduya (27), of Sweden, during the second period in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals Monday, June 24, 2013 in Boston. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
Brad Marchand, Corey Crawford
Chicago Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford (50) pokes the puck away from Boston Bruins left wing Brad Marchand (63) during the second period in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals, Monday, June 24, 2013, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane
Chicago Blackhawks center Jonathan Toews (19) celebrates his goal with right wing Patrick Kane (88) during the second period in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals against the Boston Bruins, Monday, June 24, 2013, in Boston. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
Tuukka Rask
Boston Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask, of Finland, checks the scoreboard after giving up a goal by Chicago Blackhawks center Jonathan Toews during the second period in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals, Monday, June 24, 2013, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
2013 NHL Stanley Cup Final - Game Six
BOSTON, MA - JUNE 24: A general view of TD Garden as the Boston Bruins and the Chicago Blackhawks drop the puck to begin the first period during Game Six of the Stanley Cup Final on June 24, 2013 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)
Corey Crawford, Johnny Oduya, Daniel Paille
Boston Bruins left wing Daniel Paille (20) ties up Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Johnny Oduya (27), of Sweden, in front of Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford (50) during the second period in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals, Monday, June 24, 2013, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane
Chicago Blackhawks center Jonathan Toews (19) celebrates his goal with right wing Patrick Kane (88) during the second period in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals against the Boston Bruins, Monday, June 24, 2013, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Michal Rozsival
Chicago Blackhawks center Jonathan Toews, left, celebrates his goal against the Boston Bruins with right wing Patrick Kane, center, and defenseman Michal Rozsival (32), of the Czech Republic, during the second period in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals, Monday, June 24, 2013, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Tuukka Rask, Jonathan Toews
A goal by Chicago Blackhawks center Jonathan Toews hits the net behind Boston Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask (40), of Finland, during the second period in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals, Monday, June 24, 2013, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Johnny Oduya, Chris Kelly, Tyler Seguin
Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Johnny Oduya (27), of Sweden, Boston Bruins centers Chris Kelly (23), and Tyler Seguin (19) fight for position in front of Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford (50) during the first period in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals Monday, June 24, 2013, in Boston. (AP Photo/Harry How, Pool)
Chris Kelly, Corey Crawford
Boston Bruins center Chris Kelly, left, scores past Chicago Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford (50) during the first period in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals Monday, June 24, 2013, in Boston. (AP Photo/Harry How, Pool)
Andrew Shaw, Corey Crawford
Chicago Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford, left, watches at Chicago Blackhawks center Andrew Shaw (65) skates to the bench after taking a puck to the face against the Boston Bruins during the first period in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals Monday, June 24, 2013 in Boston. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
Corey Crawford, Chris Kelly
Boston Bruins center Chris Kelly (23) scores past Chicago Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford (50)during the first period in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals, Monday, June 24, 2013, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Johnny Boychuk, Duncan Keith
Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Duncan Keith (2) checks Boston Bruins defenseman Johnny Boychuk (55) during the first period in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals Monday, June 24, 2013 in Boston. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
Jonathan Toews, Corey Crawford, Niklas Hjalmarsson, Chris Kelly
Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson (4), of Sweden, and Boston Bruins center Chris Kelly (23) go down between Chicago Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford, left, and Chicago Blackhawks center Jonathan Toews, right, during the first period in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals Monday, June 24, 2013 in Boston. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
Tuukka Rask, Michal Handzus , Patrice Bergeron
Boston Bruins center Patrice Bergeron (37) and Chicago Blackhawks center Michal Handzus (26), of Slovakia, fight for the puck in front of Boston Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask (40), of Finland, during the first period in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals Monday, June 24, 2013 in Boston. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
Johnny Oduya, Shawn Thornton
Boston Bruins right wing Shawn Thornton (22) and Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Johnny Oduya (27), of Sweden, scrap for the puck during the first period in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals, Monday, June 24, 2013, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Andrew Shaw
Chicago Blackhawks center Andrew Shaw lays on the ice after taking a puck to the face against the Boston Bruins during the first period in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals, Monday, June 24, 2013, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Chris Kelly
Boston Bruins center Chris Kelly (23) celebrates his goal against the Chicago Blackhawks during the first period in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals, Monday, June 24, 2013, in Boston. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
Steve Montador, Wes McCauley
Referee Wes McCauley checks on Chicago Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford (50) during the first period in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals against the Boston Bruins, Monday, June 24, 2013, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Tyler Seguin, Johnny Oduya, Corey Crawford
Boston Bruins center Tyler Seguin (19) and Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Johnny Oduya (27), of Sweden, careen into Chicago Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford (50) during the first period in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals, Monday, June 24, 2013, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Chris Kelly
Boston Bruins center Chris Kelly (23) celebrates his goal against the Chicago Blackhawks with teammates on the bench during the first period in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals Monday, June 24, 2013 in Boston. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
Corey Crawford, Chris Kelly
Boston Bruins center Chris Kelly (23) celebrates his goal past Chicago Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford (50) during the first period in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals, Monday, June 24, 2013, in Boston. Blackhawks defenseman Duncan Keith (2) skates past. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
Andrew Ference, Patrick Sharp
Boston Bruins defenseman Andrew Ference (21) and Chicago Blackhawks center Patrick Sharp (10) fight for position as the puck passes during the first period in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals Monday, June 24, 2013 in Boston. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
Digg's Reader is here, but it's not a Google Reader replacement...yet. For a subset of the Internet's population, Google's March announcement of its intention to shutter its dated, rusting RSS feed reading service Google Reader, was met with a large outcry. Though never having grown to a size that made the service worth?sustaining?in Google's eyes, its niche user base was devoted and heavily engaged. They were the Internet's most active readers, the power users capable of handling more advanced tools for digging up all the interesting things you can find on the web.
June 24, 2013 ? University of Oregon chemists have developed a selective probe that detects hydrogen sulfide (H2S) levels as low as 190 nanomolar (10 parts per billion) in biological samples. They say the technique could serve as a new tool for basic biological research and as an enhanced detection system for H2S in suspected bacterially contaminated water sources.
Hydrogen sulfide, a colorless gas, has long been known for its dangerous toxicity -- and its telltale smell of rotten eggs -- in the environment, but in the last decade the gas has been found to be produced in mammals, including humans, with seemingly important roles in molecular signaling and cardiac health. Detection methods for biological systems are emerging from many laboratories as scientists seek to understand the roles of H2S in general health and different diseases.
Reporting in the Journal of Organic Chemistry -- online in advance of regular print publication -- researchers in the UO lab of Michael D. Pluth, professor of chemistry, describe the development of a colorimetric probe that relies on nucleophilic aromatic substitution to react selectively with H2S to produce a characteristic purple product, allowing for precise H2S measurement.
"This paper describes a new way to selectively detect H2S," said Pluth, who has been pursuing detection methods for the gas under a National Institutes of Health "Pathway to Independence" grant. That early career award began while he was a postdoctoral researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. "This technique allows you to use instruments to quantify how much H2S has been produced in a sample, and the distinctive color change allows for naked-eye detection."
In biological samples, he said, the approach allows for a precise measurement. In the environment, he added, the technique could be used to determine if potentially harmful H2S-producing bacteria are a contaminant in water sources through the creation of testing kits to detect the gas when levels are above a defined threshold.
The key to the technique, said the paper's lead author, doctoral student Leticia A. Montoya, is the reaction process in which the probe reacts with H2S to produce a distinctly identifiable purple compound. "This method allows you look selectively at hydrogen sulfide versus any other nucleophiles or biological thiols in a system," Montoya said. "It allows you to more easily visualize where H2S is present."
The chemical reaction produced in the experiments, Pluth said, also holds the potential to be applied in a variety of materials, on surfaces and films, with appropriate modifications. The UO has applied for a provisional patent to cover the technology.
The study is the second in which Pluth's lab has reported potential detection probes for H2S. Last year, in the journal Chemical Communications, Montoya and Pluth described their development of two bright fluorescent probes that sort out H2S from among cysteine, glutathione and other reactive sulfur, nitrogen and oxygen species in living cells.
"We're really interested in making sharper tools," Pluth said. "We have the basic science worked out, and now we want to move forward to fine-tune our tools so that we can better use them to answer important scientific questions."
"University of Oregon researchers are helping to foster a more sustainable future by developing powerful new tools and entrepreneurial technologies," said Kimberly Andrews Espy, vice president for research and innovation and dean of the UO graduate school. "This important research from Dr. Pluth's lab may someday alert us to environmental contaminants and could also impact basic science and human health."
Sabin Vaccine Institute launches International Association of Immunization ManagersPublic release date: 24-Jun-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Deborah Elson deborah.elson@sabin.org 202-621-1691 Sabin Vaccine Institute
New association seeks to support immunization managers to achieve vaccination goals
WASHINGTON, D.C.June 24, 2013The Sabin Vaccine Institute today announced the launch of the newly-formed International Association of Immunization Managers (IAIM). With the support of a five-year grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, IAIM's objective is to help drive the achievement of national, regional and international immunization goals, including those in the Global Vaccine Action Plan (GVAP), by fostering forward-thinking and superior management of immunization programs. The association's governing body, the IAIM ad hoc Governing Council, is holding its inaugural meeting today in Washington, D.C.
Tremendous gains have been made in immunizations over the last 40 years. However, challenges remain and will increase in complexity as new vaccines are added to immunization programs. Immunization managers play a critical role in addressing these challenges, as they are the ones who must skillfully manage and integrate each of the elements of a successful immunization program: cost-effective and dependable procurement processes, reliable funding, an effective cold chain, consistent monitoring of vaccine safety and efficacy, effective surveillance systems, productive and proactive communication with the public, and well-trained health workers.
"How well an immunization manager performs his or her job can make the difference in whether the immunization program succeeds; yet these professionals often are not provided with the opportunities for training, peer-to-peer discussion and exchange and skill-building that they need to advance immunization programs," said Dr. David Salisbury, President of the newly-formed Association's ad hoc Governing Council and Director of Immunisation in the United Kingdom's Department of Health. "Therefore, it is both welcome and timely that we now have an international association for immunization program managers that can equip them with the right tools and professional network for the job."
IAIM is the first-ever international association for immunization managers. Its objectives are to establish a forum from which immunization managers can discuss and exchange best practices; build and support international and regional networks of immunization managers; and provide immunization managers with opportunities to develop their technical and leadership capacity. The main benefits IAIM will provide for its members include: convening international and regional meetings to provide a forum for discussion, access to training and cutting-edge information and networking opportunities; organizing peer-to-peer exchanges as a means of sharing success factors and problem-solving strategies among immunization managers; and creating an interactive website where members can access and share best practices, research, training and tools.
The Sabin Vaccine Institute serves as the Secretariat for IAIM and is responsible for executing its day-to-day operations.
"Sabin is proud to serve as secretariat for this new and important association," said Dr. Ciro de Quadros, Executive Vice President of the Sabin Vaccine Institute. "Immunization has been and remains one of the best public health solutions to save and improve lives, but there are many unmet needs. IAIM provides a unique forum to facilitate the vital communication and innovation needed to close these gaps."
"IAIM has a vision to strengthen current and future generations of national immunization program managers who can effectively shape their programs, introduce changes and innovations, and solve problems for improving program performance," said Mr. Peter Carrasco, Director of the IAIM Secretariat at the Sabin Vaccine Institute. "This will help immunization programs overcome the challenges of the present and rise to meet the challenges of the future."
###
For more information on IAIM, please visit http://www.sabin.org/IAIM or email Peter Carrasco at peter.carrasco@sabin.org.
About Sabin Vaccine Institute
Sabin Vaccine Institute is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization of scientists, researchers, and advocates dedicated to reducing needless human suffering caused by vaccine preventable and neglected tropical diseases. Sabin works with governments, leading public and private organizations, and academic institutions to provide solutions for some of the world's most pervasive health challenges. Since its founding in 1993 in honor of the oral polio vaccine developer, Dr. Albert B. Sabin, the Institute has been at the forefront of efforts to control, treat, and eliminate these diseases by developing new vaccines, advocating use of existing vaccines, and promoting increased access to affordable medical treatments. For more information please visit http://www.sabin.org.
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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.
Sabin Vaccine Institute launches International Association of Immunization ManagersPublic release date: 24-Jun-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Deborah Elson deborah.elson@sabin.org 202-621-1691 Sabin Vaccine Institute
New association seeks to support immunization managers to achieve vaccination goals
WASHINGTON, D.C.June 24, 2013The Sabin Vaccine Institute today announced the launch of the newly-formed International Association of Immunization Managers (IAIM). With the support of a five-year grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, IAIM's objective is to help drive the achievement of national, regional and international immunization goals, including those in the Global Vaccine Action Plan (GVAP), by fostering forward-thinking and superior management of immunization programs. The association's governing body, the IAIM ad hoc Governing Council, is holding its inaugural meeting today in Washington, D.C.
Tremendous gains have been made in immunizations over the last 40 years. However, challenges remain and will increase in complexity as new vaccines are added to immunization programs. Immunization managers play a critical role in addressing these challenges, as they are the ones who must skillfully manage and integrate each of the elements of a successful immunization program: cost-effective and dependable procurement processes, reliable funding, an effective cold chain, consistent monitoring of vaccine safety and efficacy, effective surveillance systems, productive and proactive communication with the public, and well-trained health workers.
"How well an immunization manager performs his or her job can make the difference in whether the immunization program succeeds; yet these professionals often are not provided with the opportunities for training, peer-to-peer discussion and exchange and skill-building that they need to advance immunization programs," said Dr. David Salisbury, President of the newly-formed Association's ad hoc Governing Council and Director of Immunisation in the United Kingdom's Department of Health. "Therefore, it is both welcome and timely that we now have an international association for immunization program managers that can equip them with the right tools and professional network for the job."
IAIM is the first-ever international association for immunization managers. Its objectives are to establish a forum from which immunization managers can discuss and exchange best practices; build and support international and regional networks of immunization managers; and provide immunization managers with opportunities to develop their technical and leadership capacity. The main benefits IAIM will provide for its members include: convening international and regional meetings to provide a forum for discussion, access to training and cutting-edge information and networking opportunities; organizing peer-to-peer exchanges as a means of sharing success factors and problem-solving strategies among immunization managers; and creating an interactive website where members can access and share best practices, research, training and tools.
The Sabin Vaccine Institute serves as the Secretariat for IAIM and is responsible for executing its day-to-day operations.
"Sabin is proud to serve as secretariat for this new and important association," said Dr. Ciro de Quadros, Executive Vice President of the Sabin Vaccine Institute. "Immunization has been and remains one of the best public health solutions to save and improve lives, but there are many unmet needs. IAIM provides a unique forum to facilitate the vital communication and innovation needed to close these gaps."
"IAIM has a vision to strengthen current and future generations of national immunization program managers who can effectively shape their programs, introduce changes and innovations, and solve problems for improving program performance," said Mr. Peter Carrasco, Director of the IAIM Secretariat at the Sabin Vaccine Institute. "This will help immunization programs overcome the challenges of the present and rise to meet the challenges of the future."
###
For more information on IAIM, please visit http://www.sabin.org/IAIM or email Peter Carrasco at peter.carrasco@sabin.org.
About Sabin Vaccine Institute
Sabin Vaccine Institute is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization of scientists, researchers, and advocates dedicated to reducing needless human suffering caused by vaccine preventable and neglected tropical diseases. Sabin works with governments, leading public and private organizations, and academic institutions to provide solutions for some of the world's most pervasive health challenges. Since its founding in 1993 in honor of the oral polio vaccine developer, Dr. Albert B. Sabin, the Institute has been at the forefront of efforts to control, treat, and eliminate these diseases by developing new vaccines, advocating use of existing vaccines, and promoting increased access to affordable medical treatments. For more information please visit http://www.sabin.org.
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Public release date: 26-Jun-2013
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