sham surplussing: April 2013

Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Cicada Wings Are Self-Cleaning

A dew-dropped cicada

A dew-dropped cicada Image: Duke University

As 17-year cicadas wriggle out of the ground all over the northeastern U.S. this spring, they'll be reemerging into a world that understands them a little better. Researchers now find the design of their wings can cause filth to jump right off of them with the aid of dew, findings that might help lead to better artificial self-cleaning materials.

Scientists had known that cicada wings are super-water-repellent, or super-hydrophobic. This is different from a great many substances that are simply water-repellent, or hydrophobic ? for instance, oil and water famously do not mix. But a number of surfaces such as lotus leaves can make themselves even more water-repellent by covering themselves with microscopic bumps, so water drops can float on top much as mystics can lie on beds of nails. For example, cicada wings are covered in rows of waxy cones about 200 nanometers or billionths of a meter high. In comparison, the average human hair is roughly 100 microns or millionths of a meter wide.

When it rains the super-hydrophobic nature of cicada wings can help them get clean ? droplets rolling or splashing off them can remove soil, dust, pollen and microbes. But what if there is no rain, especially in the four to six weeks adult cicadas have to live above ground before dying?

Now scientists find rain is not necessary to keep cicada wings clean. Apparently, grime can simply leap right off them, given dew.

Mechanical engineer Chuan-Hua Chen at Duke University in Durham, N.C., and his colleagues were investigating a number of natural and artificial super-hydrophobic surfaces when they noticed drops of water at times rapidly disappeared. They were mystified by this behavior for years until they made observations from a different angle ? they used a high-speed video camera to watch the droplets from the side of these materials instead of from above.?

"That's when we saw them jumping upward," Chen recalled.

The scientists found that when these surfaces are exposed to water vapor, dew can condense on them. When growing droplets fused together, the merged drop then leapt off the super-water-repellant surfaces. These drops, each up to a few microns to a few hundred microns wide, can jump up to a few millimeters in the air.?

"We've since found this happens on almost all normal super-hydrophobic surfaces," Chen said. "If you take a lotus leaf or any of the many other super-water-repellant surfaces out there and you let it cool in your freezer and then take it out, as humidity in the air condenses on it, you can see with your bare eyes that water drops will jump in the air."

When small water droplets combine on super-water-repellent surfaces, a single bigger drop results that has less surface area than its original parts. As such, energy that is no longer needed to flatten that water across the surface the smaller droplets once occupied gets released, popping the drop upward, Chen explained.

"These findings show that super-hydrophobic surfaces don't need water driven by gravity to take contaminants away ? jumping droplets can do so," Chen said.

"This is a great piece of work that highlights a mechanism that has not been conventionally considered for self-cleaning," said mechanical engineer Evelyn Wang at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, who did not take part in this research.?

Chen and his colleagues found jumping droplets could remove glass, plastic or pollen particles up to 100 microns wide from cicada wings, including contaminants that could not be removed by wing vibration or wind flow.

"Mostly cicadas hang vertically on trees, which means once condensates jump, either gravity or the air will take them away," Chen said. "In the worst case scenario, the wing is held parallel to the ground, but even then, the droplets don't jump straight up, but always have some horizontal momentum. After they fall down, they leap back up again, and after a few jumps they leap away from the edge of the wing."

Source: http://rss.sciam.com/click.phdo?i=7df807a7bbd148f4af1dec0e145ebd08

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Slow ?growth?, GDP makeover, Keynesians demand more debt and inflation

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Monday, April 29, 2013

OGI's investment in cytognomix contributes to the Shannon Human Splicing Pipeline's success

Public release date: 29-Apr-2013
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Share ]

Contact: Christine Beyaert
cbeyaert@ontariogenomics.ca
416-673-6597
Ontario Genomics Institute

TORONTO, ON, April 29, 2013 - Ontario Genomics Institute (OGI) congratulates Cytognomix on the success of the Shannon Human Splicing Pipeline, which was recently purchased by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) in the U.S. In 2009, OGI invested in Cytognomix through its Pre-commercialization Business Development Fund (PBDF).
Understanding the wealth of data generated by next-generation sequencing is essential to determining which mutations are clinically significant. Cytognomix's Shannon pipeline assesses the millions of variants of unknown significance detected in cancer genetic testing by predicting mRNA splicing abnormalities. This technology improves accuracy and ease of data interpretation, saving time and reducing mistakes.
Investigators at NCI are using the Shannon pipeline to evaluate somatic and germline variants observed in tumor genome next generation sequences for their potential effects on splicing. According to Dr. Mike Nickerson, Cancer and Inflammation Program, NCI, the analytic tool is being applied to evaluate a variety of variants which can be difficult to interpret in terms of their effects on protein function. Analysis of variants for potential effects on splicing provides a tool to distinguish deleterious mutations from passenger variants and generates hypotheses that can be experimentally evaluated using PCR of reverse-transcribed tumor RNA.
"Cytognomix's Shannon pipeline is resolving significant data interpretation issues in cancer research," said Mark Poznansky, CEO, OGI. "It is rewarding to see the companies we invest in succeed and grow. OGI's investment provided Cytognomix with early stage funding, which allowed them to take important next steps toward bringing their products to market."
According to Peter Rogan, CEO of Cytognomix, "Interpreting gene variants of unknown clinical significance is one of the most important challenges in human genomics. While much effort has been focused on gathering existing knowledge about published variants in databases, our Shannon pipeline discovers previously unrecognized functions of non-coding variants. Cytognomix's mutation analysis software products have been validated in numerous peer-reviewed journal publications. We are pleased that the NCI has chosen the Shannon mRNA splicing mutation pipeline to accelerate their understanding of various forms of cancer."
OGI's PBDF program has invested in opportunities based in genomics, proteomics or associated technologies that fall in the proof-of-principle (validation) phase of research and that have the short-term potential to secure a significant next step towards the marketplace. Previous recipients have included Ontario universities, research institutes and companies.
###

About OGI
The Ontario Genomics Institute (OGI) is a private, not-for-profit corporation focused on driving the life sciences industry in Ontario through the use of genomics to increase the quality of life of all Ontarians through better health outcomes, a healthier environment and sustainable agriculture. OGI's portfolio contains nearly 100 genomics research projects and companies, with total research investment exceeding $800 million and attracting more than $40 million in venture capital. This work is enabled through relationships with Genome Canada, the Government of Ontario through the Ministry of Research and Innovation, and the Ministry of Economic Development, Trade and Employment, and other private and public sector partners. For more information, please visit http://www.ontariogenomics.ca.
About Cytognomix
Since 2009, Cytognomix has been developing and marketing software-based solutions and reagents for clinical genomics from London, Ontario, Canada. Our intellectual property portfolio emphasizes clinical and research diagnostic applications. Products include software for mutation analysis, DNA probe reagents, and companion software to detect chromosome abnormalities. Our Shannon pipeline line of software products is unique in the industry in its ability to accurately predict functionally-significant, non-coding variants in complete genome or exome sequences. Genome-wide DNA probe sets have been designed using our patented abinitio_probesTM. Beginning with sales of scFISH probes, we have since designed and produced genomic microarrays and manufactured solution capture arrays for targeted sequence enrichment. All of our products are described in highly cited, peer reviewed publications. Contact us at info@cytognomix.com for more details.

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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.

OGI's investment in cytognomix contributes to the Shannon Human Splicing Pipeline's success Public release date: 29-Apr-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Christine Beyaert
cbeyaert@ontariogenomics.ca
416-673-6597
Ontario Genomics Institute

TORONTO, ON, April 29, 2013 - Ontario Genomics Institute (OGI) congratulates Cytognomix on the success of the Shannon Human Splicing Pipeline, which was recently purchased by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) in the U.S. In 2009, OGI invested in Cytognomix through its Pre-commercialization Business Development Fund (PBDF).
Understanding the wealth of data generated by next-generation sequencing is essential to determining which mutations are clinically significant. Cytognomix's Shannon pipeline assesses the millions of variants of unknown significance detected in cancer genetic testing by predicting mRNA splicing abnormalities. This technology improves accuracy and ease of data interpretation, saving time and reducing mistakes.
Investigators at NCI are using the Shannon pipeline to evaluate somatic and germline variants observed in tumor genome next generation sequences for their potential effects on splicing. According to Dr. Mike Nickerson, Cancer and Inflammation Program, NCI, the analytic tool is being applied to evaluate a variety of variants which can be difficult to interpret in terms of their effects on protein function. Analysis of variants for potential effects on splicing provides a tool to distinguish deleterious mutations from passenger variants and generates hypotheses that can be experimentally evaluated using PCR of reverse-transcribed tumor RNA.
"Cytognomix's Shannon pipeline is resolving significant data interpretation issues in cancer research," said Mark Poznansky, CEO, OGI. "It is rewarding to see the companies we invest in succeed and grow. OGI's investment provided Cytognomix with early stage funding, which allowed them to take important next steps toward bringing their products to market."
According to Peter Rogan, CEO of Cytognomix, "Interpreting gene variants of unknown clinical significance is one of the most important challenges in human genomics. While much effort has been focused on gathering existing knowledge about published variants in databases, our Shannon pipeline discovers previously unrecognized functions of non-coding variants. Cytognomix's mutation analysis software products have been validated in numerous peer-reviewed journal publications. We are pleased that the NCI has chosen the Shannon mRNA splicing mutation pipeline to accelerate their understanding of various forms of cancer."
OGI's PBDF program has invested in opportunities based in genomics, proteomics or associated technologies that fall in the proof-of-principle (validation) phase of research and that have the short-term potential to secure a significant next step towards the marketplace. Previous recipients have included Ontario universities, research institutes and companies.
###

About OGI
The Ontario Genomics Institute (OGI) is a private, not-for-profit corporation focused on driving the life sciences industry in Ontario through the use of genomics to increase the quality of life of all Ontarians through better health outcomes, a healthier environment and sustainable agriculture. OGI's portfolio contains nearly 100 genomics research projects and companies, with total research investment exceeding $800 million and attracting more than $40 million in venture capital. This work is enabled through relationships with Genome Canada, the Government of Ontario through the Ministry of Research and Innovation, and the Ministry of Economic Development, Trade and Employment, and other private and public sector partners. For more information, please visit http://www.ontariogenomics.ca.
About Cytognomix
Since 2009, Cytognomix has been developing and marketing software-based solutions and reagents for clinical genomics from London, Ontario, Canada. Our intellectual property portfolio emphasizes clinical and research diagnostic applications. Products include software for mutation analysis, DNA probe reagents, and companion software to detect chromosome abnormalities. Our Shannon pipeline line of software products is unique in the industry in its ability to accurately predict functionally-significant, non-coding variants in complete genome or exome sequences. Genome-wide DNA probe sets have been designed using our patented abinitio_probesTM. Beginning with sales of scFISH probes, we have since designed and produced genomic microarrays and manufactured solution capture arrays for targeted sequence enrichment. All of our products are described in highly cited, peer reviewed publications. Contact us at info@cytognomix.com for more details.

[ | 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.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-04/ogi-oii042913.php
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Loans borrowed against pensions squeeze retirees

Jessica Silver-Greenberg , The New York Times ? ? ? 9 hrs.

To retirees, the offers can sound like the answer to every money worry: convert tomorrow?s pension checks into today?s hard cash.

But these offers, known as pension advances, are having devastating financial consequences for a growing number of older Americans, threatening their retirement savings and plunging them further into debt. The advances, federal and state authorities say, are not advances at all, but carefully disguised loans that require borrowers to sign over all or part of their monthly pension checks. They carry interest rates that are often many times higher than those on credit cards.

In lean economic times, people with public pensions ? military veterans, teachers, firefighters, police officers and others ? are being courted particularly aggressively by pension-advance companies, which operate largely outside of state and federal banking regulations, but are now drawing scrutiny from Congress and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

The pitches come mostly via the Web or ads in local circulars.

?Convert your pension into CASH,? LumpSum Pension Advance, of Irvine, Calif., says on its Web site. ?Banks are hiding,? says Pension Funding L.L.C., of Huntington Beach, Calif., on its Web site, signaling the paucity of credit. ?But you do have your pension benefits.?

Another ad on that Web site is directed at military veterans: ?You?ve put your life on the line for Americans to protect our way of life. You deserve to do something important for yourself.?

A review by The New York Times of more than two dozen contracts for pension-based loans found that after factoring in various fees, the effective interest rates ranged from 27 percent to 106 percent ? information not disclosed in the ads or in the contracts themselves. Furthermore, to qualify for one of the loans, borrowers are sometimes required to take out a life insurance policy that names the lender as the sole beneficiary.

LumpSum Pension Advance and Pension Funding did not return calls and e-mails for comment.

While it is difficult to say precisely how many financially struggling people have taken out pension loans, legal aid offices in Arizona, California, Florida and New York say they have recently encountered a surge in complaints from retirees who have run into trouble with the loans.

Ronald E. Govan, a Marine Corps veteran in Snellville, Ga., paid an interest rate of more than 36 percent on a pension-based loan. He said he was enraged that veterans were being targeted by the firm, Pensions, Annuities & Settlements, which did not return calls for comment.

?I served for this country,? said Mr. Govan, a Vietnam veteran, ?and this is what I get in return.?

The allure of borrowing against pensions underscores an abrupt reversal in the financial fortunes of many retirees in recent years, as well as the efforts by a number of financial firms, including payday lenders and debt collectors, to market directly to them.

The pension-advance firms geared up before the financial crisis to woo a vast and wealthy generation of Americans heading for retirement. Before the housing bust and recession forced many people to defer retirement and to run up debt, lenders marketed the pension-based loan largely to military members as a risk-free option for older Americans looking to take a dream vacation or even buy a yacht. ?Splurge,? one advertisement in 2004 suggested.

Now, pension-advance firms are repositioning themselves to appeal to people in and out of the military who need cash to cover basic living expenses, according to interviews with borrowers, lawyers, regulators and advocates for the elderly.

?The cost of these pension transactions can be astronomically high,? said Stuart Rossman, a lawyer with the National Consumer Law Center, an advocacy group that works on issues of economic justice for low-income people.

?But there is profit to be made on older Americans? financial pain.?

The oldest members of the baby boom generation became eligible for Social Security during the recent housing bust and recession, and many nearing retirement age watched their investments plummet in value. Some are now sliding deep into debt to make ends meet.

The pitches for pension loans emphasize how difficult it can be for retirees with scant savings and checkered credit histories to borrow money, especially because banks typically do not count pension income when considering loan applications.

?The result often leaves retired pensioners viewed like other unqualified borrowers,? one of the lenders, DFR Pension Funding, says on its Web site. That, the firm says, ?can make the ?golden years? not so golden.?

Faster rising debt
The combined debt of Americans from the ages of 65 to 74 is rising faster than that of any other age group, according to data from the Federal Reserve. For households led by people 65 and older, median debt levels have surged more than 50 percent, rising from $12,000 in 2000 to $26,000 in 2011, according to the latest data available from the Census Bureau.

While American adults of all ages ran up debt in good times, older Americans today are shouldering unusually heavy burdens. According to a 2012 study by Demos, a liberal-leaning public policy organization, households headed by people 50 and older have an average balance of more than $8,000 on their credit cards.

Meanwhile, households headed by people age 75 and older devoted 7.1 percent of their total income to debt payments in 2010, up from 4.5 percent in 2007, according to the Employee Benefit Research Institute.

Financial products like pension advances, which promise quick cash, appear especially enticing because their long-term costs are largely hidden from the borrowers.

Federal and state regulators are spotting fresh examples of abuse, and both the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Senate?s Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions are examining these loans, according to people with knowledge of the matter.

Though the firms are not directly regulated by states, officials from the California Department of Corporations, the state?s top financial services regulator, filed a desist-and-refrain order against a pension-advance firm in 2011 for failing to disclose critical information to investors.

That firm has since filed for bankruptcy, but a department spokesman said it remained watchful of pension-advance products.

?As the state regulator charged with protecting investors, we are aware of this type of offer and are very concerned with the companies that abuse it to defraud people,? said the spokesman, Mark Leyes.

Borrowing against pensions can help some retirees, elder-care lawyers say. But, like payday loans, which are commonly aimed at lower-income borrowers, pension loans can turn ruinous for people who are already financially vulnerable, because of the loans? high costs.

Some of the concern on abuse focuses on service members. Last year, more than 2.1 million military retirees received pensions, along with roughly 2.6 million federal employees, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

Lawyers for service members argue that pension lending flouts federal laws that restrict how military pensions can be used.

Mr. Govan, the retired Marine, considered himself a credit ?outcast? after his credit score was battered by a foreclosure in 2008 and a personal bankruptcy in 2010.

Unable to get a bank loan or credit card to supplement his pension income, Mr. Govan, now 59, applied for a payday loan online to pay for repairs to his truck.

Days later, he received a solicitation by e-mail from Pensions, Annuities & Settlements, based in Wilmington, Del.

Mr. Govan said the offer of quick, seemingly easy cash sounded too good to refuse. He said he agreed to sign over $353 a month of his $1,033 monthly disability pension for five years in exchange for $10,000 in cash up front. Those terms, including fees and finance charges, work out to an effective annual interest rate of more than 36 percent. After Mr. Govan belatedly did the math, he was shocked.

?It?s just wrong,? said Mr. Govan, who filed a federal lawsuit in February that raises questions about the costs of the loan.

Pitches to military
Pitches to military members must sidestep a federal law that prevents veterans from automatically turning over pension payments to third parties. Pension-advance firms encourage veterans to establish separate bank accounts controlled by the firms where pension payments are deposited first and then sent to the lenders. Lawyers for retirees have challenged the pension-advance firms in courts across the United States, claiming that they illegally seize military members? pensions and violate state limits on interest rates.

To circumvent state usury laws that cap loan rates, some pension advance firms insist their products are advances, not loans, according to the firms? Web sites and federal and state lawsuits. On its Web site, Pension Funding asks, ?Is this a loan against my pension?? The answer, it says, is no. ?It is an advance, not a loan,? the site says.

The advance firms have evolved from a range of different lenders; some made loans against class-action settlements, while others were subprime lenders that made installment and other short-term loans.

The bankrupt firm in California, Structured Investments, has been dogged by legal challenges virtually from the start. The firm was founded in 1996 by Ronald P. Steinberg and Steven P. Covey, an Army veteran who had been convicted of felony bank fraud in 1994, according to court records.

To attract investors, the firm promised an 8 percent return and ?an opportunity to own a cash stream of payments generated from U.S. military service persons,? according to the California Department of Corporations. Mr. Covey, according to company registration records, is also associated with Pension Funding L.L.C. Neither Mr. Covey nor Mr. Steinberg returned calls for comment. In 2011, a California judge ordered Structured Investments to pay $2.9 million to 61 veterans who had filed a class action.

But the veterans, among them Daryl Henry, retired Navy disbursing clerk, first class, in Laurel, Md., who received a $42,131 pension loan at a rate of 26.8 percent, have not received any relief.

Robert Bramson, a lawyer who represented Mr. Henry in the class-action lawsuit, said that pensioners too often failed to contemplate the long-term costs of the advances.

?It?s simply a terrible deal,? he said.

This article first appeared in the New York Times under the headline, "Loans Borrowed Against Pensions Squeeze Retirees."

Source: http://feeds.nbcnews.com/c/35002/f/653351/s/2b455730/l/0L0Snbcnews0N0Cbusiness0Ceconomywatch0Cloans0Eborrowed0Eagainst0Epensions0Esqueeze0Eretirees0E6C96410A92/story01.htm

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Sunday, April 28, 2013

The Truths And Lies Relating to Home Improvement | Articles Squad

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The rich get richer

The 2013 NFL draft concluded Saturday evening. Rotoworld blurbed every single selection, picks one (Eric Fisher) through 254 (Justice Cunningham).

After a grueling three days of ?work,? we'll put the finishing touches on our intensive draft coverage with post-draft grades.

But let's be clear: We don't believe in assessing draft hauls immediately after the three-day event. This is for your pleasure. If you're reading this intro, you're interested. And we want to appeal to you. Don't take these grades too seriously. We'll know a lot more about this draft around 2016.

I'll break down the AFC on Sunday. Here are the NFC Draft Grades:

Arizona Cardinals

7. Jonathan Cooper, guard, North Carolina.
45. Kevin Minter, inside linebacker, LSU.
69. Tyrann Mathieu, free safety, LSU.
103. Alex Okafor, outside linebacker, Texas.
116. Earl Watford, guard/center, James Madison.
140. Stepfan Taylor, running back, Stanford.
174. Ryan Swope, receiver, Texas A&M.
187. Andre Ellington, running back, Clemson.
219. D.C. Jefferson, tight end, Rutgers.

Overview: Rookie GM Steve Keim's first-ever draft looks solid on paper. In Cooper, Minter, Mathieu, and Okafor, Keim secured as many as four immediate starters for a roster that needed them. Sixth-rounder Ellington is a better back than fifth-rounder Taylor and will add juice to Bruce Arians' offense should injury-prone Rashard Mendenhall and Ryan Williams break down again. I would like to have seen the Cardinals add a developmental quarterback like Tennessee's Tyler Bray, although Arians may believe he already has one in Ryan Lindley. A lingering concern in Arizona is offensive tackle play. The Cards attacked guard instead -- and in Cooper got an outstanding player -- but Levi Brown is still a worrisome proposition on Carson Palmer's blindside.

Grade: C+

Atlanta Falcons

22. Desmond Trufant, cornerback, Washington.
60. Robert Alford, cornerback, SE Louisiana.
127. Malliciah Goodman, defensive end, Clemson.
133. Levine Toilolo, tight end, Stanford.
153. Stansly Maponga, defensive end, TCU.
243. Kemal Ishmael, safety, Central Florida.
244. Zeke Motta, strong safety, Notre Dame.
249. Sean Renfree, quarterback, Duke.

Overview: The Falcons may receive universally mediocre draft "grades," but there is a method to GM Thomas Dimitroff's madness. Beyond day-one starter Trufant and 2014 hopeful Alford, Dimitroff targeted players for specific on-field roles. Goodman is a classic 4-3 strong-side end with vine-line arms and powerful performance on tape. He's an edge container. Toilolo isn't Tony Gonzalez's heir apparent; he's an in-line tight end who'll push for snaps as a rookie if he blocks well in practice. Maponga is an edge-rushing specialist. Ishmael and Motta should both be immediate core special teamers. Renfree could develop into Matt Ryan's long-term backup and a future trade chip if his arm gets stronger while riding the bench. Ultimately, Dimitroff wasn't trying to load up on stars in this draft. He added role players to upgrade the bottom third of his roster.

Grade: C+

Carolina Panthers

14. Star Lotulelei, defensive tackle, Utah.
44. Kawann Short, defensive tackle, Purdue.
108. Edmund Kugbila, guard, Valdosta State.
148. A.J. Klein, linebacker, Iowa State.
182. Kenjon Barner, running back, Oregon.

Overview: Rookie GM Dave Gettleman entered his first draft with five picks and emerged with five players. He clearly prioritized upgrading in the trenches and delivered by securing the draft's premier defensive tackle in Lotulelei. Short's motor ran alarmingly hot and cold in the Big Ten, but he can be an impact interior pass rusher working in waves with Lotulelei, Dwan Edwards, and Sione Fua. Klein is solid insurance should Jon Beason's numerous surgical recoveries experience a setback. I think it's fair to wonder if the Barner pick foreshadows a DeAngelo Williams transaction. At the very least, it's a confirmation 2013 will be Williams' final season in Carolina. While he continues to build one of the NFL's most underrated defensive front sevens, Gettleman displayed a surprising amount of faith in his shaky receiver and secondary corps.

Grade: C

Chicago Bears

20. Kyle Long, guard, Oregon.
50. Jon Bostic, inside linebacker, Florida.
117. Khaseem Greene, outside linebacker, Rutgers.
163. Jordan Mills, tackle/guard, Louisiana Tech.
188. Cornelius Washington, defensive end, Georgia.
236. Marquess Wilson, receiver, Washington State.

Overview: I expected GM Phil Emery to stay true to his board on the draft's first day. I'm not sure he did with the Long pick -- it seemed like need-based reach on an inexperienced, boom-or-bust lineman -- but Emery went value searching on days two and three. Bostic is an athletic thumper who'll give D.J. Williams a run for his money at inside 'backer, replacing Brian Urlacher. Greene's pre-draft measurables disappointed, but he is fast to the football and NFL-ready after earning back-to-back Big East Defensive POY awards in Rutgers' pro-style system. Washington is an explosive edge pass rusher with starting-caliber tools. He was robbery toward the back end of the third day. If Wilson's head is on straight, he's capable of earning an immediate spot in Chicago's three-receiver package with Brandon Marshall in the slot and Alshon Jeffery outside.

Grade: B-

Dallas Cowboys

31. Travis Frederick, guard/center, Wisconsin.
47. Gavin Escobar, tight end, San Diego State.
74. Terrance Williams, receiver, Baylor.
80. J.J. Wilcox, safety, Georgia Southern.
114. B.W. Webb, defensive back, William & Mary.
151. Joseph Randle, running back, Oklahoma State.
185. DeVonte Holloman, linebacker, South Carolina.

Overview: Owner/GM Jerry Jones' draft strategy seemed very needs- rather than value-based, spurning better players in favor of theoretical hole-fillers. The Cowboys were needy on the interior offensive line, but I'd be willing to wager they could've gotten Frederick with the 47th pick. Escobar can create passing-game mismatches, but offers zero as a blocker and isn't necessarily an upgrade on incumbent No. 2 tight end James Hanna. Williams and Holloman were probably the only two true value picks in this group. Randle is a stiff, straight-linish runner with an awfully long way to go in pass protection. I watched tape on him before the draft and found him to be a whiffer in blitz pickup and thoroughly lacking in elusiveness. It would be difficult to say with any confidence that Dallas' lineup improved with this draft. And they entered it with a mediocre roster.

Grade: D

Detroit Lions

5. Ezekiel Ansah, defensive end, BYU.
36. Darius Slay, cornerback, Mississippi State.
65. Larry Warford, guard, Kentucky.
132. Devin Taylor, defensive end, South Carolina.
165. Sam Martin, punter, Appalachian State.
171. Corey Fuller, receiver, Virginia Tech.
199. Theo Riddick, running back, Notre Dame.
211. Michael Williams, tight end, Alabama.
245. Brandon Hepburn, linebacker, Florida A&M.

Overview: Left tackle seemed to be GM Martin Mayhew's biggest need entering the draft, but his selections indicate he feels otherwise. Mayhew must have a lot of faith in 2012 first-rounder Riley Reiff. He bypassed Menelik Watson for Slay. Rather than Terron Armstead, Mayhew selected Warford to add a mauling presence at right guard. I still found this to be a value-heavy draft. Ansah, Slay, and Warford are Week 1 starters. Taylor, Fuller, Williams, and even versatile Riddick could make year-one impacts. Ansah has been knocked as a possible bust by some observers, but the Lions' coaching staff has special insight after coaching him in Mobile. I thought Mayhew stayed true to his board and -- aside from perhaps the punter -- drafted the best available at each pick.

Grade: B-

Green Bay Packers

26. Datone Jones, defensive end, UCLA.
61. Eddie Lacy, running back, Alabama.
109. David Bakhtiari, guard/tackle, Colorado.
122. J.C. Tretter, guard/center, Cornell.
125. Johnathan Franklin, running back, UCLA.
159. Micah Hyde, defensive back, Iowa.
167. Josh Boyd, defensive lineman, Mississippi State.
193. Nate Palmer, outside linebacker, Illinois State.
216. Charles Johnson, receiver, Grand Valley State.
224. Kevin Dorsey, receiver, Maryland.
232. Sam Barrington, linebacker, South Florida.

Overview: GM Ted Thompson annually dominates on draft day; it's where he butters his bread. The Packers are not a free-agency team. Jones is a relentless, potentially special inside rusher who finally gives Green Bay a legitimate replacement for Cullen Jenkins. Lacy and Franklin can form a Thunder & Lightning backfield with the former as a light-footed wrecking ball and latter in the big-play, change-up role. Both rookies can pick up the blitz and play on all three downs. Bakhtiari is a heady, athletic mover and fit for the Packers' zone scheme. Hyde, Palmer, and Barrington are core special teams guys. Johnson abused his competition at small-school Grand Valley State and has Julio Jones-like measurables. The value on Lacy, Franklin, and Johnson was sensational. Chalk up another draft-weekend "win" for arguably the top GM in the sport.

Grade: B+

Minnesota Vikings

23. Sharrif Floyd, defensive tackle, Florida.
25. Xavier Rhodes, cornerback, Florida State.
29. Cordarrelle Patterson, receiver, Tennessee.
120. Gerald Hodges, linebacker, Penn State.
155. Jeff Locke, punter, UCLA.
196. Jeff Baca, guard/center, UCLA.
213. Michael Mauti, linebacker, Penn State.
214. Travis Bond, guard, North Carolina.
229. Everett Dawkins, defensive tackle, Florida State.

Overview: Keep in mind GM Rick Spielman dumped game-changing slot receiver and return specialist Percy Harvin for the 25th and 214th picks, in addition to a 2014 third-rounder. That deal must be factored into Minnesota's grade. Spielman acknowledged the big loss and responded by targeting big-play ability from his hat trick of first-rounders. Floyd is a penetrating three-technique tackle ideally suited for Leslie Frazier's 4-3 scheme. The Vikings paired Rhodes (6-foot-2, 210) with Chris Cook (6-foot-2, 212) to form one of the NFL's biggest, longest corner duos as they attempt to slow Calvin Johnson, Jordy Nelson, James Jones, Brandon Marshall, and Alshon Jeffery in the NFC North. The Patterson pick at the very least offsets Harvin's special teams value because Cordarrelle offers similar game-breaking return skills and arguably just as much receiving upside. Patterson is a freak. I liked athletic mover Baca as a late-round value.

Grade: B-

The 2013 NFL draft concluded Saturday evening. Rotoworld blurbed every single selection, picks one (Eric Fisher) through 254 (Justice Cunningham).

After a grueling three days of ?work,? we'll put the finishing touches on our intensive draft coverage with post-draft grades.

I'll break down the AFC on Sunday. Here are the NFC Draft Grades:

Arizona Cardinals

Grade: C+

Atlanta Falcons

Grade: C+

Carolina Panthers

Grade: C

Chicago Bears

Grade: B-

Dallas Cowboys

Grade: D

Detroit Lions

Grade: B-

Green Bay Packers

Grade: B+

Minnesota Vikings

Grade: B-

New Orleans Saints

15. Kenny Vaccaro, free safety, Texas.
75. Terron Armstead, left tackle, Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
82. John Jenkins, nose tackle, Georgia.
144. Kenny Stills, receiver, Oklahoma.
183. Rufus Johnson, defensive end, Tarleton State.

Overview: GM Mickey Loomis was working without a second-round pick due to Bountygate, but still landed two day-two values in Armstead and Jenkins and arguably a third on day three in speedster Stills. Vaccaro can team with Malcolm Jenkins to give Rob Ryan two safeties with range and one-on-one matchup skills, likely pushing overpriced box SS Roman Harper out the door. Jenkins is a mammoth athlete with a Haynesworthian ceiling. Johnson is a dominant small schooler with plus measurables, and Loomis has hit on that kind of player before (Akiem Hicks, Jermon Bushrod, Jahri Evans, Marques Colston). The Saints only added five players, but they were all quality picks. The Saints are going to be much better than they were last year.

Grade: C+

New York Giants

19. Justin Pugh, guard/tackle, Syracuse.
49. Johnathan Hankins, defensive tackle, Ohio State.
81. Damontre Moore, defensive end, Texas A&M.
110. Ryan Nassib, quarterback, Syracuse.
152. Cooper Taylor, safety, Richmond.
224. Eric Herman, guard, Ohio.
253. Michael Cox, running back, UMass.

Overview: Much like Ted Thompson in Green Bay and Ozzie Newsome in Baltimore, Giants GM Jerry Reese is a best-available drafter. If he'd have selected his first three players in January and you didn't know the rounds, you would've figured he traded up for three first-round picks. Each player has a flaw -- short arms for Pugh, motor for Hankins, and translatable production for Moore -- but they're all great football players. Moore dominated in the SEC; 8.0 of his 12.5 sacks last year came versus conference opponents. Pugh permitted a half-sack of Nassib and otherwise didn't allow a single hurry. Hankins offers elite potential as a 4-3 nose guard. Nassib was a sheer value pick, while Taylor, Herman, and to a lesser extent Cox offer versatile, "multiple" skill sets and plus measurables. This draft gives the G-Men a needed infusion of young talent, even if only Pugh and perhaps Hankins are surefire first-season contributors.

Grade: B

Philadelphia Eagles

4. Lane Johnson, right tackle, Oklahoma.
35. Zach Ertz, tight end, Stanford.
67. Bennie Logan, defensive tackle, LSU.
98. Matt Barkley, quarterback, USC.
136. Earl Wolff, free safety, North Carolina State.
212. Joe Kruger, defensive end, Utah.
218. Jordan Poyer, cornerback, Oregon State.
239. David King, defensive end, Oklahoma.

Overview: The draftnik community should love this group because aside from seventh-rounder King every member has a big name. They are all identifiable. The first two picks look like surefire hits; Johnson is an outstanding match for Chip Kelly's fast-paced offense as a well-oiled athlete with second- and even third-level blocking skills. Ertz can stretch the field vertically and creates downfield separation better than consensus top tight end Tyler Eifert. Logan and Barkley were odd picks because the former's fit is questionable in Philly's new three-man front and Barkley lacks athleticism in addition to starting-caliber arm strength. All of Philly's rookies look like good values -- particularly Kruger and Poyer -- but this haul included a lot of head scratchers. I still feel confident saying the Eagles' roster improved with this draft, and quite possibly significantly.

Grade: C+

San Francisco 49ers

18. Eric Reid, free safety, LSU.
40. Tank Carradine, outside linebacker, Florida State.
55. Vance McDonald, tight end, Rice.
88. Corey Lemonier, outside linebacker, Auburn.
128. Quinton Patton, receiver, Louisiana Tech.
131. Marcus Lattimore, running back, South Carolina.
157. Quinton Dial, defensive end, Alabama.
180. Nick Moody, linebacker, Florida State.
237. B.J. Daniels, quarterback, South Florida.
246. Carter Bykowski, tackle, Iowa State.
252. Marcus Cooper, cornerback, Rutgers.

Overview: The rich got richer. The 49ers entered Thursday with an NFL-most 13 picks. GM Trent Baalke turned them into very arguably the most impressive haul in the league, along the way picking up a 2014 third-rounder in Friday's trade with the Titans. Only Reid and McDonald may be definite first-year contributors, but that's far more a testament to Baalke's roster building than his individual selections. Carradine is a to-the-whistle edge rusher who along with Lattimore could be "redshirted" as a rookie due to knee woes, before emerging as plus 2014 starters. Patton is a silky smooth route runner with ball skills and insurance on contract-year No. 1 wideout Michael Crabtree. Lemonier might have been a first-rounder had he not played on such a bad Auburn team. San Francisco is filthy rich with pass rush. Baalke is constructing a dynasty.

Grade: A

Seattle Seahawks

62. Christine Michael, running back, Texas A&M.
87. Jordan Hill, defensive tackle, Penn State.
123. Chris Harper, receiver, Kansas State.
137. Jesse Williams, nose tackle, Alabama.
138. Tharold Simon, cornerback, LSU.
158. Luke Willson, tight end, Rice.
194. Spencer Ware, fullback, LSU.
220. Ryan Seymour, guard, Vanderbilt.
231. Ty Powell, defensive end, Harding.
241. Jared Smith, defensive tackle, New Hampshire.
242. Michael Bowie, tackle, NE Oklahoma State.

Overview: Per GM John Schneider, the Seahawks spent Thursday night watching Percy Harvin's YouTube highlight reel after sacrificing the Nos. 25 and 214 picks, and next year's third-rounder in exchange for the NFL's premier slot receiver. Understandable. The Harvin acquisition is factored into Seattle's grade. Schneider finally went on the clock Friday night and simply made picks straight off his board. Marshawn Lynch and Robert Turbin? Who cares. Michael is the best player. He's ours. Harvin, Sidney Rice, Golden Tate, Doug Baldwin? We'll take Harper and his Boldinian skill set. Williams is an immovable beast who makes us better in the trenches. Pick him. Simon is a press-man corner. Perfect scheme fit. Draft him. Late picks were primarily reserved for small schoolers and test freaks. Upside players who don't hurt you if they bust. The Seahawks have drafted just like this every year under Schneider and Pete Carroll. Seems like it's working.

Grade: A-

St. Louis Rams

8. Tavon Austin, receiver, West Virginia.
30. Alec Ogletree, linebacker, Georgia.
71. T.J. McDonald, safety, USC.
92. Stedman Bailey, receiver, West Virginia.
113. Barrett Jones, center/guard, Alabama.
149. Brandon McGee, cornerback, Miami.
160. Zac Stacy, running back, Vanderbilt.

Overview: A year after unearthing small-schoolers Brian Quick, Greg Zuerlein, Trumaine Johnson, and Daryl Richardson, GM Les Snead took an all-big-school approach. This draft was dedicated to playmakers, and St. Louis accomplished its goal even if some members (McDonald, Jones, to a lesser extent Stacy) may struggle with the college-to-pro transition due to major flaws. Austin was the premier offensive-skill player in the 2013 draft, and Snead offset his losses in the trade up to No. 8 by trading down from the 22nd spot. He still came away with a day-one starter in Ogletree, whose character issues are concerning but not as much under coach Jeff Fisher. Bailey was a great value late in round three and fortifies St. Louis' receiver depth behind Austin, Quick, and Chris Givens. The McDonald pick lowers the Rams' grade because he is a tight-hipped, straight-line safety with inconsistent physicality. Jones projects as no more than an NFL reserve.

Grade: B-

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

43. Johnthan Banks, cornerback, Mississippi State.
73. Mike Glennon, quarterback, North Carolina State.
100. Akeem Spence, defensive tackle, Illinois.
126. William Gholston, defensive end, Michigan State.
147. Steven Means, defensive end, Buffalo.
189. Mike James, running back, Miami.

Overview: Not forgotten in the Bucs' grade is the acquisition of Darrelle Revis for the 13th pick, plus a 2014 third-rounder. He is a Hall of Fame talent capable of masking multiple defensive weaknesses and every bit worth the cost. GM Mark Dominik otherwise came away with a slightly questionable draft, noticeably failing to add a pass-catching tight end. Banks is a cornerback/safety 'tweener who was beaten deep too frequently as a senior. Three-technique prospect Spence has ability, but was not a finisher in the Big Ten and is ultimately an underachiever. Same goes for Gholston, who is Vernon's cousin. Means is probably a special teamer at best. James is a plodder on tape, and I wouldn't expect him to make the 53. Glennon is a schematic fit in Tampa's vertical offense. His selection puts Josh Freeman on notice.

Grade: B

Washington Redskins

51. David Amerson, cornerback, North Carolina State.
85. Jordan Reed, tight end, Florida.
119. Phillip Thomas, free safety, Fresno State.
154. Chris Thompson, running back, Florida State.
162. Brandon Jenkins, outside linebacker, Florida State.
191. Bacarri Rambo, free safety, Georgia.
228. Jawan Jamison, running back, Rutgers.

Overview: GM Bruce Allen and coach Mike Shanahan's draft focus was on ballhawks, and they came away with three in 2011 NCAA interceptions leader Amerson, 2012 NCAA picks leader Thomas, and Rambo -- who ranked second to Amerson in INTs two years ago. But Rambo and Thomas can't tackle and Amerson got beat deep more than any cornerback in college football last season. Both running back picks are potential throwaways; Thompson broke his back in 2011 and tore his ACL in 2012, and Jamison doesn't do anything well. Jenkins was a big-time sack specialist in 2010, but is coming off a Lisfranc fracture. Reed is a potential "Joker" tight end who could contribute on passing downs. Washington drafted a slew of big names and added productive collegiates, but I'm not sure they got more than one or two productive NFL starters.

Grade: C

Source: http://www.rotoworld.com/articles/nfl/43159/174/draft-2013-nfc-draft-grades

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Police use tear gas to break up noisy street party

FORT COLLINS, Colo. (AP) ? Fort Collins police say they used tear gas to disperse a large and noisy street party near the Colorado State University campus as some revelers threw bottles at officers.

Police spokeswoman Rita Davis says officers were called to the Summerhill neighborhood late Saturday night amid complaints of a gathering that drew about 300 partygoers.

She says in a news release that officers urged people to leave, but the crowd became unruly and began throwing bottles at police as well as climbing on cars, street light poles and trees.

Some media reports described the melee as riot-like.

Davis says that eventually, police used tear gas and pepper spray to disperse the crowd.

Three partygoers were treated at a hospital for minor injuries, but Davis says no officers were hurt.

The media reports say the event drew mainly a college-age crowd after it was advertised during the week via social media.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/police-tear-gas-break-noisy-street-party-092958464.html

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Roundworm quells obesity and related metabolic disorders

Friday, April 26, 2013

Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, have shown in a mouse model that infection with nematodes (also known as roundworms) can not only combat obesity but ameliorate related metabolic disorders. Their research is published ahead of print online in the journal Infection and Immunity.

Gastrointestinal nematodes infect approximately 2 billion people worldwide, and some researchers believe up until the 20th century almost everyone had worms. In developed countries there is a decreasing incidence of nematode infection but a rising prevalence of certain types of autoimmunity, suggesting a relationship between the two. Nematode infection has been purported to have therapeutic effects and currently clinical trials are underway to examine worms as a treatment for diseases associated with the relevant cytokines, including inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis, and allergies.

In the study researchers tested the effect of nematode infection on mice fed a high-fat diet. Infected mice of normal girth gained 15 percent less weight than those that were not infected. Mice that were already obese when infected lost roughly 13 percent of their body weight within 10 days. Infection also drastically lowered fasting blood glucose, a risk factor for diabetes, and reduced fatty liver disease, decreasing liver fat by ~25 percent, and the weight of the liver by 30 percent.

The levels of insulin and leptin also dropped, "indicating that the mice restored their sensitivities to both hormones," says corresponding author Aiping Zhao of the University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore. Leptin moderates appetite. As with too much insulin, too high a level of leptin results in insensitivity, thus contributing to obesity and metabolic syndrome, Zhao explains.

The mechanism of the moderation of these hormones "was associated with a parasite-induced reduction in glucose absorption in the intestine, reduced liver triglycerides, and an increase in the population of cells called "alternatively activated macrophages," which regulate glucose metabolism and inflammation," says coauthor Joe Urban of the United States Department of Agriculture. Some of these changes involved "a protein called interleukin-13 and related intracellular signaling mechanisms," he says. "This suggests that there are immune related shifts in metabolism that can alter expression of obesity and related metabolic syndrome."

The incidence of obesity has been climbing dramatically, worldwide. It is a key risk factor for many metabolic diseases, including diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease. Recent studies indicate that it is accompanied by chronic low-grade inflammation in adipose tissues, causing the release of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines that contribute to the development of cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome.

Parasitic nematode infection induces a marked elevation in host immune Th2-cells and related type 2 cytokines which, besides combating the infection, also have potent anti-inflammatory activity, according to the report.

###

Z. Yang, V. Grinchuk, A. Smith, B. qin, J.A. Bohl, R. Sun, L. Notari, Z. Zhang, H. Sesaki, J.F. Urban, Jr., T. Shea-Donohue, A. Zhao, 2013. Parasitic nematode-induced modulation of body weight and associated metabolic dysfunction in mouse models of obesity. Infect. Immun. Published ahead of print 18 March 2013, doi:10.1128/IAI.00053-13.

American Society for Microbiology: http://www.asm.org

Thanks to American Society for Microbiology for this article.

This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.

This press release has been viewed 61 time(s).

Source: http://www.labspaces.net/127965/Roundworm_quells_obesity_and_related_metabolic_disorders

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Chael Sonnen, Nate Diaz and the Empire State: Where did they end up on the Hot or Not list?

UFC 159 hype, suspensions ending and a state still not jumping aboard on the MMA train ? it was another full week of MMA. See who made the hot or not list.

Hot ? Chael Sonnen: We won't know if he's a winner in the cage until late Saturday night as he takes on Jon Jones for the championship belt at UFC 159. However, this man is already a winner in the financial arena. According to the Los Angeles Times, he took home $8 million for his bout with Anderson Silva. Main event fighters quite often get a percentage of pay-per-view buys, which explains both why he made so much at UFC 148 and why he's working so hard to sell his fight with Jones.

Not ? Nate Diaz: He lost by a TKO to Josh Thomson at UFC on Fox on Saturday night, which was enough to land him on the not list. Diaz took an extra step to make it here by saying that Thomson, who knocked him out, was running from him the entire fight.

"He didn't come in there and put no [expletive] whopping on me. You know what I'm saying? He didn't come in there and make anything happen. I have never fought somebody before who had ever wanted out of a fight so bad. I expected a fight. I expected him to grab me and try to hold on to me or throw some kicks and move and throw some punches and move but that [expletive] was straight running and I had to chase him down."

Again, it was Thomson who finished Diaz.

Hot -- Matt Mitrione: His suspension for using hate-filled language against lasted just a few weeks, and he has a fight scheduled for this summer.

Not -- MMA in New York: Even though UFC 159 is in nearby Newark, N.J., MMA is still not sanctioned in New York. The UFC has poured quite a lot of money into lobbying for the sport but it's done nothing. At this point, even UFC president Dana White is "over" MMA in New York.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/chael-sonnen-nate-diaz-empire-state-where-did-180323847.html

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Wall Street Week Ahead: Central banks, data to steer investors

By Wanfeng Zhou

NEW YORK (Reuters) - With signs of a slower economy mounting, the near-term outlook for U.S. stocks isn't rosy, but investors may find comfort next week from the world's major central banks.

The Federal Reserve will meet on Tuesday and Wednesday, with the report of weaker-than-expected, first-quarter growth could reinforce expectations the Fed will keep purchasing bonds at a pace of $85 billion a month.

Low interest rates and ample liquidity provided by the Fed and other central banks have buoyed global equity markets because low borrowing costs for businesses and consumers lead to richer corporate profits. Major U.S. stock indexes hit record highs earlier this month.

"As long as it looks like central banks are on your side and on investors' side as far as providing more liquidity, that's going to help improve sentiment," said Brian Jacobsen, chief portfolio strategist at Wells Fargo Funds Management in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin.

"I don't think (Fed officials) have got enough data since the last meeting to really justify changing policy. I really don't think they're going to look at slowing the pace of purchases until probably September."

A strong commitment from the Fed to continue its stimulative policy, coupled with corporate earnings that have mostly exceeded lowered forecasts, could help Wall Street extend a rally despite signs that the U.S. economic recovery is losing momentum.

Even though the market ended flat on Friday, its performance for the week was positive. The Standard & Poor's 500 rose 1.7 percent, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 1.1 percent and Nasdaq Composite Index rose 2.3 percent

The economy expanded at a 2.5 percent annual rate in the first quarter, the Commerce Department said on Friday, short of expectations of 3.0 percent and setting a cautious tone.

A heavy slate of key economic indicators will be released next week, including personal income and spending, the Institute for Supply Management's manufacturing and services activity indexes, pending home sales, the Chicago purchasing managers' index and consumer confidence from the Conference Board.

The highlight of the week will come on Friday when the Labor Department releases its employment report for April.

Economists polled by Reuters are looking for job growth of 150,000, up from 88,000 in March. The unemployment rate is likely to remain unchanged at 7.6 percent.

"Today's (GDP) data suggests maybe the momentum is much weaker that what was priced in," said John Praveen, chief investment strategist at Prudential International Investments Advisers in Newark, New Jersey.

"We have had a very strong rally, so people are looking for any trigger for profit-taking," he said. Praveen said the market could see a 5 percent pullback in the months ahead should upcoming data prove weaker than expected.

Stocks have had a wild run over the past week after hackers attacked the website of stock broker Charles Schwab Corp and a false report on the Associated Press's Twitter account about explosions at the White House sent the market into a brief tailspin.

On Thursday, a software glitch shut down the Chicago Board Options Exchange for half the day, preventing trading in options on two of the stock market's most closely watched indexes and delivering the latest blow to confidence in the way U.S. financial markets operate.

EUROPE, EARNINGS

The European Central Bank meets on Thursday and investors will watch to see if it delivers an interest-rate cut as the euro zone economy deteriorates further. Further monetary easing would encourage investors to buy riskier assets and boost stocks.

"The market has been rallying on the fact the ECB might actually start to do something; if the U.S. market reacts in the same way, that might get the market rallying," said John Canally, investment strategist and economist for LPL Financial in Boston.

With earnings reporting now half over, investors will look to see if companies can continue to exceed profit estimates despite lackluster revenue.

According to Thomson Reuters data, of the 271 companies in the S&P 500 that have reported earnings for the first quarter, 69 percent have beaten analysts' expectations, above the 63 percent average since 1994.

However, only 43.9 percent have topped analysts' revenue forecasts, well below the 62 percent average since 2002 and the 52 percent rate for the last four quarters.

Analysts now see earnings growth of 3.8 percent this quarter, up from expectations of 1.5 percent on April 1.

Next week Dow components reporting results will be Pfizer and Merck . Other companies scheduled to report include Loews Corp , Aetna Inc , Chesapeake Energy , Visa Inc , Viacom Inc and Kraft Foods Group Inc .

David Joy, chief market strategist at Ameriprise Financial, based in Boston where he helps oversee about $700 billion in assets, said the lackluster figures suggest the second quarter may not be as robust as hoped.

"Right now, markets are going through an adjustment process, trying to figure out just how robust the economy is here and overseas as well," Joy said. "You have investors sort of biding their time. They are invested, but not with complete conviction."

(Reporting By Wanfeng Zhou; Editing by Kenneth Barry)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/wall-street-week-ahead-central-banks-data-steer-094959885.html

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Friday, April 26, 2013

Magic of Impromptu Speaking: Create a Speech That ... - It's Write Now

Magic of Impromptu Speaking: Create a Speech That Will Be Remembered for Years in Under 30 Seconds

Total Customer Reviews: (23)

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Amazon.com Price: (as of 2013-04-25 16:40:11 GMT) Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.

Product Description

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