Like last year, the North Carolina Science Blogging conference was a hit. I moderated a session on public scientific data with Xan Gregg. Both of our talks were recorded and available here.

CHELTENHAM, England, January 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Prince Harry's children's charity, WellChild, today launched the free WellChild Helpline, the only national advice line to connect people to the right information and support about children's health concerns.

Anyone of any age can call 0808-801-0330 to speak to a specialist team of health professionals for trustworthy and confidential advice on any aspect of children's growth, development and health. Through this single reference point, people can also text 0778-147-25-99 or email helpline@wellchild.org.uk to have their concerns answered or referred to the right organisations for more information.

SAN JOSE, California, January 21 /PRNewswire/ --

- AT91SAM9RL64 Integrates ARM926EJ-S with On-Chip LCD & Touch Screen Controllers, USB High-Speed Device, 64k Byte SRAM configurable as TCM, 24-channel DMA and 6-layer Bus

Amid growing consumer demand for more environmentally-friendly cleaning products, chemical suppliers are stepping-up their efforts to provide greener ingredients with the same effectiveness of conventional ones, according to an article in Chemical & Engineering News.

Michael McCoy notes that “green” cleaning supplies were once the province of fringe industries but are now attracting the attention of big corporations in the United States and beyond. Increasingly, suppliers are generating consumer cleaning products that contain natural or naturally-derived ingredients, avoid the use of environmentally-harmful chemicals, and generate less carbon dioxide during manufacturing and use, McCoy states.

Researchers in Agricultural and Food Chemistry are reporting impressive new evidence that eating broccoli may protect against heart disease.

Researchers have known for years that broccoli is a rich source of antioxidants, vitamins, and fiber that may protect against cancer, Dipak K. Das and colleagues note. Other studies also suggest that broccoli may benefit the heart, although scientists do not know how it works.

Oklahoma State researchers are developing a state-of-the-art propulsion system for the United States Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.

If successful, the propulsion system will be featured in sophisticated unmanned aircraft small enough to fit into a soldier’s pocket.

“What we want the infantrymen to be able to do is pull a pack of six or so out of their pocket and have them ready for use,” Jamey Jacob, an associate professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, said. The aircraft would be used for surveillance purposes and allow soldiers to inspect hostile areas before moving through them.


Credit: Oklahoma State University

LONDON, January 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Misys plc (FTSE: MSY.L), the global application software and services company, today announces that Socram, one of the foremost French credit houses, has selected Misys Almonde to manage and improve the quality of their Asset and Liability Management (ALM) reporting.

Socram is a new customer for Misys, which the credit house chose over other vendors for its track record and experience. The selection process began in April 2007 with preliminary investigation and requirements definition and a detailed workshop at the end of July, in which the superiority of the Misys Almonde ALM solution was demonstrated.

HYDERABAD, India, January 21 /PRNewswire/ --

- FY2008 Revenue Now Estimated at US$2.1 Billion

Satyam Computer Services Ltd. (NYSE:SAY), a leading business and information technology services provider, today announced the results of the company for the quarter ended December 31, 2007 (Q3).

Consolidated Indian GAAP Highlights

- Revenue was Rs. 2195.56 crore; a year-over-year increase of 32.2% and a sequential increase of 8.1%.

- Volume growth for the quarter was 9.4%.

- Net Profit after Tax was Rs. 433.63 crore; a year-over-year increase of 28.6% and a sequential increase of 6%.

- EPS was Rs. 6.48; a Year-over-year increase of 26.1% and a sequential increase of 5.9%.

- EBITDA margin for the quarter was 21.46%.

HYDERABAD, India, January 21 /PRNewswire/ --

- Chicago-Based Management Consulting Firm Strengthens Company's High-End Business Services

Satyam Computer Services Ltd. (NYSE:SAY), a leading business and information technology services provider, today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Bridge Strategy Group, a Chicago, Ill.-based management consulting firm. In making the $35 million, all-cash purchase, Satyam significantly reinforces its strategy consulting and business transformation capabilities.

An international consortium of scientists has identified multiple genes that are linked to systemic lupus erythematosus, a devastating autoimmune disease that affects between 1 million and 2 million Americans. Reporting in Nature Genetics, the scientists also confirmed earlier findings linking lupus to several other genes – highlighting the role that genetics plays in the disease.

“These findings underscore that numerous genes, which are often immune-function related, contribute to the risk of developing lupus,” said Carl D. Langefeld, Ph.D., senior author from Wake Forest University School of Medicine and co-director of the International Consortium for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Genetics (www.SLEGEN.org).