Featured Articles

A bacterium's-eye view of life

A bacterium's-eye view of life

Oct 01 2008 | comment(s)

Howard Berg is a physicist turned systems biologist, and he's been a systems biologist long before it was trendy to be one. He's one of the smartest systems biologists around, and a nice guy too (one who was nice enough to sit down for lunch next to an alone, confused, awkward grad student who I'm sure came off as a tremendously boring person...) Berg has devoted his career to understanding information processing in E. coli, and this week in PNAS he describes a physical model of how E. coli senses food in its environment.
GRACE & GOCE

GRACE & GOCE

Sep 30 2008 | comment(s)







A gravity model of the Earth constructed with data from GRACE. Credit: University of Texas Center for Space Research and NASA




It is all about gravity these days. First came GRACE (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment) and then we'll have GOCE (Gravity field and steady-state Ocean Circulation Explorer). I'll reveal the difference right away: GRACE measures time variations while GOCE measures the static gravity field. Both are equally important for a number of societal application and both are hot on the satellite scene this fall. Well, actually amazing science results have come out based on data from GRACE ever since it was launched in 2002. In particular the increased resolution is stunning and continue to enthuse the scientists. One of my colleagues, Srinivas Bettanpur at the University of Texas, has increased the spatial resolution beyond our wildest dreams and provides now researchers with an instrument that can estimate mass changes with a spatial resolution of less than 322 km (200 miles) – a lot better than first anticipated.

Wind Turbines And Ecology - Birds Are Smarter Than You Think

Wind Turbines And Ecology - Birds Are Smarter Than You Think

Sep 30 2008 | comment(s)

Wind farms pose less of a threat to farmland birds than previously feared, new research has found. The study, published this week in the British Ecological Society's Journal of Applied Ecology, helps resolve a potentially major environmental conflict: how to meet renewable energy targets at the same time as reversing dramatic declines in biodiversity on European farmland.

Dr Mark Whittingham and colleagues from Newcastle University conducted bird surveys on arable farmland around two wind farms in the East Anglian fens. They recorded almost 3,000 birds from 23 different species, including five red-listed species of high conservation concern – the yellowhammer, the Eurasian tree sparrow, the corn bunting, Eurasian skylark and the common reed bunting.

The Physiology And Psychology Of Voting

The Physiology And Psychology Of Voting

Sep 30 2008 | comment(s)

In case you haven’t noticed, election season is upon us! Ok, it has been upon us for almost two years, but never mind that. Pollsters are busy trying to determine why people might be voting for one candidate or another, with special attention being paid to the so-called undecided voters, on whose last-minute whim the fate of the nation -- and the world -- seems to hinge.

Two recent studies, however, provide much food for thought about why people vote one way or the other, and about the reasons they give to themselves and others.
Patton Solves VoIP Interop Challenges For DECT, PBX, And FAX In ISDN Deployments

Patton Solves VoIP Interop Challenges For DECT, PBX, And FAX In ISDN Deployments

Sep 30 2008 | comment(s)

GAITHERSBURG, Maryland. and BERN, Switzerland, September 30 /PRNewswire/ --

- The high-precision clock in SmartNode(TM) digital VoIP IADs preserves DECT, PBX, and FAX functionality when converting ISDN telephony systems to Voice-over-IP.

- SmartNode(TM) VoIP...more than just talk.

Patton -- the leader in business-class network access, connectivity, and VoIP equipment -- together with Patton-Inalp Networks AG -- creator of SmartNode(TM) industry-leading VoIP technology -- announces new BRI and PRI VoIP product lines that ensure seamless inter-operation with Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications (DECT) and PBX systems.

Companies In The UK Waste 1.8 Billion Pounds Sterling Every Year Through Inefficient Energy Consumption

Companies In The UK Waste 1.8 Billion Pounds Sterling Every Year Through Inefficient Energy Consumption

Sep 30 2008 | comment(s)

LONDON, September 30 /PRNewswire/ --

Business is responsible for more than 40% of the UK's carbon emissions. Visit Working Buildings Week 2008, to find out how companies are tackling this issue and making their places of work more efficient and environmentally friendly. Bringing together 1000s of professionals, 400 built environment solution providers and over 300 hours of educational content, Working Buildings 2008 aims to empower those responsible for the UK's workplaces. Highlights of this year's show include:

Shunra Software Releases Shunra Virtual Enterprise For VMware Infrastructure 3

Shunra Software Releases Shunra Virtual Enterprise For VMware Infrastructure 3

Sep 30 2008 | comment(s)

PHILADELPHIA, September 30 /PRNewswire/ --

- Joint solution provides rapid test configuration and root cause analysis of application defects without physical access to hardware or far reaching branch offices.

Shunra Software (www.shunra.com), the world's leading provider of network emulation and application performance testing solutions, and VMware Technology Alliance Partner (TAP) program member, today announced it has released Shunra VE for VMware Infrastructure 3. VMware provides TAP program members with tools to develop products that are complementary to VMware virtualization software and help deliver high-value solutions to our joint customers.

Cashback Site Is Smart Customer Loyalty Tool For IDT Finance's Prime Card

Cashback Site Is Smart Customer Loyalty Tool For IDT Finance's Prime Card

Sep 30 2008 | comment(s)

KEIGHLEY, England, September 30 /PRNewswire/ -- IDT Finance, issuer of the Prime Card, has introduced a cashback reward site for all registered cardholders.

It's the 56th site of its kind developed by Cashback Partners (http://www.cashbackpartners.com/) in eight months, for UK companies looking for ways to keep customers during tough economic times.

On PrimeCashback.com (http://www.primecashback.com/) shoppers get their usual online purchases at exactly the same price, but are rewarded with cashback. This is a large proportion of the fee paid by the retailer.

DNA Profiling And Forensic Science Summit Held Today, Shown Live On Webcast

DNA Profiling And Forensic Science Summit Held Today, Shown Live On Webcast

Sep 30 2008 | comment(s)

I am obsessed with CSI (excluding CSI Miami, David Caruso is just too smarmy). I simply can’t help it. I will watch an episode of CSI that I have already seen twice, just for the thrill of seeing the cases unfold. I even downloaded the entire first season of CSI and watched every single episode, back to back, without sleeping. I know that I am not alone. Shows like CSI have swept the nation due partly to its drama, but also to its science. The fact that a single hair, nail or swath of skin could yield a lead on a case is captivating. It is also true.

Granted shows like CSI sensationalize the lab work and results yielded by forensic science, but its basis is accurate. DNA profiling is one of the most valuable tools used by law enforcement and in fact does help to solve cases.

The Financial Crisis And The Future

The Financial Crisis And The Future

Sep 30 2008 | comment(s)

People come to this web site for well written, interesting columns on science. To some degree it must be questioned as to whether economics is a science. That being said, the current financial crisis is worthy of some commentary here as it will affect all of us to some degree. As a futurist, I see this crisis as part of a bigger transition from one Age to another. The Information Age began in the 1970s and is now giving way to the Shift Age. All year, in speeches given around the country, I have stated that the economic downturn we are going through must be looked at from a new perspective. The ‘is it a recession or not’ and ‘is it a bear stock market or not’ is a far too narrow focus for insightful discussion. There is something much larger that we are beginning to move through.
Deutsche Postbank Selects Asset Control For Market Data Management

Deutsche Postbank Selects Asset Control For Market Data Management

Sep 30 2008 | comment(s)

NEW YORK, September 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Asset Control, a world-wide leader in financial data management solutions, today announced that Germany's largest retail bank Postbank has chosen Asset Control's AC Plus financial and reference data management software.

Postbank will use Asset Control to provide quality controlled pricing data to the bank's risk control department and support its Internal VaR (Value at Risk) Model for market risk. Postbank required a solution that could be implemented to meet its time-to-market objectives, while requiring only minimum IT resources in the day-to-day management of the system.

Achievo To Assist Applications Migration And Solutions Development For Banking, Insurance And Financial Services In The Middle E

Achievo To Assist Applications Migration And Solutions Development For Banking, Insurance And Financial Services In The Middle E

Sep 30 2008 | comment(s)

SAN RAMON, California, September 30 /PRNewswire/ --

Achievo(R) Corporation, a software outsourcing and information technology services provider, today announced plans to make available its broad expertise across multiple technology platforms in deploying software solutions in support of data center migration for the Banking, Insurance and Financial Services (BIFS) sectors in the Middle East. Achievo offers its clients local account management and project delivery capabilities through its regional offices in Japan, North America, Europe and Greater China that are integrated with and supported by its offshore delivery centers in China and its headquarters in the United States.

Evalve Announces Enrollment Completion Of The EVEREST Randomized Study

Evalve Announces Enrollment Completion Of The EVEREST Randomized Study

Sep 30 2008 | comment(s)

MENLO PARK, California, September 30 /PRNewswire/ --

- EVEREST Becomes First Trial of its Kind to Achieve Enrollment Milestone

Evalve, Inc., the leader in the development of devices for the percutaneous repair of cardiac valves, announced today the completion of randomized enrollment in the Endovascular Valve Edge-to-Edge REpair STudy (EVEREST), which is evaluating the MitraClip(R) system as a non-surgical repair option for patients suffering from mitral regurgitation (MR). MR is the most common type of heart valve insufficiency in the United States, affecting millions of people worldwide.

Oslo Region Tops Europe In Knowledge-Based Workers

Oslo Region Tops Europe In Knowledge-Based Workers

Sep 30 2008 | comment(s)

OSLO, September 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Norway's capital was the clear winner in a new survey of knowledge-based economies in Europe performed by Eurostat, the EU statistics agency.

The survey measures the percentage of human resources in science and technology (HRST) among the total workforce, and is seen as an indicator of the development of the knowledge-based economy in the EU. According to Eurostat, "the core group of this population - known as HRSTC - can be considered as active stakeholders in the development of knowledge and technological innovation." By definition, HRSTC are persons who have successfully completed tertiary education and work in an S&T occupation as professionals or technicians. The Oslo region led the survey by nearly 5 % over no. 2 Stockholm.

IGA Worldwide Signs Exclusive PlayStation 3 In-Game Advertising Deal With Activision Publishing

IGA Worldwide Signs Exclusive PlayStation 3 In-Game Advertising Deal With Activision Publishing

Sep 30 2008 | comment(s)

NEW YORK, September 30 /PRNewswire/ --

IGA Worldwide (IGA), the leading independent in-game advertising network, today announced a multi-year agreement with Activision Publishing, Inc. to deliver dynamic in-game advertising into multiple video game titles on Sony Computer Entertainment's PLAYSTATION(R)3 (PS3). The first game to feature IGA integrated ads will be Guitar Hero(R) World Tour, the next installment in the best-selling franchise. To date, the Guitar Hero franchise has sold in excess of 22 million units worldwide, according to The NPD Group, Charttrack and GfK.

This landmark agreement, which also includes future Activision Publishing titles, is the second publisher deal announced by IGA since the PS3 opened its platform for in-game advertisements.

ABSOLUT Launches Pioneering Online Art Platform To Exhibit Helmut Lang's

ABSOLUT Launches Pioneering Online Art Platform To Exhibit Helmut Lang's "Alles Gleich Schwer"

Sep 30 2008 | comment(s)

STOCKHOLM, September 30 /PRNewswire/ --

- In an ABSOLUT World Alles Gleich Schwer By Helmut Lang

ABSOLUT vodka is proud to launch a radical medium to view and experience art, as a new online virtual "gallery" goes live, showcasing Helmut Lang's "Alles Gleich Schwer". This, a bold new exhibition of artworks, will be brought to a global audience as part of the artist's vision of an ABSOLUT WORLD, eradicating traditional barriers between viewer and art, consumer and gallery - accessible to all for a three month period through http://www.absolut.com/helmutlang.

To view the Multimedia News Release, please click:

http://www.prnewswire.com/mnr/absolut/35178/

OpTier's CoreFirst Selected As 2008 Financial Innovation Awards Finalist

OpTier's CoreFirst Selected As 2008 Financial Innovation Awards Finalist

Sep 30 2008 | comment(s)

NEW YORK, September 30 /PRNewswire/ --

- Most Innovative Financial Services Technology Finalist Selected for its Unique Business Transaction Management Software

Marketing On Demand Services Set To Grow Significantly As Marketers Look For New, Effective Ways To Interact With Customers

Marketing On Demand Services Set To Grow Significantly As Marketers Look For New, Effective Ways To Interact With Customers

Sep 30 2008 | comment(s)

COPENHAGEN, Denmark, September 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Agillic, a specialist in interactive marketing services today released research undertaken by Qualitative Change exploring the growth of marketing-on-demand applications and the benefits of using a 'pay-as-you-go' marketing model.

Marketing on demand is the ability to pull down a range of internet-mediated interactive marketing services from a host server as and when needed. This type of business model is gaining in popularity as marketers look for effective ways to personalise interactions with customers across a mix of digital and traditional channels whilst controlling costs and increasing real-time access to data.

Redline And Starent Networks Join Forces To Deliver Complete Mobile WiMAX Solution

Redline And Starent Networks Join Forces To Deliver Complete Mobile WiMAX Solution

Sep 30 2008 | comment(s)

CHICAGO (WiMAX World 2008), September 30 /PRNewswire/ --

- Solution Based on Leading Technologies and Open Standards Will Enable Service Providers to Roll out True Mobile WiMAX Networks

CHICAGO (WiMAX World 2008), September 30 /PRNewswire/ --

Redline Communications Group Inc. ("Redline") (TSX and AIM: RDL), a leading provider of WiMAX and broadband wireless infrastructure products and Starent Networks, Corp. (Nasdaq: STAR), a leading provider of infrastructure solutions that enable mobile operators to deliver multimedia services, today announced the two companies have formed a strategic alliance for the co-development of a complete Mobile WiMAX solution.

Aptilo And Redline Collaborate On Mobile WiMAX Solutions

Aptilo And Redline Collaborate On Mobile WiMAX Solutions

Sep 30 2008 | comment(s)

WIMAX WORLD 2008, CHICAGO, September 30 /PRNewswire/ --

<< Companies' Industry Leading Products Will Provide an End-to-End Open Mobile WiMAX Offering >>

Aptilo Networks, the global leader in pre-integrated solutions for Service Management and Access Control for wireless networks including WiMAX(TM), wireless mesh and Wi-Fi hotspots, and Redline Communications Group Inc. ("Redline") (TSX and AIM: RDL), the leading provider of WiMAX and broadband wireless infrastructure products, announced today that the two companies have entered into a global technology agreement to utilize Aptilo's service management and access control solutions in Redline's RedMAX 4C(TM) Mobile WiMAX deployments worldwide.