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Kissing Cousins? Let Them Marry, Say Zoologists

Kissing Cousins? Let Them Marry, Say Zoologists

Dec 23 2008 | comment(s)

Laws banning marriage between first cousins are based on outdated assumptions about a high degree of genetic risk for offspring and should be repealed, according to a population genetics expert.

In an opinion article published in the US open-access journal PLoS Biology, University of Otago Department of Zoology Professor Hamish Spencer and Professor Diane Paul, a Research Associate at Harvard's Museum of Comparative Zoology, argue that laws against cousin marriage are ill-advised.

"Neither the scientific nor social assumptions behind such legislation stand up to close scrutiny," says Professor Spencer. For example, a 2002 expert review of studies regarding birth defects in offspring of cousins found that the risk was much smaller than generally assumed, he says.
The Evolutionary Bursts That Made Us Big

The Evolutionary Bursts That Made Us Big

Dec 23 2008 | comment(s)

In 3.5 billion years, life on earth went from single microscopic cells to giant sequoias and blue whales. Scientists have now documented quantitatively that the increase in maximum size of organisms was not gradual, but happened in two distinct bursts "tied to the geological evolution of the planet," said Michal Kowalewski, professor of geosciences at Virginia Tech.
Science Blogs And Shock Value

Science Blogs And Shock Value

Dec 23 2008 | comment(s)

Coturnix at ScienceBlogs.com had an interesting post yesterday on part of the reason they (Science Blogs)  do things the way they do them and the way he says more science writers should - shock value and, at the end of it all, maybe a shot at a greater science democracy.  
ContourGlobal Signs Loan Agreement With OPIC For 100 MW Electricity Project In Togo

ContourGlobal Signs Loan Agreement With OPIC For 100 MW Electricity Project In Togo

Dec 22 2008 | comment(s)

NEW YORK, December 22 /PRNewswire/ --

ContourGlobal today announced that ContourGlobal Togo, its wholly owned subsidiary, has signed a US$146 million non-recourse financing agreement with the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) for the construction of ContourGlobal's 100 MW power plant in Lome, Togo.

Northrop Grumman Wins Contract To Upgrade Radar Systems For Iraqi Air Force

Northrop Grumman Wins Contract To Upgrade Radar Systems For Iraqi Air Force

Dec 22 2008 | comment(s)

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Virginia, December 22 /PRNewswire/ --

Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) has been awarded a contract to upgrade weather and navigation radar systems on Iraqi Air Force C-130 cargo aircraft.

The Foreign Military Sales contract, valued at $5.1 million (USD), was awarded to Northrop Grumman's Sperry Marine business unit by Lear Siegler Services, Inc. Sperry Marine will deliver AN/APN-242 weather and navigation radars to replace obsolete AN/APN-59 systems on the aircraft. The contract also includes funding to develop a new high-resolution flat-panel cockpit display processor for the radars. Deliveries are to be completed by July 2009.

Joining Forces To Protect The Climate: Schüco And Bernhard Langer

Joining Forces To Protect The Climate: Schüco And Bernhard Langer

Dec 22 2008 | comment(s)

BIELEFELD, Germany, December 22 /PRNewswire/ --

- Getting Into the Swing With Germany's New Golf Legend

- Cross Reference: Picture is Distributed via EPA (European Pressphoto Agency) and can be Downloaded Free of Charge Under: http://www.presseportal.de/pm/16299/schueco_international_kg/

Taste of Green Wine in a Box

Taste of Green Wine in a Box

Dec 22 2008 | comment(s)

Beware: green chemistry is soon to serve you green wines. And in boxes, too.

Once I read in Chemical and Engineering News a list of the chemicals in either red or white wines. I remember thinking "generic wines" to start with: Let's see the difference in the young and the old wines!

Sapphire Energy Adds C.J. Warner, Oil Industry Veteran, As President

Sapphire Energy Adds C.J. Warner, Oil Industry Veteran, As President

Dec 22 2008 | comment(s)

SAN DIEGO, December 22 /PRNewswire/ --

- Former BP executive to advance commercialization of green crude

With 'green energy' a priority topic in homes around the globe, and on President-elect Obama's agenda, Sapphire Energy continues to grow its top-flight professional team with the appointment of Cynthia J. (C.J.) Warner, a top British Petroleum (BP) executive and an expert in refining, transportation and operations, as President, starting February 1, 2009. Warner leaves her post as Group Vice President of Global Refining for BP and will join an already impressive team of experts in transportation fuels, cell biology, plant genomics and algal production to create a commercial- scale crude oil operation using only sunlight, carbon dioxide and non-potable water.

ICE Clear Europe Receives Settlement Finality Designation Order From FSA

ICE Clear Europe Receives Settlement Finality Designation Order From FSA

Dec 22 2008 | comment(s)

ATLANTA, December 22 /PRNewswire/ --

**Further Enhances Protection for Clearing Members and Ability to Clear Additional Asset Classes**

IntercontinentalExchange (NYSE: ICE), a leading operator of regulated global futures exchanges and over-the-counter (OTC) markets, announced today that ICE Clear Europe(TM) has received settlement finality designation (SFD) by the UK Financial Services Authority (FSA) under the Financial Markets and Insolvency (Settlement Finality) Regulations 1999.

Frost Sullivan Accolade For CK Scientific's Outstanding Customer Service

Frost Sullivan Accolade For CK Scientific's Outstanding Customer Service

Dec 22 2008 | comment(s)

LONDON, December 22 /PRNewswire/ --

The 2008 Frost Sullivan Zambian Hospital Medical Equipment Customer Service Leadership Award is presented to the CK Scientific Group Zambia Ltd. in recognition of its outstanding customer-focused strategies.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081117/FSLOGO )

An end-user analysis conducted recently by Frost Sullivan, 'First World or Third World? End-user Perceptions of Hospital Medical Equipment in Key sub-Saharan African Countries' revealed that end-users ranked CK Scientific above its competitors in terms of customer service. CK Scientific received the highest customer service ranking of 9 out of 10.

Ford Retail And Energy Saving Trust Launch ECO Drive Campaign

Ford Retail And Energy Saving Trust Launch ECO Drive Campaign

Dec 22 2008 | comment(s)

LONDON, December 22 /PRNewswire/ -- You are invited to the launch of 'ECO Drive', a national campaign by Ford Retail Group in partnership with the Energy Saving Trust to encourage eco driving amongst the British public. Either before or after the media briefing, journalists can take part in a 45 minute ECO Drive lesson. You will experience firsthand the effectiveness and ease in adopting 'green' driving techniques which will save you fuel and money as well as cut CO2 emissions.

Rosetta Genomics Announces Commercial Availability Of Its Second MicroRNA-Based Diagnostic Test - MiRview(TM) Mets; Will Hold Teleconference Today To Discuss Launch Of Products

Rosetta Genomics Announces Commercial Availability Of Its Second MicroRNA-Based Diagnostic Test - MiRview(TM) Mets; Will Hold Teleconference Today To Discuss Launch Of Products

Dec 22 2008 | comment(s)

REHOVOT, Israel; JERSEY CITY, New Jersey; PHILADELPHIA, December 22 /PRNewswire/ --

- miRview(TM) mets can Accurately Identify the Primary Tumor Site in Patients Presenting With Metastatic Cancer, as Well in Patients Whose Tumor has Been Labeled Cancer of Unknown Primary (CUP)

- In the US Alone Hundreds of Thousands of Patients are Diagnosed Each Year With Metastatic Cancer, and Approximately 70,000 Patients are Diagnosed With CUP Each Year

- Rosetta Genomics Will Hold a Conference Call Today, Monday, December 22nd, at 08:30 am EST, to Discuss the Launch of its microRNA-based Tests

Glenmark Expects Launch Of Crofelemer In ROW Countries (Developing Economies) By 2010 - Potential First-in-Class For HIV-Associated Diarrhea: Molecule Currently In Phase 3 Trials, Granted Fast Track Designation By US-FDA

Glenmark Expects Launch Of Crofelemer In ROW Countries (Developing Economies) By 2010 - Potential First-in-Class For HIV-Associated Diarrhea: Molecule Currently In Phase 3 Trials, Granted Fast Track Designation By US-FDA

Dec 22 2008 | comment(s)

MUMBAI, December 22 /PRNewswire/ --

- Potential First-in-Class Anti-Secretory Anti-Diarrheal Agent for Multiple Indications Including HIV-Associated Diarrhea

- Glenmark has Crofelemer Rights for diarrhea Indications in 140 Countries; Molecule Currently in Phase 3 trials. ROW Sales Market Opportunity of US $ 80 Million for HIV-Associated Diarrhea

- Crofelemer has Been Granted Fast Track Designation by US-FDA

MUMBAI, December 22 /PRNewswire/ --

Alcatel-Lucent Remains The Worldwide Leader In The Fixed Broadband Access Market

Alcatel-Lucent Remains The Worldwide Leader In The Fixed Broadband Access Market

Dec 22 2008 | comment(s)

PARIS, December 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Alcatel-Lucent (Euronext Paris and NYSE: ALU) today announced that it remains the worldwide leader in the fixed broadband access market, supporting the largest mass deployments of video, voice and data services. Today, one out of three fixed broadband subscribers around the world is served through an access network provided by Alcatel-Lucent.This market leadership is driven by a strategy of continuous innovation and quality assurance.

Shoppers Can Now Use Their IPhone To Compare Prices Before Buying In-Store

Shoppers Can Now Use Their IPhone To Compare Prices Before Buying In-Store

Dec 22 2008 | comment(s)

LONDON, December 22 /PRNewswire/ --

- Having Recently Won More Than 20 Million Internet Users, Twenga Takes Comparison-Shopping Mobile With New Bargain-Hunter's Guide for the iPhone

Twenga (http://www.twenga.co.uk/), the most comprehensive shopping search engine on the Web, today launched the first iPhone application to help shoppers find the best price available before buying in-store. Developed in collaboration with software publisher Backelite (http://www.backelite.com/), this application is available from today in six countries, including the UK, France, Germany, Spain, Italy and The Netherlands.

Know before you buy: prices, product specifications, consumer reviews...

A Computer Inside A Molecule

A Computer Inside A Molecule

Dec 22 2008 | comment(s)

Over the last 60 years, ever-smaller generations of transistors have driven exponential growth in computing power. Could molecules, each turned into miniscule computer components, trigger even greater growth in computing over the next 60?

Atomic-scale computing, in which computer processes are carried out in a single molecule or using a surface atomic-scale circuit, holds vast promise for the microelectronics industry. It allows computers to continue to increase in processing power through the development of components in the nano- and pico scale. In theory, atomic-scale computing could put computers more powerful than today’s supercomputers in everyone’s pocket.
Cure Global Warming By Putting Plastic Over Deserts, Say Climate Scientists

Cure Global Warming By Putting Plastic Over Deserts, Say Climate Scientists

Dec 22 2008 | comment(s)

The heat created by human activities does not even amount to 1/10,000th of the heat that the Earth receives from the sun, say a group of researchers, and it may not be possible to get people to agree to burn fewer fossil fuels but covering parts of the Earth would offset that.

This radical plan to curb global warming and so reverse the climate change caused by burning of fossil fuels since the industrial revolution would involve covering parts of the world's deserts with reflective sheeting and they write about it in the January issue of the International Journal of Global Environmental Issues.
Holy Smoke! Save GBP92,000 And Save Your Life!

Holy Smoke! Save GBP92,000 And Save Your Life!

Dec 22 2008 | comment(s)

LONDON, December 22 /PRNewswire/ --

- Revolutionary Bioresonance Nutritional Therapy Helps Smokers Beat Nicotine Addiction

- Drug Free, Pain Free, Non-Invasive Natural Therapy - 90% Success Rate

People who are thinking about giving up smoking and saving on average GBP92,000 in a lifetime are desperate to find an easy way to quit. 70% of the 10 million people who smoke want to quit but find the conventional methods of giving up very difficult. There is now a new revolutionary method allowing people to give up after just one treatment.

With the government tightening their reins on smoking in the UK and now looking at banning displays of cigarettes for sale, it's becoming increasingly difficult for smokers to buy cigarettes and smoke freely.

Mr Site's Takeaway Website Pro Nominated For Best Business Tool

Mr Site's Takeaway Website Pro Nominated For Best Business Tool

Dec 22 2008 | comment(s)

LONDON, December 22 /PRNewswire/ --

- With Photo

Mr Site - the UK's favourite DIY website creator - has just scooped a prestigious nomination at the Esquire Magazine's Man at the Top Awards.

The Mr Site Takeaway Website Pro was nominated in the Best Business Tool Category alongside the Nokia E71, Samsung SCX-4500W Printer, the Cardscan Executive and the Livescrive Pulse Smartpen.

Is Popularity Genetic?

Is Popularity Genetic?

Dec 22 2008 | comment(s)

A groundbreaking study of popularity by a Michigan State University scientist has found that genes elicit not only specific behaviors but also the social consequences of those behaviors.  According to the investigation by behavioral geneticist S. Alexandra Burt, male college students who had a gene associated with rule-breaking behavior were rated most popular by a group of previously unacquainted peers.

It's not unusual for adolescent rule-breakers to be well-liked – previous research has made that link – but Burt is the first to provide meaningful evidence for the role of a specific gene in this process. The study appears in the latest issue of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.