Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/273959806?client_source=feed&format=rss
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Monday, December 31, 2012
Daniel Rowlands on the Love of Christ for His Church
31 December, 2012 by Glen
Language slightly updated?
?Christ took our nature upon him that he might sympathise with us.??Almost every creature is sympathetic to its own kind, however ferocious to others. The bear will not be deprived of its cubs without resistance: she will tear the aggressor to pieces if she can. But how great the jealousy of the Lord Jesus for his people! He will not lose any of them. He has taken them as members of himself, and as such watches over them with fondest care. How much will a man do for one of the members of his body (like a hand or an eye) before he suffers it to be cut off? Think not O man, that you would do more for your members than the Son of God. To think so would be blasphemy, for the pre-eminence in all things belongs to him.
Yes, he is acquainted with all your temptations, because he was in all things tempted as you are. Are you tempted to deny God? So was he. Are you tempted to kill yourself? So was he. Are you tempted by the vanities of the world? So was he. Are you tempted to idolatry? So was he; yes even to worship the devil. He was tempted from the manger to the cross. He was a man of sorrows acquainted with grief. The head in heaven is sympathizing with the feet that are pinched and pressed on earth, and says , ?Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me???
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Source: http://christthetruth.wordpress.com/2012/12/31/daniel-rowlands-on-the-love-of-christ-for-his-church/
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Automotive Photorgraphy By Alex Cruise Photography - StanceWorks
I am a photographer based out of Saint Louis, Missouri
I do this as a hobby and i have been shooting for about 2.5 years now
I decided to upload some of my pictures to get some opinion or criticism.
Last edited by AlexBG; Today at 10:51 AM.
I do this as a hobby and i have been shooting for about 2.5 years now
I decided to upload some of my pictures to get some opinion or criticism.
Below Pictures Are From September 2011 Till December 2012
Last edited by AlexBG; Today at 10:51 AM.
Source: http://www.stanceworks.com/forums/showthread.php?t=39617
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Texas vs. Oregon State: Twitter Reaction, Postgame Recap and Analysis
The Texas Longhorns dominated the second half of the 2012 Valero Alamo Bowl to take down the Oregon State Beavers, 31-27, in San Antonio Saturday night.?
The Longhorns came back from a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit in what was truly a tale of two halves, and did not hold a lead in this game until there was just over two minutes remaining.?
The two teams traded field goals to start off the scoring and the Beavers received the first touchdown of the game on a carry by Storm Woods, who was the star of the first half, as the Beavers relied almost exclusively on the run to control the game.
Oregon state dominated the game in the first half in a way not quite accurately depicted by their 20-10 lead. The Longhorns simply could get nothing going on offense, with one notable exception.?
Wide receiver and U.S. Olympian long-jumper Marquise Goodwin got the ball on a reverse early in the second quarter and found a lot of open turf in front of him. He was a blur as he raced 64 yards for a touchdown and leveled the score at 10.
Oregon State stuffed the Texas offense and scored the final 10 points of the second quarter, but they should have been leading by more. Failures in the passing game were costing them. Quarterback Cody Vaz chucked an interception on his first pass attempt and wound up with three turnovers on the game.?
Vaz tweaked an ankle injury in the second quarter and missed significant time, but backup Sean Mannion did not attempt a single pass filling in for Vaz.?
All of this action led to a second half where neither team could be feeling particularly good about themselves. However, Texas was clearly?rejuvenated?by not being down by a greater deficit.?
The Beavers, meanwhile, got away from the rushing attack that was very successful in the first half. It didn't help that they lost Storm Woods to an injury, but the switch in strategy was shocking and not at all effective.?
All of this allowed Texas to pin their ears back and rush the passer. With Alex Okafor leading the way, the Longhorns pass rush began to take over. Okafor (more on him later) was unstoppable. ?
Still, the two sides each scored a touchdown in the third to enter the fourth with the Beavers leading 27-17. But Texas closed the gap with a 15-yard touchdown pass by David Ash with just over eight minutes remaining to pull within three points.?
The Texas defense held strong and quickly got its offense the ball back with with 4:35 left.?The offense was left with excellent field position, but was quickly facing a 4th-and-1 with around three minutes left on the Beavers 40.
They picked it up with a run, and on the very next play David Ash went deep and found Goodwin wide open in the end zone for the go-ahead score with just 2:24 left in the game.?
That was no problem for Mack Brown's defense. It used its momentum and dominance in the pass rush to quickly seal the deal.?
?
Twitter Reaction
BigLeadSports' Jason McIntyre tweeted out his astonishment over Texas' early failures in stopping the run.?
That tweet came early in the game and Woods got off to a fast start. He had six carries for 45 yards and a touchdown in the first quarter.
It wasn't all doom and gloom for the Longhorns in the first half, however:
Still, nothing tells the tale of the first half better than this tweet by ESPN's Carter Strickland.
We mentioned Okafor above, and for good reason. This future NFLer had himself a game...and a season. Texas Football tweeted this gem.?
Okafor certainly emerged as one of the stars from this game, and he also earned himself a spot in the the Alamo Bowl record books. The game's official Twitter feed?passed?this along.?
Okafor wound up getting the record all to his lonesome as he recorded a huge sack on 3rd-and-8 with under two minutes left, and he was a huge reason why Texas wound up getting a sack on the ensuing fourth-down play.?
While this was a fun and entertaining game, you can't help but wonder why Oregon State got away from the running game in the second half. The Oregonian's John Hunt?highlights that with this clever tweet.?
The Alamo Bowl rarely disappoints, and this year was certainly no different.?
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How To Get The Most From Your Payday Loan | Personal Budget ...
In today?s tough economy, it is easy to run into financial difficulty. Ultimately, everybody has to make dramatic changes to their budget due to higher costs. Tough financial problems is one of the primary reasons to get a payday loan. The advice from this article can help you decide that for yourself, though.
Before applying for a payday loan, investigate the full range of other financing options that are available. You will be better off borrowing money from family, or getting a loan with a bank. A credit card may even be something that would benefit you more. The fees associated with these choices are usually a lot less than using a payday loan.
Payday Loan
For the most part, it?s very easy to land a payday loan. That said, they cost a lot. Ask family and friends if they can loan you the money, rather than using a payday loan. Help from friends can be a real lifeline and save you a pretty penny.
Payday advances may charge large fees and high interest rates, but they can also overdraft your account. A returned check or insufficient funds fee can compound the cost of an expensive payday loan even more.
Cash Advances
You should seek alternate borrowing options before seeking payday cash advances. Even credit card cash advances generally only cost about $15 + 20% APR for $500, compared to $75 up front for a payday loan. You should also try borrowing money from friends and family.
When you decide you must have a payday loan for the purpose of meeting an emergency need, you should simultaneously resolve to devise a good, working budget. Getting your debt spiraling out of control is easy to do if you aren?t careful. Budgeting is an excellent way of ensuring this does not happen.
Always consider the APR of a payday loan before choosing one. This factor is most important since it determines how much interest you will pay.
Think twice before refinancing a payday loan. Lots of people put themselves in debt through constant refinancing. When the interest on a loan drags on, more money is owed over the original loan cost, which can cause further debt. If you are unable to make payments, then talk with your lender about making alternate arrangements.
Make a list of questions before comparing and contrasting different payday loan companies. It does not matter how trivial the question may be, it is important that you understand all the steps necessary prior to committing to it. Make sure you ask all the questions you feel you should ask to prevent any unexpected surprises.
Make certain to choose a reputable payday loan company. Many companies existing are really just scam operations. You need to avoid companies like this at all costs. If you can?t find any positive feedback from satisfied customers of a particular lender posted online, steer well clear of them.
Payday Loans
Don?t use payday loans unless you absolutely need them. If you don?t absolutely have to get something, refrain from buying it. Don?t get a payday loan to purchase an optional item such as a new outfit, item of furniture or weekend getaway! You are simply throwing your money away. Keep in mind that payday loans must be paid back soon.
Always determine the rate for your loan before you fill out any payday application. A lot of payday loan companies ask you to complete the application before they tell you what the rates are, but you can be responsible for that even if you end up not agreeing.
For many, cash advances might be the only option to get out of financial emergencies. You should understand what the options are right now and in the future when thinking about getting payday loan. With any luck, the decisions you make now will help you get your financial footing going forward.
So, you want to learn about finance news today? You have thankfully found the best article. Here, you can find exactly what you desire to know. Do more research on the subject of finance news today, and give yourself enough time to complete your education.
Source: http://personalbudgetreport.com/2012/12/29/how-to-get-the-most-from-your-payday-loan/
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Friday, December 28, 2012
Groundbreaking air-cleaner saves polluting industrials
![[ Back to EurekAlert! ]](http://www.eurekalert.org/images/back2e.gif){kind=small}
Public release date: 28-Dec-2012[ | E-mail |
Share ] Contact: Matthew Johnson
msj@kiku.dk
46-706-250-412
University of Copenhagen
Industries across Europe are threatened with shutdown as European Union emission rules for Volatile Organic Compounds are tightened. Now an air cleaning invention from the University of Copenhagen has proven its ability to remove these compounds. And in the process they have helped a business in Danish town Aarhus improve relations to angry neighbors.
Inventor, Copenhagen chemist Matthew Johnson, presented evidence for the air cleaning invention at the conference "First International Education Forum on Environment and Energy Science" held on Hawaii December 14 to 18.
In deepest secrecy the inventor Matthew Johnson from the Department of Chemistry at the University of Copenhagen has been collaborating with an investor, INFUSER, in mounting and testing a revolutionary air cleaning device at the industrial plant, "Jysk Miljoerens" in Danish town Aarhus. The reason for keeping the testing secret was that they wanted to be absolutely sure that they could in fact remove the pollution before going public. Now their measurements are concluded and the results are in. And the device actually works.
Natural way to remove air pollution
At the department of Chemistry atmospheric chemist Matthew Johnson invented and patented the air cleaning method which is based on the natural ability of the Earth atmosphere to clean itself. In a process triggered by sunlight, polluting gasses rising into the sky start forming particles when they come across naturally occurring compounds such as ozone. The newly formed particles are washed out of the atmosphere by rain. Once the rain hits the ground, the atmosphere is clean again. In other words the whole process is nature's own purifications works, explains Professor Johnson.
"I have investigated the self-cleaning mechanism of the atmosphere for years. Suddenly I realized, that the mechanism is so simple, that we could wrap it in a box and use it to clean indoor air. This makes for a better indoor climate, and in this particular case it also removes smells from this industrial process allowing the company to stay in business and making the neighbours happy," says Matthew Johnson.
Frutifull collaboration between business and research
For the INFUSER CEO Lars Nannerup the new air cleaning method was a heavensent. For some time he had wanted to establish a cleantech business delivering green and sustainable solutions to industry.
-For INFUSER, collaborating with the University of Copenhagen has been extremely fruitful. We have been operating in an electrifying field between fundamental research and commercial development. This is an area where pure theory and good ideas are tested outside the very competent walls of the university. And we have been extraordinarily successful. We are excited to be able to bring to market this revolutionary technology. We are proud that it is a Danish invention, and we're proud that this invention helps making the world a better and a cleaner place," says Nannerup.
Low energy consumption allows climate friendly air treatment
In scientific terms, Matthew Johnsons patented process is known as an atmospheric photochemical accelerator. The whole process is housed in five aluminium boxes on the roof of the Aarhus business. Compared to traditional methods the new process outshines by removing pollution rather than diluting it, as is the case when we send smoke up a chimney. The method requires no filters, so maintenance is inexpensive. It consumes very little energy, so its climate impact is negligible. Finally it removes the need for a chimney which would have been costly to erect. For all these reason INFUSER and the photochemical air-purification was the right choice for Jysk Miljoerens.
Photochemistry solved pressing problem for environmental business
The company Jysk Miljoerens makes a living separating oil from bilge water in ships, so that the oil may be recycled. For manager Bent Naldal all the parameters were important, but above all he is just happy that the new method has managed to remove the smells from his wastewater treatment plant. Because the smells were threatening to put him out of business.
"It's no big secret, that we've faced challenges in getting rid of the smells originating in our treatment plant. For this reason we were very happy when INFUSER got in touch, saying that they had a solution to our problem. Unlike other solutions that we've investigated to combat smells and air pollution we can now see, that INFUSER delivered. They've solved a pressing problem for Jysk Miloerens, and for the city of Aarhus," says CEO Naldal.
Perfect example of collaboration between industry and academia
For the University of Copenhagen it has been an especial pleasure to follow the collaboration between inventor and investor. The university unit for technology transfer has helped Johnson in the patenting process, in getting financing to conduct experiments and in drawing up the licensing agreement with INFUSER. Unit leader Anna Haldrup feels that the air cleaning technology is a perfect example of how universities can help industrial partners.
###
[ | 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.
Public release date: 28-Dec-2012[ | E-mail |
Share ] Contact: Matthew Johnson
msj@kiku.dk
46-706-250-412
University of Copenhagen
Industries across Europe are threatened with shutdown as European Union emission rules for Volatile Organic Compounds are tightened. Now an air cleaning invention from the University of Copenhagen has proven its ability to remove these compounds. And in the process they have helped a business in Danish town Aarhus improve relations to angry neighbors.
Inventor, Copenhagen chemist Matthew Johnson, presented evidence for the air cleaning invention at the conference "First International Education Forum on Environment and Energy Science" held on Hawaii December 14 to 18.
In deepest secrecy the inventor Matthew Johnson from the Department of Chemistry at the University of Copenhagen has been collaborating with an investor, INFUSER, in mounting and testing a revolutionary air cleaning device at the industrial plant, "Jysk Miljoerens" in Danish town Aarhus. The reason for keeping the testing secret was that they wanted to be absolutely sure that they could in fact remove the pollution before going public. Now their measurements are concluded and the results are in. And the device actually works.
Natural way to remove air pollution
At the department of Chemistry atmospheric chemist Matthew Johnson invented and patented the air cleaning method which is based on the natural ability of the Earth atmosphere to clean itself. In a process triggered by sunlight, polluting gasses rising into the sky start forming particles when they come across naturally occurring compounds such as ozone. The newly formed particles are washed out of the atmosphere by rain. Once the rain hits the ground, the atmosphere is clean again. In other words the whole process is nature's own purifications works, explains Professor Johnson.
"I have investigated the self-cleaning mechanism of the atmosphere for years. Suddenly I realized, that the mechanism is so simple, that we could wrap it in a box and use it to clean indoor air. This makes for a better indoor climate, and in this particular case it also removes smells from this industrial process allowing the company to stay in business and making the neighbours happy," says Matthew Johnson.
Frutifull collaboration between business and research
For the INFUSER CEO Lars Nannerup the new air cleaning method was a heavensent. For some time he had wanted to establish a cleantech business delivering green and sustainable solutions to industry.
-For INFUSER, collaborating with the University of Copenhagen has been extremely fruitful. We have been operating in an electrifying field between fundamental research and commercial development. This is an area where pure theory and good ideas are tested outside the very competent walls of the university. And we have been extraordinarily successful. We are excited to be able to bring to market this revolutionary technology. We are proud that it is a Danish invention, and we're proud that this invention helps making the world a better and a cleaner place," says Nannerup.
Low energy consumption allows climate friendly air treatment
In scientific terms, Matthew Johnsons patented process is known as an atmospheric photochemical accelerator. The whole process is housed in five aluminium boxes on the roof of the Aarhus business. Compared to traditional methods the new process outshines by removing pollution rather than diluting it, as is the case when we send smoke up a chimney. The method requires no filters, so maintenance is inexpensive. It consumes very little energy, so its climate impact is negligible. Finally it removes the need for a chimney which would have been costly to erect. For all these reason INFUSER and the photochemical air-purification was the right choice for Jysk Miljoerens.
Photochemistry solved pressing problem for environmental business
The company Jysk Miljoerens makes a living separating oil from bilge water in ships, so that the oil may be recycled. For manager Bent Naldal all the parameters were important, but above all he is just happy that the new method has managed to remove the smells from his wastewater treatment plant. Because the smells were threatening to put him out of business.
"It's no big secret, that we've faced challenges in getting rid of the smells originating in our treatment plant. For this reason we were very happy when INFUSER got in touch, saying that they had a solution to our problem. Unlike other solutions that we've investigated to combat smells and air pollution we can now see, that INFUSER delivered. They've solved a pressing problem for Jysk Miloerens, and for the city of Aarhus," says CEO Naldal.
Perfect example of collaboration between industry and academia
For the University of Copenhagen it has been an especial pleasure to follow the collaboration between inventor and investor. The university unit for technology transfer has helped Johnson in the patenting process, in getting financing to conduct experiments and in drawing up the licensing agreement with INFUSER. Unit leader Anna Haldrup feels that the air cleaning technology is a perfect example of how universities can help industrial partners.
###
[ | 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/2012-12/uoc-gas122112.php
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Thursday, December 27, 2012
Do You Make New Year's Resolutions?
Walter Glenn - View Profile
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If there's one habit we're really good at keeping, it's making New Year's Resolutions?and then breaking them a week later. What about you? Do you make resolutions for the new year?
We've talked about the science behind New Year's resolutions and how it can help you achieve your goals. We've also shown you several ways to better your chances of making successful resolutions, including giving them a 30-day trial, outsourcing them to make them stick, and using a three-step approach to ensure success.
But now, we'd like to know:
Photo by cristovao (Shutterstock).
Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/orEtuNNUy8Y/do-you-make-new-years-resolutions
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BroadSoft Seeks UK Partners For Unified Communications ...
BroadSoft, a US supplier of IP telephony products, is seeking UK partners for its unified communications (UC) platform. The company has strong links with its home reseller market and is now looking to strengthen its European presence, according to Leslie Ferry, BroadSoft?s vice president for marketing.
The SME market is showing a growing interest in the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) strategy because of the mobility and potential cost-savings it can bring. The problem is that developing a UC infrastructure across mobile and company-based facilities is a challenge beyond these smaller companies? capabilities.
Cloud PBX
BroadSoft has a range of products and services to open up UC benefits either within a company?s own IP network or through the BroadCloud services.
?We have a growing reseller business within North America that?s starting to drive interest in Europe,? Ferry said. ?A lot of that has something to do with the PBX providers and their compensation structure changes, so that?s opportunistic for us. In addition to the market moving to a hosted option the channel resellers and systems integrators are looking for a strong hosted solution as well.?
The company introduced its BroadCloud SaaS in October 2010 and, earlier this month it added Rich Communication Services (RCS) to the suite. This has brought managed service capabilities comprising?converged messaging, presence, media sharing, voice and video conferencing.
Open development
Backed by the company?s Broadsoft Xtended Marketplace products, developed by its own community, service providers can?select applications customised to the needs of their users.
?In the last year we?ve really focused on having an intuitive user experience ? a client that?s accessible on your laptop or mobile phone, that integrates all of your communications services into a single application,? said Ferry. ?If I?m having an instant messaging chat and it?s getting to be a more-detailed conversation, I can flick my phone icon and escalate that to a video call.?
She announced that the move to the cloud has been a success for the company. Starting with an infrastructure-embedded structure the within a service providers network to a completely hosted model allowed BroadSoft to provide Verizon in the US with a complete hosted service in nine months ? ?which is almost unheard of in the telecom space,? Ferry said.
?The area we?re focused on is the growing mobility of communications. We need to make sure that whatever service we enable can be accessed on any device. The uniqueness is the?openness?of our platform and the APIs. We partner with other folks that integrate our communications services with their business processes to have a complete solution for a vertical,? she explained.
Hospitable environment
This has given the company an offering for the hospitality industry with a property management back office system. It also offers integration with a range of CRM services from Salesforce, SugarCRM and Microsoft, as well as offering Facebook and other social networks. This meets the larger needs of an organisation for tighter integration rather than just servicing their communications needs or their business process needs, Ferry claimed.
The result is a range of services that can be selected to suit an enterprise?s needs and the range can be grown as business processes evolve.
Source: http://www.channelbiz.co.uk/2012/12/27/broadsoft-seeks-uk-partners-for-unified-communications/
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Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Yields at Egypt auction of 5-year bonds
CAIRO (Reuters) - The maximum yield at an auction of 500 million Egyptian pounds of five-year bonds edged up to 14.37 percent on Monday from 14.25 percent two weeks earlier, the central bank said.
Bond yields climbed after a political battle that broke out over the country's new constitution last month threatened to undermine the government's efforts to prop up the economy and public finances.
"Rates are climbing due to the elevated economic and political risk," said a Cairo-based fixed income manager.
Standard & Poors' cut Egypt's long-term credit rating on Monday and said another cut was possible if the political turmoil continued.
The yield on the five-year bonds, which mature on November 13, 2017, ranged from to 13.90 percent to 14.37 percent compared to 14.00 to 14.25 percent at an auction on December 10.
The ministry of finance, which normally provides average yields, did not release a figure on Monday. The average yield on five-year bonds at a December 10 auction was 14.163 percent.
Settlement for the bonds will take place on November 13. The central bank sells the bonds on behalf of the finance ministry.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/yields-egypt-auction-5-bonds-143713355--finance.html
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US gun support runs far deeper than politics
In this photo taken Wednesday, Dec. 19, 2012, a customer checks out a shotgun at Burdett & Son Outdoor Adventure Shop in College Station, Texas. More civilians are armed in the U.S. than anywhere else in the world, with Yemen coming in a distant second, according to the Small Arms Survey in Geneva. (AP Photo/Pat Sullivan)
In this photo taken Wednesday, Dec. 19, 2012, a customer checks out a shotgun at Burdett & Son Outdoor Adventure Shop in College Station, Texas. More civilians are armed in the U.S. than anywhere else in the world, with Yemen coming in a distant second, according to the Small Arms Survey in Geneva. (AP Photo/Pat Sullivan)
In this photo taken Wednesday, Dec. 19, 2012 taxidermist Bill Moos displays one of his shotguns in his shop in Bryan, Texas. Moos, who owns a collection of more than 30 guns, can be spotted any given morning, prowling his roughly 40-acre (16-hectare) ranch with his dogs and a shotgun slung over his shoulder. (AP Photo/Pat Sullivan)
In this photo taken Wednesday, Dec. 19, 2012, gun store owner Dave Burdett talks about gun rights as he displays a hand gun in his store in College Station, Texas. Burdett, who owns an outdoors and adventure shop across the street from the sprawling Texas A&M University campus in College Station, says his affinity for guns is rooted in history, not sport. (AP Photo/Pat Sullivan)
In this photo taken Wednesday, Dec. 19, 2012, a stuffed deer heads hang from the walls of taxidermist Bill Moos' shop in Bryan, Texas. Moos, who owns a collection of more than 30 guns, can be spotted any given morning, prowling his roughly 40-acre (16-hectare) ranch with his dogs and a shotgun slung over his shoulder. (AP Photo/Pat Sullivan)
BRYAN, Texas (AP) ? Adam Lanza's mother was among the tens of millions of U.S. gun owners. She legally had a .223-caliber Bushmaster rifle and a pair of handguns, which her 20-year-old son used to kill 20 children and six adults in 10 minutes inside a Connecticut school.
In the raw aftermath of the second-worst school shooting in U.S. history, countless gun enthusiasts much like Lanza's mother complicate a gun-owning narrative that critics, sometimes simplistically, put at the feet of a powerful lobby and caricatured zealots. More civilians are armed in the U.S. than anywhere else in the world, with Yemen coming in a distant second, according to the independent Small Arms Survey in Geneva.
Take Blake Smith, a mechanical engineer who lives near Houston and uses an AR-15 style rifle in shooting competitions.
Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who famously claimed to have shot a coyote while jogging with a pistol holstered to his running shorts, has signed a half-dozen certificates applauding Smith as one of the state's top marksmen. "But I won't call myself a fanatic," said Smith, 54, whose father first let him handle a gun around age 6.
"I sit at a desk all day. And when I get out to the range, I don't hear any gunfire going on," said Smith, who likens his emotional detachment to his guns to the way he would feel about a car or any other machine. "I'm so intent on my sight alignment, my trigger pull, my position. I don't worry about anything. I don't think about anything. It's relieving. It's therapeutic. Everybody has to have their Zen."
Since the school shooting, President Barack Obama has asked for proposals on reducing gun violence that he can take to Congress in January, and he called on the National Rifle Association, the country's most powerful gun-rights organization, to join the effort.
Gun laws in the U.S. vary from state to state ? for instance, as of last month it is now legal to carry a gun in public view in Oklahoma ? and are defended by the firearms industry and the NRA. On Friday, the NRA broke a weeklong silence since the Connecticut massacre by calling for armed volunteers at public schools, prompting criticism from many quarters.
But in the U.S., gun-control advocates are up against a sizeable bloc of mainstream Americans for whom guns are central to their lives, whether for patriotism or personal sense of safety, or simply to occupy their spare time.
Dave Burdett, who owns an outdoors and adventure shop across the street from the sprawling Texas A&M University campus in College Station, says his affinity for guns is rooted in history, not sport.
"It isn't about hunting. Everyone says, 'Well, I can understand having a sporting rifle, but not an AR-15," Burdett said. "But wait a second ? the idea of the Second Amendment was to preserve and protect the rights of individuals to have those guns."
"Remember that the (American) revolution was fought by citizen soldiers," he added. "To this day, that's one of the cornerstones of our military defense. We have an all-volunteer military."
An NRA poster picturing a bald eagle is taped to the glass door of his office. He started as a lawyer, dabbling in everything from commercial land to trying to block the deportation of an illegal immigrant, before seguing into selling guns.
When his daughter graduated with a business degree from Texas A&M, Burdett figured she would move somewhere cosmopolitan like Dallas and work in a downtown high-rise. She instead went to work in the store, built her own AR-15 out of spare parts and used it to join what her father described as the "let's-go-pig-hunting-tonight circuit." Those feral hog hunts often include high-powered rifles as well as night-vision goggles.
"The other thing is, shooting is fun. It really is," Burdett said.
Many think so. Smith, the mechanical engineer, said that includes teenage girls. At national shooting competitions, Smith has run into a group of girls around 13 or 14 years old who call themselves "The Pink Ladies," firing high-powered rifles at targets. He also recalls meeting Australians, whose country bans guns, who told him, "I love to shoot, so I'm going to the U.S."
Others add safety to the list of reasons for allowing people easy access to guns.
"To me it's obvious ? the more people that have guns, or at least in their homes, it's more of a criminal deterrent," said Bill Moos, a local taxidermist in the small town of Bryan, near College Station. Moos, who owns more than 30 guns, can be spotted any given morning, prowling his roughly 40-acre (16-hectare) ranch with his dogs and a shotgun slung over his shoulder.
He tells a story of standing in the post office one day and hearing about a suspect driving around, wanted by the police. He thought of the woman behind the counter near him.
"My first thought was, 'How are you going to protect yourself?' Does she have a gun, in case someone tries to rob her?" he said. "It's the first thing you think of: How are you going to defend yourself?"
On the television in the corner of his workshop, above a stuffed gray fox and a clutch of animal jawbones dangling on a ring like a set of keys, Obama is holding his first press conference since the Connecticut tragedy. He's promising to send Congress legislation tightening gun laws and urging them to reinstate a ban on military-style assault weapons, like the one used by Lanza.
Moos turns down the volume.
"I guess it's something you get used to," he said of guns. "That you grow up around, and you enjoy them, and you accept the fact that you can own. It's a privilege. It's a whole different way of life. I guess I don't need three pick-ups and a Corvette. But I have them."
___
Follow Paul J. Weber on Twitter: www.twitter.com/pauljweber
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Tuesday, December 25, 2012
Lawmakers look to restrict gun magazine capacity
WASHINGTON (AP) ? Lawmakers from both parties voiced their willingness Sunday to pursue some changes to the nation's gun laws, but adamant opposition from the National Rifle Association has made clear than any such effort will face significant obstacles.
NRA CEO Wayne LaPierre dismissed efforts to revive a ban on assault weapons as a "phony piece of legislation" that's built on lies.
Democratic lawmakers in Congress have become more adamant about the need for stricter gun laws since the shooting of 20 children and six teachers at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California is promising to push for a renewal of expired legislation that banned certain weapons and limited the number of bullets a gun magazine could hold to 10.
"I think we ought to be looking at where the real danger is, like those large clips," said Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas.
"I think we need a comprehensive approach," said Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., a longtime gun rights supporter. "I'll look at all the proposals. . I think it looks at mental health, I think it looks at protecting our schools but I also think it looks at these high-volume magazines, you know, that can fire off so many rounds."
Both lawmakers appeared on CBS' "Face the Nation," where NRA President David Keene said lawmakers were asking the wrong question when discussing how many rounds a gun magazine should have.
The right question, he said: "Can we keep guns out of the hands of people who are potential killers?"
LaPierre made clear it was highly unlikely that the NRA could support any new gun regulations.
"You want one more law on top of 20,000 laws, when most of the federal gun laws we don't even enforce?" he said.
Instead, LaPierre reiterated the group's support for putting police officers in every school.
"If it's crazy to call for putting police and armed security in our schools to protect our children, then call me crazy," LaPierre said on NBC's "Meet the Press." ''I think the American people think it's crazy not to do it. It's the one thing that would keep people safe."
Sen. Joe Lieberman, a Connecticut independent, said he found the NRA's statements in recent days to be "really disheartening." Still, he said he agrees with some of the points the group has made about the causes behind violence in America.
"But it's obviously also true that the easy availability of guns, including military-style assault weapons, is a contributing factor, and you can't keep that off the table. I had hoped they'd come to the table and say, everything is on the table," Lieberman said.
Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said LaPierre was "so extreme and so tone deaf" that he was making it easier to pass gun legislation.
"Look, he blames everything but guns: movies, the media, President Obama, gun-free school zones, you name it. And the video games, he blames them," Schumer said.
Lieberman said the NRA's stand on new gun rules means passing legislation next year won't happen easily.
"It's going to be a battle. But the president, I think, and vice president, are really ready to lead the fight," he said.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/lawmakers-look-restrict-gun-magazine-capacity-082617451.html
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Sunday, December 23, 2012
The Essential 100, No. 2: Dungeons & Dragons - Chris Jones Gaming
Feature
1UP COVER STORY
1UP COVER STORY | WEEK OF DECEMBER 17 | THE ESSENTIAL 100, PART FOUR
Cover Story: How a tabletop adventure system defined video games.
P
erhaps no single work has shaped the video game medium quite like Dungeons & Dragons. Though not a video game in itself, this pen-and-paper role-playing game has done more to define the inner workings of the medium than any other single work or concept. Official D&D-licensed video games crop up every now and then, ranging in quality from wretched (those terrible NES ports of ?80s computer games) to brilliant (BioWare?s Baldur?s Gate series). When they do, they don?t have to stretch far in order to reflect the essence of D&D; they feel instantly familiar to anyone who has spent any amount of time video gaming, because video games carry D&D?s heritage at the genetic level.
The medium?s reliance on D&D?s design makes a lot of sense from a simple perspective of timing. Right as the pen-and-paper game was exploding across America, video games began to pupate from Pong clones into something more substantial. Naturally, the same young men who took interest in tabletop adventure sessions with their college friends were the ones who spent long, late nights in campus computer labs trying to alchemize streams of digital data into recreation. Of course they would look to D&D for inspiration.
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Egypt's draft charter gets 'yes' majority in vote
An Egyptian woman casts her vote during the second round of a referendum on a disputed constitution drafted by Islamist supporters of President Mohammed Morsi in Fayoum, about 100 kilometers (62 miles) south of Cairo, Egypt, Saturday, Dec. 22, 2012.(AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)
An Egyptian woman casts her vote during the second round of a referendum on a disputed constitution drafted by Islamist supporters of President Mohammed Morsi in Fayoum, about 100 kilometers (62 miles) south of Cairo, Egypt, Saturday, Dec. 22, 2012.(AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)
Amnah Sayyed Moussa, 85, casts her vote for the second round of a referendum on a disputed constitution drafted by Islamist supporters of President Mohammed Morsi in Giza, Egypt, Saturday, Dec. 22, 2012. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)
Egyptian women voters queue outside a polling station during the second round of a referendum on a disputed constitution drafted by Islamist supporters of president Mohammed Morsi, in Giza, Egypt, Saturday, Dec. 22, 2012. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)
An Egyptian elderly man shows his inked finger after casting his vote on the second round of a referendum on a disputed constitution drafted by Islamist supporters of President Mohammed Morsi in Fayoum, about 100 kilometers (62 miles) south of Cairo , Egypt, Saturday, Dec. 22, 2012.(AP Photo/Khalil Hamra)
An Egyptian man votes while other voters perform the noon prayers at gymnasium hall used as a polling station during the second round of a referendum on a disputed constitution drafted by Islamist supporters of president Mohammed Morsi, in Giza, Egypt, Saturday, Dec. 22, 2012. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)
CAIRO (AP) ? Egypt's Islamist-backed constitution received a "yes" majority in a final round of voting on a referendum that saw a low voter turnout, but the deep divisions it has opened up threaten to fuel continued turmoil.
Passage is a victory for Islamist President Mohammed Morsi, but a costly one. The bruising battle over the past month stripped away hope that the long-awaited constitution would bring a national consensus on the path Egypt will take after shedding its autocratic ruler Hosni Mubarak nearly two years ago.
Instead, Morsi disillusioned many non-Islamists who had once backed him and has become more reliant on his core support in the Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamists. Hard-liners in his camp are determined to implement provisions for stricter rule by Islamic law in the charter, which is likely to further fuel divisions.
Saturday's voting in 17 of Egypt's 27 provinces was the second and final round of the referendum. Preliminary results released early Sunday by Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood showed that 71.4 percent of those who voted Saturday said "yes" after 95.5 percent of the ballots were counted. Only about eight million of the 25 million Egyptians eligible to vote ? a turnout of about 30 percent ? cast their ballots. The Brotherhood has accurately predicted election results in the past by tallying results provided by its representatives at polling centers.
In the first round of voting, about 56 percent said "yes" to the charter. The turnout then was about 32 percent.
The results of the two rounds mean the referendum was approved by about 63 percent.
Morsi's liberal and secular opposition now faces the task of trying to organize the significant portion of the population angered by what it sees as attempts by Morsi and the Brotherhood to gain a lock on political power. The main opposition group, the National Salvation Front, said it would now start rallying for elections for the lawmaking, lower house of parliament, expected early next year.
"We feel more empowered because of the referendum. We proved that at least we are half of society (that) doesn't approve of all this. We will build on it," the Front's spokesman, Khaled Daoud, said. Still, he said, there was "no appetite" at the moment for further street protests.
The new constitution would come into effect once official results are announced, expected in several days. When they are, Morsi is expected to call for the election of parliament's lawmaking, lower chamber no more than two months later.
In a sign of disarray in Morsi's administration, his vice president and ? possibly ? the central bank governor resigned during Saturday's voting. Vice President Mahmoud Mekki's resignation had been expected since his post is eliminated under the new constitution. But its hasty submission even before the charter has been sealed and his own resignation statement suggested it was linked to Morsi's policies.
"I have realized a while ago that the nature of politics don't suit my professional background as a judge," his resignation letter, read on state TV, said. Mekki said he had first submitted his resignation last month but events forced him to stay on.
The status of Central Bank Governor Farouq el-Oqdah was murkier. State TV first reported his resignation, then soon after reported the Cabinet denied he has stepped down in a possible sign of confusion. El-Oqdah, in his post since 2003, has reportedly been seeking to step down but the administration was trying to convince him to stay on.
The confusion over el-Oqdah's status comes at a time when the government is eager to show some stability in the economy as the Egyptian pound has been sliding and a much-needed $4.8 billion loan from the IMF has been postponed.
Over the past month, seven of Morsi's 17 top advisers and the one Christian among his top four aides resigned. Like Mekki, they said they had never been consulted in advance on any of the president's moves, including his Nov. 22 decrees, since rescinded, that granted himself near absolute powers.
Those decrees sparked large street protests by hundreds of thousands around the country, bringing counter-rallies by Islamists. The turmoil was further fueled with a Constituent Assembly almost entirely made up of Islamists finalized the constitution draft in the dead of night amid a boycott by liberals and Christians. Rallies turned violent. Brotherhood offices were attacked, and Islamists attacked an opposition sit-in outside the presidential palace in Cairo leading to clashes that left 10 dead.
The turmoil opened up a vein of bitterness that the polarizing constitution will do little to close. Morsi opponents accused him of seeking to create a new Mubarak-style autocracy. The Brotherhood accused his rivals of being former Mubarak officials trying to topple an elected president and return to power. Islamists branded opponents "infidels" and vowed they will never accept anything but "God's law" in Egypt.
Both rounds of voting saw claims by the opposition and rights groups of voting violations. On Saturday, they said violations ranged from polling stations opening late to Islamists seeking to influence voters to say "yes." The official MENA news agency said at least two judges have been removed for coercing voters to cast "yes" ballots.
The opposition's talk of now taking the contest to the parliamentary elections represented a shift in the conflict ? an implicit gamble that the opposition can try to compete under rules that the Islamists have set. The Brotherhood's electoral machine has been one of its strongest tools since Mubarak's fall, while liberal and secular parties have been divided and failed to create a grassroots network.
In the first post-Mubarak parliamentary elections last winter, the Brotherhood and ultraconservative Salafis won more than 70 percent of seats in the lower chamber, which was later dissolved by a court order. The opposition is now betting it can do better with the anger over Morsi's performance so far.
The schism in a country that has for decades seen its institutions function behind a facade of stability was on display in Saturday's lines of voters.
In the village of Ikhsas in the Giza countryside south of Cairo, an elderly man who voted "no" screamed in the polling station that the charter is "a Brotherhood constitution."
"We want a constitution in the interest of Egypt. We want a constitution that serves everyone, not just the Brotherhood. They can't keep fooling the people," Ali Hassan, a 68-year-old wearing traditional robes, said.
But others were drawn by the hope that a constitution would finally bring some stability after nearly two years of tumultuous transitional politics. There appeared to be a broad economic split, with many of the middle and upper classes rejecting the charter and the poor voting "yes" ? though the division was not always clear-cut.
In Ikhsas, Hassan Kamel, a 49-year-old day worker, said "We the poor will pay the price" of a no vote.
He dismissed the opposition leadership as elite and out of touch. "Show me an office for any of those parties that say no here in Ikhsas or south of Cairo. They are not connecting with people."
In the industrial working class district of Shubra El-Kheima just north of Cairo, women argued while waiting in line over the draft charter.
Samira Saad, a 55 year old housewife, said she wanted her five boys to find jobs.
"We want to get on with things and we want things to be better," she said.
Nahed Nessim, a Christian, questioned the integrity of the process. "There is a lot of corruption. My vote won't count." She was taken to task by Muslim women wearing the niqab, which blankets the entire body and leaves only the eyes visible and is worn by ultraconservative women.
"We have a president who fears God and memorizes His words. Why are we not giving him a chance until he stands on his feet?" said one of the women, Faiza Mehana, 48.
The promise of stability even drew one Christian woman in Fayoum, southwest of Cairo, to vote "yes" ? a break with most Christians nationwide who oppose the draft. Hanaa Zaki said she wanted an end to Egypt's deepening economic woes.
"I have a son who didn't get paid for the past six months. We have been in this crisis for so long and we are fed up," said Zaki, waiting in line along with bearded Muslim men and Muslim women wearing headscarves in Fayoum, a province that is home to both a large Christian community and a strong Islamist movement.
The scene In Giza's upscale Mohandiseen neighborhood was starkly different.
A group of 12 women speaking to each other in a mix of French, Arabic and English said they were all voting "no."
"It's not about Christian versus Muslim, it is Muslim Brotherhood versus everyone else," said one of them, Shahira Sadeq, a Christian physician.
Kamla el-Tantawi, 65, said she was voting "against what I'm seeing" ? and she gestured at a woman nearby wearing the niqab.
"I lose sleep thinking about my grandchildren and their future. They never saw the beautiful Egypt we did," she said, harkening back to a time decades ago when few women even wore headscarves covering their hair, much less the black niqab.
Many voters were under no illusions the turmoil would end.
"I don't trust the Brotherhood anymore and I don't trust the opposition either. We are forgotten, the most miserable and the first to suffer," said Azouz Ayesh, sitting with his neighbors as their cattle grazed in a nearby field in the Fayoum countryside.
He said a "yes" would bring stability and a "no" would mean no stability. But, he added, "I will vote against this constitution."
___
Associated Press writers Maggie Michael in Fayoum, Egypt, and Aya Batrawy, in Cairo, contributed to this report.
.
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Saturday, December 22, 2012
Tougher EU sanctions against Iran come into force
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Rigorous new sanctions against Iran's banking, shipping and industrial sectors took effect on Saturday, as part of the European Union's effort to force Tehran to scale back its nuclear program.
The sanctions, agreed in October, entered EU law with their publication in the European Union's Official Journal on Saturday.
The toughest EU measures yet, they include bans on financial transactions, sales to Iran of shipping equipment and steel, and imports of Iranian natural gas, adding to earlier bans, including on the OPEC producer's oil.
They reflect heightened concern over Iran's nuclear goals and Israeli threats to attack Iranian atomic installations if diplomacy and other measures fail to deliver a solution.
Diplomats say they hope talks with Iran can resume in January, but are waiting for an answer from Tehran, which maintains its nuclear program is for purely peaceful purposes.
In a statement, Britain's foreign office said there was a clear need "for an urgent solution".
"Iran's leaders know that sanctions are having a significant impact," Britain's Minister for the Middle East and North Africa Alistair Burt said.
"They should be in no doubt that the international community will keep up the pressure until they are ready to negotiate in good faith and take the concrete steps needed to convince the international community that they are not building a nuclear weapon."
The new sanctions mark a significant change of policy for the 27-member bloc, which previously sought mainly to target specific people and companies with economic restrictions.
It has lagged the United States in imposing blanket industry bans because it is anxious to avoid penalizing ordinary Iranian citizens, while punishing the Tehran government.
Sanctions have increasingly inflicted severe pain on the Iranian economy, although the country has years of experience of circumventing them by using front companies and tortuous shipping routes.
The new European measures make clear natural gas shipments are prohibited in any form and swapping, as opposed to simply buying, cargoes is also outlawed.
While imposing a general ban on financial transactions, they make exceptions for those involving humanitarian aid, food and medicine purchases and provisions for legitimate trade.
In a statement, the European Commission said the new law brought the number of entities subject to sanctions to 490 and the total number of persons to 105.
The latest companies added to the banned list include energy and steel distribution firms and financial companies.
The latest individual to be added is Babak Zanjani, owner of the Sorinet Group, based in the United Arab Emirates. He is referred to as "a key facilitator for Iranian oil deals and transferring oil-related money".
Iran says its nuclear project has only peaceful energy purposes and has refused in three rounds of talks since April to scale back its uranium enrichment activity unless major economic sanctions are rescinded.
(Editing by John Stonestreet)
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/tougher-eu-sanctions-against-iran-come-force-104036477.html
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Friday, December 21, 2012
GMC Transmissions Now Sold to the Public at GotTransmissions.com
GMC Transmissions are now sold to the public at GotTransmissions.com This used and rebuilt assembly retailer has added the General Motors builds to its inventory for direct sale to the public to make it easier to locate a transmission for affordable prices online.
Houston, Texas (PRWEB) December 21, 2012
GotTransmissions.com announces the inventory upgrade of its GMC transmissions. This new addition is now available for sale to the public. This new measure is designed to provide a quality assembly to an average vehicle owner that has few options to find a replacement gearbox online or offline. More information can be found at this link http://www.gottransmissions.com/blog/gmc-transmissions/gmc-transmission-4l65e.The GMC brand of vehicles uses many of the same parts that are used in the Chevrolet lineup. This includes the pickup trucks as well as the SUVs that are produced annually. The truck series is one of the biggest sellers for the GM company and many of the parts like the transmission are interchanged.
The new inventory addition at Got Transmissions is in response to the demand by vehicle owners to purchase from an established retailer without requiring a business license.
The same wear and tear that engines can have can be found on vehicle transmissions. The high mileage that used cars can have can directly affects the gear ratios, springs and electronic sensors that are now used for modern gearbox units. The used and rebuilt editions that are now sold serve as a replacement for high mileage units to help extend the useful life of a used vehicle.
A new online quote system was launched in the summer months to help expedite the pricing ritual that is required for auto parts. This new online form requires a series of mouse clicks to obtain a price, warranty terms and same day shipment information entirely online. This quote system is offered as an alternative to customers that still prefer to call the toll free company number.
A no cost shipping incentive has been included with the new GMC inventory upgrade. All in stock units are eligible for no cost freight if shipped within the 48 continental U.S. states. The news announcement for the integration of the no cost shipping incentive can be found at this link http://www.prweb.com/releases/used-transmissions/Ford-Chevy-Dodge-GM/prweb9423855.htm.
About Got Transmissions
First started online in 2007, Got Transmissions has served the auto parts industry for decades offline. By lowering its pricing and stocking foreign and domestic assemblies, this retailer has been able to expand into all 50 U.S. states. The offering of a complete parts warranty as well as no cost shipping has helped to attract the attention of average vehicle owners. Got Transmissions now sells its inventory to these buyers as well as those that are professionals in the automotive industry. New inventory additions and growth are expected during the 2013 year for this company.
Joey Burtiz
Got Transmissions
1-866-320-1182
Email Information
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/gmc-transmissions-now-sold-public-gottransmissions-com-050235564.html
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Research reveals new drug target urgently needed for tuberculosis therapy
Public release date: 20-Dec-2012[ | E-mail |
Share ] Contact: Gina Alvino
galvino@plos.org
Public Library of Science
4'-Phosphopantetheinyl Transferase PptT, a new drug target required for mycobacterium tuberculosis growth and persistence in vivo
One third of the world is infected with the bacterium that causes tuberculosis (TB), a disease that is increasingly difficult to treat because of wide spread resistance to available drugs. Researchers from the Institute of Pharmacology and Structural Biology (CNRS, Universit de Toulouse) in Toulouse (France) have identified a fresh target to develop new drugs for TB. The study, published in the Open Access journal PLOS Pathogens, shows why the target will be important in developing new TB treatments.
The deadliest form of human tuberculosis is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb). The burden of infection continues to increase and every year the world sees 8 million new cases and nearly 2 million deaths. TB, which occurs mostly in developing countries (including China, India and Brazil), drastically hinders economic growth. Current tuberculosis treatments are nearly 50 years old, take more than six months to complete and have many side effects, which makes it difficult for people to take the full course of drugs. The treatments have also become less effective because new bacterial strains are resistant to multiple drugs. There is an urgent need to find drugs with new modes of action that will shorten the duration of treatment, improve ways to fight drug-resistant tuberculosis and treat dormant infections to prevent them from later developing into full blown disease.
The cell envelope of M.tb has an unusually high content of substances called lipids which have unusual composition and are known to play an important role in the causing disease. The production of these disease causing lipids was known to be controlled by the action of a protein which is the enzyme PptT in M.tb.
In this study, the researchers found that production of PptT is needed for growth of M.tb in a culture dish. It is also needed for growth and survival of M.tb in a mouse, which serves as a model for human disease. These findings are the reasons why PptT should be a very good drug target and allow the development of new drugs against TB. The study has also developed a way to quickly test hundreds of thousands of chemical agents (aka drugs) that block the action of Ppt and growth of M.tb. This approach is important and has been used by drug companies to develop drugs to many human diseases.
###
FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE: C.L. is recipient of a fellowship from the French Minister of Teaching and Scientific Research. This work was supported by the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), the Fondation pour la Recherche Mdicale ("Equipe FRM" DEQ20090515399) and by European Structural Funds (FEDER) and the Rgion Midi-Pyrnes (CPER 2007-2013) for the scientific project and for the ASB3 animal facilities. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.
COMPETING INTERESTS: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
CITATION: Leblanc C, Prudhomme T, Tabouret G, Ray A, Burbaud S, et al. (2012) 4'-Phosphopantetheinyl Transferase PptT, a New Drug Target Required for Mycobacterium tuberculosis Growth and Persistence In Vivo. PLoS Pathog 8(12): e1003097. doi:10.1371/journal.ppat.1003097
Author contact:
Christian Chalut, Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale
33-5-61175473
E-mail: christian.chalut@ipbs.fr
PLOS Pathogens Contact:
Gina Alvino
(415) 568-3173
plospathogens@plos.org
Disclaimer
This press release refers to an upcoming article in PLOS Pathogens. The release is provided by the article authors. Any opinions expressed in these releases or articles are the personal views of the journal staff and/or article contributors, and do not necessarily represent the views or policies of PLOS. PLOS expressly disclaims any and all warranties and liability in connection with the information found in the releases and articles and your use of such information.
Media Permissions
PLOS Journals publish under a Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/), which permits free reuse of all materials published with the article, so long as the work is cited (e.g., Kaltenbach LS et al. (2007) Huntingtin Interacting Proteins Are Genetic Modifiers of Neurodegeneration. PLoS Genet 3(5): e82. doi:10.1371/journal.pgen.0030082). No prior permission is required from the authors or publisher. For queries about the license, please contact the relative journal contact indicated here: http://www.plos.org/about/media-inquiries/.
About PLOS Pathogens
PLOS Pathogens (www.plospathogens.org) publishes outstanding original articles that significantly advance the understanding of pathogens and how they interact with their host organisms. All works published in PLOS Pathogens are open access. Everything is immediately available subject only to the condition that the original authorship and source are properly attributed. Copyright is retained by the authors. The Public Library of Science uses the Creative Commons Attribution License.
About the Public Library of Science
The Public Library of Science (PLOS) is a non-profit organization of scientists and physicians committed to making the world's scientific and medical literature a freely available public resource. For more information, visit http://www.plos.org.
[ | 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.
Public release date: 20-Dec-2012[ | E-mail |
Share ] Contact: Gina Alvino
galvino@plos.org
Public Library of Science
4'-Phosphopantetheinyl Transferase PptT, a new drug target required for mycobacterium tuberculosis growth and persistence in vivo
One third of the world is infected with the bacterium that causes tuberculosis (TB), a disease that is increasingly difficult to treat because of wide spread resistance to available drugs. Researchers from the Institute of Pharmacology and Structural Biology (CNRS, Universit de Toulouse) in Toulouse (France) have identified a fresh target to develop new drugs for TB. The study, published in the Open Access journal PLOS Pathogens, shows why the target will be important in developing new TB treatments.
The deadliest form of human tuberculosis is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb). The burden of infection continues to increase and every year the world sees 8 million new cases and nearly 2 million deaths. TB, which occurs mostly in developing countries (including China, India and Brazil), drastically hinders economic growth. Current tuberculosis treatments are nearly 50 years old, take more than six months to complete and have many side effects, which makes it difficult for people to take the full course of drugs. The treatments have also become less effective because new bacterial strains are resistant to multiple drugs. There is an urgent need to find drugs with new modes of action that will shorten the duration of treatment, improve ways to fight drug-resistant tuberculosis and treat dormant infections to prevent them from later developing into full blown disease.
The cell envelope of M.tb has an unusually high content of substances called lipids which have unusual composition and are known to play an important role in the causing disease. The production of these disease causing lipids was known to be controlled by the action of a protein which is the enzyme PptT in M.tb.
In this study, the researchers found that production of PptT is needed for growth of M.tb in a culture dish. It is also needed for growth and survival of M.tb in a mouse, which serves as a model for human disease. These findings are the reasons why PptT should be a very good drug target and allow the development of new drugs against TB. The study has also developed a way to quickly test hundreds of thousands of chemical agents (aka drugs) that block the action of Ppt and growth of M.tb. This approach is important and has been used by drug companies to develop drugs to many human diseases.
###
FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE: C.L. is recipient of a fellowship from the French Minister of Teaching and Scientific Research. This work was supported by the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), the Fondation pour la Recherche Mdicale ("Equipe FRM" DEQ20090515399) and by European Structural Funds (FEDER) and the Rgion Midi-Pyrnes (CPER 2007-2013) for the scientific project and for the ASB3 animal facilities. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.
COMPETING INTERESTS: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
CITATION: Leblanc C, Prudhomme T, Tabouret G, Ray A, Burbaud S, et al. (2012) 4'-Phosphopantetheinyl Transferase PptT, a New Drug Target Required for Mycobacterium tuberculosis Growth and Persistence In Vivo. PLoS Pathog 8(12): e1003097. doi:10.1371/journal.ppat.1003097
Author contact:
Christian Chalut, Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale
33-5-61175473
E-mail: christian.chalut@ipbs.fr
PLOS Pathogens Contact:
Gina Alvino
(415) 568-3173
plospathogens@plos.org
Disclaimer
This press release refers to an upcoming article in PLOS Pathogens. The release is provided by the article authors. Any opinions expressed in these releases or articles are the personal views of the journal staff and/or article contributors, and do not necessarily represent the views or policies of PLOS. PLOS expressly disclaims any and all warranties and liability in connection with the information found in the releases and articles and your use of such information.
Media Permissions
PLOS Journals publish under a Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/), which permits free reuse of all materials published with the article, so long as the work is cited (e.g., Kaltenbach LS et al. (2007) Huntingtin Interacting Proteins Are Genetic Modifiers of Neurodegeneration. PLoS Genet 3(5): e82. doi:10.1371/journal.pgen.0030082). No prior permission is required from the authors or publisher. For queries about the license, please contact the relative journal contact indicated here: http://www.plos.org/about/media-inquiries/.
About PLOS Pathogens
PLOS Pathogens (www.plospathogens.org) publishes outstanding original articles that significantly advance the understanding of pathogens and how they interact with their host organisms. All works published in PLOS Pathogens are open access. Everything is immediately available subject only to the condition that the original authorship and source are properly attributed. Copyright is retained by the authors. The Public Library of Science uses the Creative Commons Attribution License.
About the Public Library of Science
The Public Library of Science (PLOS) is a non-profit organization of scientists and physicians committed to making the world's scientific and medical literature a freely available public resource. For more information, visit http://www.plos.org.
[ | 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/2012-12/plos-rrn121712.php
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