Sports are excellent, and engaging in it not only helps to reinvigorate the body but the mind as well. Indeed engaging in sports offers a lot of advantages. It can reduce stress and might often even help cure some types of illness. A lot of people nowadays are residing in a busy world and will work tirelessly to make money. It?s a good characteristic, but putting yourself into a lot of stress by operating too much might cause your body to break down. You should not only concentrate on building your job but you also need to become sports oriented and keep up with the needs of the physique and mind to become fit. You need to remember that tension can weaken the mind and physique. Exposing yourself to constant stress could avoid you from doing all of your daily routine. Actually when you watch a simple horse racing sport, your body encounters excitement and excitement like it would when you engage in it. It is important to unwind from time to time. Horseracing is a game that can provide a person that watches it a feeling like he?s actually the one riding on the horse. It?s a state that people get into if they want their bet to earn.
This type of game has been around since the ancient times and is still one of the most popular sports today. This kind of game has only already been used to entertain noble families, but now, the game can be watched by people of any kind of social status. This type of sports is so popular because it?s one of the games in which people are permitted to bet. It?s usually situated in a large stadium and can cater to thousands of family and friends. Many people particularly the rich ones, love to bet on their favourite horses and are usually following a system. They use a system that allows them to rule out fragile participants. The system helps them to slim down their choices and increase their probabilities of winning the game. Before the round begins, the bettor chooses his preferred horse; one that runs quick in any given terrain.
There are gambling stations in which gamblers may go to, if they want to wager on their favourite horse. The reason why horse racing in Australia is so well-liked by people is because the federal government created gambling lawful in this country. This type of betting game has been practiced before and is still used in this modern age.
Related:
The Racing Horse Game
A fun day at the track with the Racing Horse Game! Roll the dice to move the horses along the sliding wooden track. Whoever holds the cards that ma... Read More >
Tags: horse racing in Australia, horseracing
This entry was posted on Wednesday, September 26th, 2012 at 2:05 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.
Grieving pet owners have started warning other consumers with fliers, cards and posters about potentially dangerous chicken jerky treats from China. After the death of her German shepherd, one Illinois woman gathered 60,000 signatures demanding retailers stop selling the treats.
Some people love to complain about K-Cups—y'know, the single serving pods that produce a cup of coffee in seconds. Sure, they may be envirommentally wasteful, they might not make the best tasting cup of coffee, and a K-Cup costs more than an equivalent amount of coffee beans. But for some people, coffee is just a way to deliver caffeine, and for that, the K-Cup is a perfect solution. Making a K-cup is simple: add water, add the coffee pod, and press a button. Cleanup's even easier. Often, this kind of convenience is reserved for offices and schools, where time and tidiness are at a premium. But today, the Mr. Coffee Single Cup Brewer—which uses K-Cups—is 39% off at Amazon, which means you can still pick up a reusable K-Cup and still save money. Never again will you clean a french press full of grinds and have to decide whether they go in the trash or the sink. [Amazon] More »
Coronaviruses get their name from the crown-like tentacles that surround their rims.
BSIP/UIG via Getty Images
Coronaviruses get their name from the crown-like tentacles that surround their rims.
When an unknown virus emerges, disease detectives turn to gene sequencers ? not magnifying glasses ? to identify the culprit.
So when a new type of coronavirus killed a man in Saudia Arabia and hospitalized another in the U.K., investigators got cracking.
Both patients showed symptoms similar SARS. But thanks to fast and accurate gene sequencing, health officials quickly realized that this isn't SARS or even a known coronavirus that causes colds. Rather it's a totally new virus that needs to be handled with caution until more is known about it.
Yesterday scientists at Britain's Health Protection Agency partially decoded the new virus's genetic sequence. They've placed the virus on the family tree of coronaviruses. And even given the virus a temporary name, which I have to warn you is quite a mouthful: London1_novel CoV 2012.
The virus appears to be most closely related to a cluster of bat viruses, and "it is genetically very different than SARS," Ralph Baric, a microbiologist at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, tells Shots.
But the DNA sequence isn't just a tool for hanging the virus on the right branch of the family tree. It has helped health workers rapidly respond to the disease in ways they couldn't when SARS emerged in China in 2002.
? Courtesy of Health Protection Agency.
The new coronavirus has been tentatively named London1_novel CoV 2012. A small piece of its genome tells researchers how closely related the virus is to other known coronavirus, such as SARS.
With the new virus's DNA at their fingertips, health workers alerted the WHO about the potentially dangers of the virus just three weeks after the second patient showed symptoms.
With the SARS epidemic, it took over three months ? and hundreds of infected people ? before the WHO was contacted. That epidemic caused over 8,000 infections and killed nearly a thousand people.
This rapid detection of new viruses, Baric says, is due in part to a technology, called deep sequencing. The method allows scientists to differentiate closely related viruses and ones that are rapidly mutating. Deep sequencing decodes genes at a very high level of accuracy so even small changes are visible.
Since the SARS epidemic, virologists have used deep sequencing to discover dozens of new coronavirus in bats, badgers, birds and humans from around the world. They've built a family tree of coranviruses with these sequences showing how the viruses relate to each other.
When a new virus appears on the scene, like the London strain, scientists can quickly sequence it and figure out where it fits in. If it sits on top of a known pathogen, then doctors may have a good idea of how to counter it. If it's completely new, as in this case, health workers can alert the WHO and take extra precautions before it spreads.
The genetic code for the new coronavirus also gives doctors a tool for quickly finding new cases, Baric say. They can even go "back in time and see if the virus caused other strange respiratory illnesses over the past few months," Baric says.
"It is fairly common for doctors to keep samples from fatal respiratory cases," Baric says. Doctors can now sequence the samples and look for the new virus's genes.
Baric thinks these types of tools make deep sequencing "one of the most important advances in public health."
"There's tremendous expertise and capabilities for identifying and tracking new viruses" he says. "This is a huge public health advantage and it's been put in place [since the SARS epidemic] to protect the global health."
Baltimore Orioles starter Miguel Gonzalez delivers a pitch against the Toronto Blue Jays during the second inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2012, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Baltimore Orioles starter Miguel Gonzalez delivers a pitch against the Toronto Blue Jays during the second inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2012, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Toronto Blue Jays center fielder Colby Rasmus reaches in vain for a home run by Baltimore Orioles' Nate McLouth during the first inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2012, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
BALTIMORE (AP) ? After losing two straight games to Toronto, the Baltimore Orioles broke out the big bats.
The Orioles tied a team record by with seven home runs to rout the Blue Jays 12-2 and stay within 1? games of the AL East lead.
Chris Davis and Manny Machado each connected twice and the Orioles remained close to the division-leading New York Yankees, who won 8-2 in Minnesota.
Nate McLouth hit a leadoff shot in the first inning and Jim Thome and Mark Reynolds also homered. Baltimore has hit seven home runs three times, most recently on Aug. 26, 1985.
"Home runs are very unique, and when you do what we did tonight, it's something to be proud of. It's something that doesn't happen a whole lot in the game," Thome said.
Thome's home run was the 612th of his career and the first he's hit at home for the Orioles.
"Up and down the lineup, everyone swung the bat well. It's been fun," Thome said.
Davis finished with a career-high five RBIs to help the Orioles split a four-game series with the last-place Blue Jays.
"This was a tough series. It was one of those ones that you don't want to see at the end of the season coming in off a long road trip," Davis said.
"I think if you'd have told us a few months ago that we'd be a game-and-a-half out with six games left, I think you'd be pretty happy with that."
Beginning Friday, the Orioles have three games with Boston at home and three at Tampa Bay.
"We just got through playing Boston and we played them well. Obviously, the three in Tampa are going to be tough, but we're at a point where we still have a chance, so that's all you can ask for," Davis said.
The Orioles trailed 2-1 heading into the bottom of the fifth before hitting three home runs.
Thome led off with his third homer since joining the Orioles. With two outs, Machado hit his fifth of the year for a 3-2 Baltimore lead. All of Machado's home runs have come at home, and his drive was the Orioles' 200th homer of the year.
Davis' three-run drive gave the Orioles a five-run inning and finished Carlos Villanueva (7-7).
Villanueva equaled a career high by giving up four home runs.
"Those mistakes I made, they hit them with authority. They put the power stroke on them and made me pay for them," Villanueva said.
Machado and Thome are the first AL teammates to hit home runs in the same inning with an age difference of more than 20 years, according to home run historian David Vincent.
Thome is 42 and Machado is 20 ? Thome's major league career began 10 months before Machado was born.
"That's crazy," Machado said. "It's a pretty good stat. I remember when I used to watch (Thome) play when I was a little kid. Now to hit a home run in the same inning he did, just feels great."
Davis hit his second home run in the seventh. On Aug. 24, he hit three home runs against the Blue Jays, also in a game started by Villanueva. He has 28 home runs.
Reynolds hit his 23rd homer in the sixth and Machado added a two-run shot in the eighth.
Miguel Gonzalez (8-4) allowed two runs and five hits in seven innings. He allowed Edwin Encarnacion's 42nd home run with two outs in the top of the first.
With one out in the fifth, J.P. Arencibia, who went 7 for 9 in the four-game series, doubled and scored on Anthony Gose's single.
NOTES: Orioles LHP Randy Wolf was put on the 60-day disabled list with a torn ligament in his left elbow. Baltimore purchased the contract of INF-OF Bill Hall from Triple-A Norfolk. Hall will provide outfield help while Lew Ford is out with a groin injury. ... Deion Sanders, in town for Thursday's NFL Network game between the Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens, took batting practice with the Orioles before the game. Sanders, who played nine years in the majors, was an outfielder for Baltimore manager Buck Showalter in the minors while in the Yankees' organization. ... The Orioles are off Thursday and begin a three-game series with Boston on Friday. Baltimore RHP Chris Tillman (8-2, 3.08 ERA) faces Red Sox RHP Aaron Cook (4-10, 5.13). ... On Thursday, Toronto hosts New York to begin a four-game series. Blue Jays RHP Brandon Morrow (8-7, 3.28) faces Yankees RHP Ivan Nova (12-7, 4.94).
ATLANTA (AP) ? Chipper Jones would love nothing more than to end his stellar career as a champion, and the Atlanta Braves are doing their best to help the retiring third baseman attain that goal.
When Jones led off the bottom of the ninth inning Tuesday night with a double, his teammates were hardly surprised.
"Chipper's last year ? it couldn't be a better story," catcher Brian McCann said. "We were all saying that he's going to do something special."
The switch-hitter did just that, knocking Mike Dunn's 95 mph fastball to the opposite field in right-center and stirring the excitement at Turner Field. Freddie Freeman, the next batter, followed with a two-run homer that gave the Braves a 4-3 victory over the Miami Marlins and sent Atlanta back to the playoffs.
The wild finish began a celebration as Freeman's drive off Dunn clinched at least a National League wild-card berth ? a major turnaround for a club that squandered a big lead in the wild-card race last year with a huge September collapse.
Jones, the longtime star who plans to retire at the end of the season, took a simple approach as he stepped into the batter's box against Dunn, a former Atlanta teammate.
"I knew in the ninth inning what I've got to do," Jones said. "I had to split the gap perfectly."
Most of the announced crowd of 25,632 stood for Jones' ninth-inning at-bat. The fans roared when he pulled into second base standing up, and they cheered louder when a wild pitch by Dunn (0-3) advanced him to third.
When Freeman's 22nd homer easily cleared the wall in center field, an entire year of frustration seemed to vanish.
"For us to win this game right now, 2012 has come full circle," Freeman said. "It's a great moment for this team, but we've still got a long ways to go because we're not done with the division yet."
This year, Atlanta cruised most of the way and wrapped up a postseason spot with more than a week to spare.
And the Braves still have a chance to catch first-place Washington in the NL East. They moved within four games of the Nationals, who lost to Philadelphia 6-3, with eight games remaining.
Atlanta hasn't won the NL East since 2005, the last of their 14 consecutive division titles under former manager Bobby Cox.
"We've still got a chance to win some more games and maybe something else," second-year skipper Fredi Gonzalez said. "I know it's going to be a difficult task, but we're going to keep going."
Craig Kimbrel (3-1) worked a scoreless ninth inning to help the Braves win their 22nd straight game started by Kris Medlen. The streak is the longest in the majors since the Yankees won 22 consecutive games started by Whitey Ford in 1950 and '53.
Returning to the postseason helps wipe away some of last season's frustration for the Braves, who blew an 8?-game lead in the wild-card standings by going 9-18 in September. They missed the playoffs after one of the biggest collapses in baseball history.
Four of the five NL playoff spots are secured. In addition to Atlanta, Washington, Cincinnati and San Francisco have all punched their tickets to the postseason.
The second-place Braves have a comfortable cushion in the wild-card race, and St. Louis leads the chase for the league's second wild card.
The Braves, who will return to the postseason for the first time since 2010, have relied on Kimbrel, an emerging Cy Young candidate, while other youngsters like Jason Heyward and Freeman have emerged as productive everyday players.
Leadoff hitter Michael Bourn struggled in the second half, but still ranks third in the majors with 39 stolen bases.
Medlen and Minor helped stabilize a rotation that was hurt by Brandon Beachy's season-ending injury and inconsistent performances from Tommy Hanson.
Jones went 1 for 2 with two runs and a sacrifice fly. He is batting .296 and has 14 homers with 63 RBIs. His leadership has been unmistakable in a season that included a final All-Star appearance.
The Braves tied it 1-all in the second when Jones walked, moved to second on Freeman's single and scored on Dan Uggla's single.
After Martin Prado's two-out triple in the third, Marlins starter Nathan Eovaldi struck out Heyward, but Heyward tripled with one out in the sixth and scored on Jones' sacrifice fly to give the Braves a 2-1 lead.
Eovaldi was trying to win for the first time in six starts. He allowed four hits, two runs and two walks in six innings with eight strikeouts.
A.J. Ramos got the first two outs for Miami in the seventh before Dan Jennings struck out pinch-hitter Jeff Baker with a runner on first. Heath Bell faced the minimum in the eighth for the Marlins, and Eric O'Flaherty did the same in the bottom half of the inning for Atlanta.
Donovan Solano hit his first career homer in the second to make it 1-0 and followed with a two-run shot in the seventh to make it 3-2.
Medlen did not win for the first time in nine starts, allowing five hits, three runs, no walks while striking out eight. The right-hander began the game with a 15-0 record over his last 27 starts dating to May 31, 2009.
Those numbers, however, held little weight considering how the ninth inning dramatically unfolded.
"We knew last year was a fluke," Jones said. "They took the attitude last year to try and hang on. This year we took the bull by the horns. We're shooting for the stars. We're still shooting for the division until they close us out."
URMC geneticists verify cholesterol-cancer link Public release date: 13-Sep-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Leslie Orr Leslie_Orr@urmc.rochester.edu University of Rochester Medical Center
University of Rochester Medical Center scientists discovered new genetic evidence linking cholesterol and cancer, raising the possibility that cholesterol medications could be useful in the future for cancer prevention or to augment existing cancer treatment.
The data, published in the online journal Cell Reports, support several recent population-based studies that suggest individuals who take cholesterol-lowering drugs may have a reduced risk of cancer, and, conversely that individuals with the highest levels of cholesterol seem to have an elevated risk of cancer.
The cancer-cholesterol question has been debated since the early 20th century, and along with it doctors and scientists have observed various trends and associations. However, until now genetic evidence directly linking cholesterol and malignancy has been lacking, said senior author Hartmut (Hucky) Land, Ph.D., Robert and Dorothy Markin Professor and chair, Department of Biomedical Genetics, and director of research and co-director of the James P. Wilmot Cancer Center at URMC.
"Scientifically it is very satisfying to have data that support longstanding ideas about cholesterol in the context of cancer," Land said. "Our paper provides a rationale for cholesterol targeting as a potentially fruitful approach to cancer intervention or prevention strategies."
Cholesterol is a fat-like substance supplied in foods and made in cells throughout the body. Too much cholesterol is bad for the heart and vascular system. It is typically measured as serum cholesterol by routine blood tests.
Unlike serum cholesterol that is bound to proteins, however, cholesterol also hides inside cells. While locked inside cell membranes before it is eventually exported, cholesterol has an impact on cell growth and survival. A gene, known as ABCA1, is at the crossroads of the process that shuttles intracellular cholesterol outbound.
Several years ago while conducting unrelated experiments that were published in the journal Nature, Land and colleagues first noticed the importance of ABCA1. At that time, they identified a network of approximately 100 so-called "cooperation response genes" that mediate the action of cancer genes. ABCA1 was found among these genes and is frequently turned off in presence of other mutant cancer genes.
In the latest investigation, Land and co-author Bradley Smith, Ph.D., a post-doctoral fellow in the Land lab, wanted to further understand the role of ABCA1 and cholesterol in cancer. They found that defective cholesterol exportation appears to be a key component in a variety of cancers.
The proper function of ABCA1, in fact, is critical for sensing of cell stress. If ABCA1 function is lost in cancer cells, cholesterol is allowed to build up in the cells' mitochondria, or energy centers, making their membranes more rigid. This in turn inhibits the function of cell-death triggers that normally become activated in response to cell stresses, as for example cancer gene activation. Therefore, when functioning properly ABCA1 has anti-cancer activity in the sense that by keeping mitochondrial cholesterol low it protects the functioning of cellular stress response systems and acts as a barrier to tumor formation and progression.
Smith and Land also demonstrated that some of the relatively rare ABCA1 mutations found in human colon cancers by other investigators disabled the gene's ability to export cholesterol. And by re-establishing the cholesterol export function in human colon cancer cells, they inhibited the cells' ability to grow as cancers when grafted onto mice.
The URMC study, therefore, is the first to directly show how ABCA1 loss-of-function and cholesterol may play a role in cancer.
Millions of Americans take cholesterol-lowering drugs or statins, as prescribed by physicians. The drugs work by blocking the action of key enzymes in the liver, which synthesizes cholesterol. Clinical trials also are evaluating statins as a tool against cancer, and some previous studies suggest that when used in combination with chemotherapy, statins might make chemotherapy more effective by sensitizing certain cancer cells to chemotherapy-induced cell death.
Land, however, urges caution and further study. Doctors do not know the appropriate statin dose for cancer prevention or treatment of cancer-related conditions. Side effects cannot be ignored either, and little research has distinguished between the responses among people who take statins.
"The link between cholesterol and cancer is clear," Land said, "but it's premature to say that statins are the answer."
###
The National Institutes of Health grants CA90663, CA120317 and CA138249 funded the research.
[ | 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.
URMC geneticists verify cholesterol-cancer link Public release date: 13-Sep-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Leslie Orr Leslie_Orr@urmc.rochester.edu University of Rochester Medical Center
University of Rochester Medical Center scientists discovered new genetic evidence linking cholesterol and cancer, raising the possibility that cholesterol medications could be useful in the future for cancer prevention or to augment existing cancer treatment.
The data, published in the online journal Cell Reports, support several recent population-based studies that suggest individuals who take cholesterol-lowering drugs may have a reduced risk of cancer, and, conversely that individuals with the highest levels of cholesterol seem to have an elevated risk of cancer.
The cancer-cholesterol question has been debated since the early 20th century, and along with it doctors and scientists have observed various trends and associations. However, until now genetic evidence directly linking cholesterol and malignancy has been lacking, said senior author Hartmut (Hucky) Land, Ph.D., Robert and Dorothy Markin Professor and chair, Department of Biomedical Genetics, and director of research and co-director of the James P. Wilmot Cancer Center at URMC.
"Scientifically it is very satisfying to have data that support longstanding ideas about cholesterol in the context of cancer," Land said. "Our paper provides a rationale for cholesterol targeting as a potentially fruitful approach to cancer intervention or prevention strategies."
Cholesterol is a fat-like substance supplied in foods and made in cells throughout the body. Too much cholesterol is bad for the heart and vascular system. It is typically measured as serum cholesterol by routine blood tests.
Unlike serum cholesterol that is bound to proteins, however, cholesterol also hides inside cells. While locked inside cell membranes before it is eventually exported, cholesterol has an impact on cell growth and survival. A gene, known as ABCA1, is at the crossroads of the process that shuttles intracellular cholesterol outbound.
Several years ago while conducting unrelated experiments that were published in the journal Nature, Land and colleagues first noticed the importance of ABCA1. At that time, they identified a network of approximately 100 so-called "cooperation response genes" that mediate the action of cancer genes. ABCA1 was found among these genes and is frequently turned off in presence of other mutant cancer genes.
In the latest investigation, Land and co-author Bradley Smith, Ph.D., a post-doctoral fellow in the Land lab, wanted to further understand the role of ABCA1 and cholesterol in cancer. They found that defective cholesterol exportation appears to be a key component in a variety of cancers.
The proper function of ABCA1, in fact, is critical for sensing of cell stress. If ABCA1 function is lost in cancer cells, cholesterol is allowed to build up in the cells' mitochondria, or energy centers, making their membranes more rigid. This in turn inhibits the function of cell-death triggers that normally become activated in response to cell stresses, as for example cancer gene activation. Therefore, when functioning properly ABCA1 has anti-cancer activity in the sense that by keeping mitochondrial cholesterol low it protects the functioning of cellular stress response systems and acts as a barrier to tumor formation and progression.
Smith and Land also demonstrated that some of the relatively rare ABCA1 mutations found in human colon cancers by other investigators disabled the gene's ability to export cholesterol. And by re-establishing the cholesterol export function in human colon cancer cells, they inhibited the cells' ability to grow as cancers when grafted onto mice.
The URMC study, therefore, is the first to directly show how ABCA1 loss-of-function and cholesterol may play a role in cancer.
Millions of Americans take cholesterol-lowering drugs or statins, as prescribed by physicians. The drugs work by blocking the action of key enzymes in the liver, which synthesizes cholesterol. Clinical trials also are evaluating statins as a tool against cancer, and some previous studies suggest that when used in combination with chemotherapy, statins might make chemotherapy more effective by sensitizing certain cancer cells to chemotherapy-induced cell death.
Land, however, urges caution and further study. Doctors do not know the appropriate statin dose for cancer prevention or treatment of cancer-related conditions. Side effects cannot be ignored either, and little research has distinguished between the responses among people who take statins.
"The link between cholesterol and cancer is clear," Land said, "but it's premature to say that statins are the answer."
###
The National Institutes of Health grants CA90663, CA120317 and CA138249 funded the research.
[ | 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.
After fighters in the main and co-main events were forced Tuesday to withdraw from UFC 153 with injuries, only one thing remained certain: UFC president Dana White will, under no circumstances, postpone the card scheduled for Oct. 13 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Other than that, though, little is known about what will happen to the pay-per-view card after featherweight champion Jose Aldo (ankle) and ex-light heavyweight champion Quinton "Rampage" Jackson (elbow) were forced to pull out.
Aldo was originally scheduled to headline against Erik Koch at UFC 148 in Calgary on July 21, but had to pull out of that fight with an injury. Then, last week, Koch was injured and had to pull out of UFC 153. The UFC replaced him with former lightweight champion Frankie Edgar.
The Aldo-Edgar fight added a lot of sizzle to the top of the card, which also included a highly anticipated light heavyweight match between Jackson and the highly regarded Glover Teixeira.
A report surfaced later Tuesday on a Brazilian website quoting Aldo as saying he wasn't injured and would still fight.
I do not know anything about that.?I'm fine, I just train. No [the accident didn't hamper my training], I'm training normal. For me there was nothing spoken. Even on one leg I would fight.
A UFC spokeswoman returned a call for White. She said that Aldo had been told to keep quiet about his injury until the UFC could make a determination about what to do and that Aldo was unaware White released the news. She said he was just following orders when he denied being off the card.
White said Tuesday during a brief stop at the Yahoo! Sports offices in Santa Monica, Calif., that he had just learned of the news and didn't have anything to announce.
The only thing to be sure of is that he will under no circumstances cancel this card.
A human skeleton with a cleaved skull discovered beneath a parking lot in England may belong to King Richard III, researchers announced Wednesday, though they have a long way to go in analyzing the bones to determine the identity.
The researchers note they are not saying they have found King Richard III's remains, but that they are moving into the next phase of their search, from the field to the laboratory.
"We are clearly very excited, but the university now must subject the findings to rigorous analysis. DNA analysis will take up to 12 weeks," Richard Taylor, the director of corporate affairs at the University of Leicester, told reporters this morning, as recorded in a Twitter tweet.
Science news from NBCNews.com
New, colorful monkey species discovered
A shy, brightly colored monkey species has been found living in the lush rain forests at the heart of the Democratic Republic of Congo, a find that utterly surprised the researchers who came upon it.
How Facebook friends get out the vote
Battle-scarred skeleton may be King Richard III
Help wanted: Bigfoot researcher
The remains were hidden within the choir of a medieval church known as Greyfriars, where the English monarch was thought to be buried. Though the location of this church had been lost, historical records suggested that Richard III was buried there upon his death in battle in 1485.
Two skeletons were discovered: A female skeleton that was broken apart at the joints was found in what is believed to be the presbytery of the lost church. The other skeleton, which appears to be an adult male, was found in the church choir and shows signs of trauma to the skull and back before death, which would be consistent with a battle injury, the researchers said. [See images of the Richard III discoveries]
"A bladed implement appears to have cleaved part of the rear of the skull," according to a University of Leicester statement.
In addition, a barbed metal arrowhead was lodged between the vertebrae of the male skeleton's upper back, Taylor said, adding that the spinal abnormalities suggest the individual had severe scoliosis, though was not a hunchback, as he was portrayed by Shakespeare in the play of the king's name.
Even so, the scoliosis seen in the skeleton would've made the man's right shoulder appear visibly higher than the left one. "This is consistent with contemporary accounts of Richard?s appearance," according to the university statement.
University of Leicester archaeologists began excavating the parking lot of the Leicester City Council building on Aug. 25, in search of the church and the king's remains. Since then, they have turned up the Franciscan friary, a 17th-century garden thought to hold a memorial to the king and various other artifacts.
On Aug. 31, the dig team applied to the Ministry of Justice for permission to begin exhuming the two skeletons, a process that began on Sept. 4.
"We are hopeful that we will recover DNA from the skeleton," University of Leicester geneticist Turi King said at the briefing, as recorded in a tweet by the university.
The king's tales King Richard III ruled England two years, from 1483 to 1485, before dying in the Battle of Bosworth Field, part of the War of the Roses, an English civil war between the House of Lancaster and the House of York.
A century later, William Shakespeare penned "Richard III," a play about the tragic king ? the last English king to die in battle.
The king seemed to have his own following. "Richard III is a charismatic figure who attracts tremendous interest, partly because he has been so much maligned in past centuries, and partly because he occupies a pivotal place in English history," Philippa Langley, a representative of the Richard III Society, said in a statement.
"The continuing interest in Richard means that many fables have grown up around his grave," Langley added. For instance, one far-fetched tale described his bones being thrown into the Soar River. [The Science of Death: 10 Tales from the Crypt]
"Other fables, equally discredited, claimed that his coffin was used as a horse-trough," Langley said.
On Sept. 7, the archaeologists announced they had found medieval paving stones that may belong to a garden built in tribute to the king by Robert Herrick, a mayor of Leicester. The garden, and a mansion, was supposedly built over the church where Richard III was buried. In 1612, Christopher Wren, father of the famous architect, recorded seeing a 3-foot (1-meter) stone pillar in Herrick's garden memorializing the king. The pillar held the inscription: "Here lies the body of Richard III sometime King of England."
The bones will now undergo laboratory analyses, including DNA tests, which will be led by University of Leicester geneticist Turi King. The results could then be compared to those of a direct descendant of Richard's sister, who was uncovered by John Ashdown-Hill, author of "The Last Days of Richard III." From those remains, scientists have mitochondrial DNA, or the DNA inside the cell's energy-making structures, which gets passed down only by mothers.
Follow LiveScience on Twitter @livescience. We're also on Facebook and Google+.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Regulators warned L'Oreal SA, the world's biggest cosmetics group, to stop advertising skincare products using language that makes them sound like drugs. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Lancome USA, a L'Oreal unit, claimed some of its skin creams could "boost the activity of genes" or "stimulate cell regeneration" to reduce signs of aging. Any product that is intended to affect the structure or function of the human body is classified as a drug, the FDA said, according to a warning letter posted on its website on Tuesday. ...
The first final injury report of the season has been issued, complete with labels regarding a player?s anticipated availability (or lack thereof) for Sunday.
It can be boring, dry, repetitive reading.? (That sums up 41.5 percent of the stories I post.)? So we have read it for you, and here are the things you need to know as the teams that have yet to play prepare to go 1-0 or 0-1 or, in theory, 0-0-1.? (Hopefully Donovan remembers that last one is possible when he starts his new TV gig.)
OK, now it?s time for the numbers.
1.? The Texans initially shrugged off a sore knee that knocked running back Arian Foster out of practice on Thursday.? He missed practice again on Friday, and he?s listed as questionable.? (He says he?ll play, but the team says he?s a game-time decision.)? Given the quality of the opponent (sorry, Miami fans), the Texans are better off resting Foster and leaning on Ben Tate.
2.? Listed as questionable, Vikings running back Adrian Peterson is expected to play, despite a torn ACL suffered on December 24.? The team is expected to make a final decision by Saturday morning.
3.? Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher, listed as probable with a lingering knee problem, continues to insist that he?ll play ? even though he admits he?s not up to speed.? He fully participated in practice on Friday after sitting out on Thursday.
4.? Julio Jones and/or Roddy White could have a big day at Arrowhead.? Chiefs cornerback Brandon Flowers is questionable with a foot injury; he?s been limited in practice all week.? Also questionable is Flowers? backup, Jalil Brown, who has a groin injury.? And starting safety Kendrick Lewis is doubtful with a shoulder injury.
5.? Bills receiver Stevie Johnson has said he?s 90 percent with a groin injury, but he?s officially questionable.? Which will make it harder for him to get separation from Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis.
6.? An ankle injury won?t keep Jaguars rookie receiver Justin Blackmon from making his NFL debut.? He?s listed as probable.
7.? Jets tight end Dustin Keller is questionable with a hamstring injury suffered in the preseason.? Running back Joe McKnight is probable with the same injury, but he reportedly has lost his third-down job to Bilal Powell.
8.? Panthers receiver Steve Smith will play, not long after being on crutches due to a foot infection.? Running back Jonathan Stewart is questionable with an ankle injury that has kept him out of practice all week.
9.? Despite being listed as questionable with a knee injury, Bucs receiver Arrelious Benn fully participated in practice all week.
10.? Andrew Luck could be down a couple of targets.? Colts receiver Austin Collie?s latest concussion has him listed as questionable.? (He said Thursday there?s no timetable for his return.)? Rookie wideout T.Y. Hilton is also questionable, with a bad shoulder.
11.? With running back Shane Vereen scratched, it could be the Stevan Ridley Show for the Pats on Sunday in Nashville, especially with one Tennessee starting defensive tackle (Sen?Derrick Marks, knee)? doubtful and the other starter (Jurrell Casey, elbow) questionable.
12.? The most surprising name on the Eagles? injury report is the name that isn?t.? Mike Vick, after taking only 12 snaps in the preseason, is perfectly healthy.
13.? The fact that Browns running back Trent Richardson (knee) is questionable may not matter if/when the Eagles establish a 14-point lead and Cleveland is forced to throw.
14.? The Steelers want to run the ball more under offensive coordinator Todd Haley; it?ll be hard to do that with Rashard Mendenhall (knee, doubtful), Baron Batch (groin, questionable), and Isaac Redman (probable, ankle) all banged up.? (Chris Rainey, are you ready?)
15.? With Ted Ginn questionable due to an ankle injury, receiver Kyle Williams will be returning punts ? again ? on Sunday.? (Just don?t ask about the last time he returned punts.)
16.? Seahawks rookie quarterback Russell Wilson won?t have receiver Golden Tate to throw to; he?s out with a knee injury.? Running back Marshawn Lynch is questionable with back spasms.? Rookie Robert Turbin could get plenty of reps.
17.? Cardinals running back Beanie Wells appeared on the injury report out of nowhere Friday with a hamstring injury.? Which means that Ryan Williams should get plenty of chances to justify his round-two pedigree.
18.? The Lions blamed poor performances from the secondary late last year on injuries.? They can do it again on Sunday, with cornerback Chris Houston (ankle) and safety Louis Delmas (knee) doubtful.? (If the Rams actually had some receivers, that would be a big deal.)
19.? The Saints signed receiver Marques Colston to a big contract in the offseason, but a foot injury could keep him from earning it in Week One.? He?s questionable.
20.? I really don?t have anything else.? I just felt like I shouldn?t end it with 19.
Cairo, Egypt / 5 September, 2012 11:15 PM OCI Fertilizer Group Selects Iowa for its New US$ 1.4 Billion Greenfield Nitrogen Fertilizer Plant in the United States Orascom Construction Industries (OCI) announced today that its wholly owned subsidiary Iowa Fertilizer Company (IFCo) will build a new greenfield nitrogen fertilizer production plant in southeast Iowa to supply customers in the U.S. corn belt. The new plant will be located in Wever, within Lee County near the Mississippi River. Iowa is the top corn producing state in the United States and has the highest use of nitrogen-based fertilizer in the nation. IFCo's new plant will be the first world scale natural gas-based fertilizer plant built in the United States in nearly 25 years and will help reduce the country's dependence on imported fertilizers which exceeds 15 million metric tons of ammonia, urea, and urea ammonium nitrate (UAN) annually. IFCo's new plant will utilize proven state-of-the-art production process technologies from world leaders. Kellogg Brown & Root LLC (KBR), Maire Tecnimont Stamicarbon (Tecnimont), and ThyssenKrupp Uhde (Uhde) have been selected to supply the process technologies for the plant which will produce between 1.5 - 2 million metric tons per year of ammonia, urea, urea ammonium nitrate (UAN) as well as diesel exhaust fluid (DEF)(1), an environmentally-friendly fluid used to reduce emissions in diesel engines. Construction work on the plant is scheduled to begin later this year and will be completed by mid 2015. The total investment cost is estimated to be US$ 1.4 billion and will be funded with a combination of equity and a tax-exempt bond issuance. The Iowa Finance Authority (IFA) has authorized IFCo to access bonding capacity under its private activity tax-exempt Midwestern Disaster Area bond program. In addition, the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) board unanimously approved a comprehensive state financial incentive package expected to provide state tax relief in the order of US$ 100 million. The Iowa Department of Transportation (IDOT) board will also consider financial assistance for project-related public infrastructure improvements. The state of Iowa Governor, Terry Branstad, commented "I am pleased to welcome OCI to Iowa. Their project is the largest investment ever made in our state. The Iowa Fertilizer Company will bring high-paying permanent jobs to Lee County and will create approximately 2,500 construction jobs over the next three years. We believe this major capital investment will help invigorate economic development in an area of the state which has previously experienced significant challenges. We look forward to working closely with OCI and its management to ensure the successful completion of their project." (1) Diesel Exhaust Fluid or AdBlue as it is known in Europe is an aqueous urea solution used in Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) to lower nitrogen oxide (NOx) from diesel engines. DEF is non-hazardous and consists of 67.5% de-ionized water and 32.5% urea. The product is sprayed into the exhaust and combines with a catalyst to break down NOx into nitrogen and water. Stringent environmental regulations introduced in recent years have resulted in substantial use of DEF in Europe and Japan and increased adoption in the US and Canadian markets. OCI Chief Executive Officer, Nassef Sawiris, commented "OCI is pleased to have selected the state of Iowa for its North American expansion and is looking forward to helping bring permanent jobs and significant economic activity to Lee County and the state. Iowa Fertilizer Company is well-positioned to supply nitrogen-based fertilizer products to farmers in the corn belt and help reduce their substantial reliance on annual imports of fertilizer into the country. We intend to expand our presence in the United States and most recently agreed to acquire the Weitz Company, an Iowa-based construction company, which will play a major role in the construction of our new fertilizer plant." About Orascom Construction Industries OCI is one of Egypt's largest corporations employing more than 72,000 people in 35 countries around the globe. The OCI Fertilizer Group owns and operates nitrogen fertilizer plants in Egypt, the Netherlands, the United States, and Algeria and has an international distribution platform spanning from the Americas to Asia. The OCI Fertilizer Group ranks among the world's top fertilizer producers with a production capacity which will exceed 70 million metric tons in 2012. The OCI Construction Group provides international engineering and construction services primarily on infrastructure, industrial and high-end commercial projects in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa for public and private clients. The OCI Construction Group ranks among the world's top global contractors. For additional information contact: For additional information on OCI: OCI Investor Relations Department: www.orascomci.com Omar Darwazah OCI stock symbols: OCIC.CA / OCIC EY / Email: OCICqL / ORSD / ORSCY omar.darwazah@orascomci.com Erika Wakid Orascom Construction Industries (OCI) Email: Nile City Towers - South Tower erika.wakid@orascomci.com 2005A Corniche El Nil Cairo, Egypt Hassan Badrawi Director Tel: +202 2461 1036/0727/0917 Fax: +202 2461 9409 This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange END
Amazon has made the jump from small to big screens with its e-readers in the past, and its now done so again with its tablets. The company has just announced a new Kindle Fire HD with an 8.9-inch, 1920 x 1200 display (or 254 ppi). The device itself measures 8.8mm thick and weighs in at 20 ounces, and that high-res screen has a polarizing filter on it that promises to cut down on glare -- the touch sensor is also laminated, which Amazon says offers better sharpness and contrast. As for internals, the Fire HD 8.9 (as Amazon has distinguished it) has a TI OMAP 4470 processor, dual speakers, a front-facing HD camera, and HDMI out. As the company is happy to point out, it's also the first tablet with dual-band (2.4GHz, 5GHz) MIMO technology, which Amazon says makes the device's WiFi 41 percent faster than the latest iPad. Look for it to run you $299 for the 16GB version when it starts shipping on November 20th. Those looking for some added connectivity will also be able to opt for a Kindle Fire HD with 4G LTE for $499 (also shipping November 20th). That buys you 32GB of storage instead of the standard 16GB (a 64GB option is also available), and you'll get 250MB of data per month from AT&T if you shell out an extra $50 a year.
But that's not all, Amazon has also announced a smaller, 7-inch Kindle Fire HD that will run you just $199 (also for 16GB). It boasts most of the same specs as its larger counterpart, the big exception being the screen resolution -- you'll get 1280 x 800 here, which puts it on par with the Nexus 7. According to Amazon, you can expect 11 hours of battery life from the 7-inch model, but it's curiously not offering battery details on the Fire HD 8.9. Pre-orders for all three options start today.
Apple Inc. is tight-lipped about its new next-generation smartphone though various sections of the media have been speculating about it and even gone to the extent of naming it as 'iPhone 5', making it difficult to believe the media reports on the product or just take them as just rumours. Call it a fake or real but a video claiming to be that of Apple's much-talked-about new iPhone has hit the net.
The video came after a couple of websites published pictures claiming to be engineering photos of the new iPhone. Interestingly, the alleged leaked photos and video suggest same features.
According to Vgooo.com, a person who visited a friend at Foxconn park is located in Jincheng, accidentally found the assembled iphone 5 engineering machine and got its photos and videos. He said that the new iPhone is longer than iPhone 4, slimmer and has a 4-inch screen.
The video uploaded on YouTube gives a clear picture of the the new iPhone, as it is been shown along with iPhone 4.
Earlier, tech site GottaBeMobile carried the metal iPhone 5 design sample claiming that a trusted source inside the Apple supply chain in China gave the information.?
Follow us
iPhone 5 is slightly taller and slimmer than iPhone 4 thought the width is same, reported GottaBeMobile. According to the site, iPhone 5 is 120mm tall compared iPhone 4S' 115.2mm, which means it has bigger screen display.
A French website called nowhereelse.fr also published a set of photos and a video claiming to be that of the much-anticipated smartphone iPhone 5.?
It reported that the new iPhone will be announced on September 12 and hit the stores ten days later.?Pricedekho.com reported that it would arrive India either in October or November and is expected to be priced ?45,000 approximately.
According to rumours, iPhone 5 will feature a 4-inch Retina display, an A5X Variant chip, 1GB RAM, iOS 6, 4G LTE technology, Near Field Communication (NFC) technology, improved Siri, liquidmetal casing, an 8 megapixel (or even higher) rear camera, a 2 megapixel front-facing camera for video chatting and a much-improved battery life.
ScienceDaily (Sep. 5, 2012) ? Will the tiger go the way of the passenger pigeon or be saved from extinction like the American bison?
The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) today released a list of Asian species that are at a conservation crossroads calling for governments to take immediate action with The Three R's Approach: Recognition, Responsibility, Recovery.
The list includes: the tiger, orangutans, Mekong giant catfish, Asian rhinos, Asian giant river turtles, and Asian vultures. The announcement was made at the IUCN's World Conservation Congress convening in Jeju, South Korea through Sept. 13.
WCS says that each species can follow the path of the passenger pigeon, which went extinct in the early 20th century, or the bison, which was saved using the 'three R's' approach. In the case of the bison, which was decimated by overhunting, its plight was recognized, responsibility was taken, and recovery resulted with more than 30,000 wild individuals in existence today. WCS was directly involved in saving the bison by breeding animals in the Bronx Zoo and working with partners to reintroduce them into protected areas in the early 1900s.
"As in the United States, it will not be the species themselves deciding which fork to take, but actions of humans using the three R's: recognition, responsibility and recovery -- recognizing the problem, taking responsibility for solving it, and putting species back on the path to recovery," said WCS President and CEO Dr. Cristi?n Samper.
Though each Asian species on the list faces daunting challenges from a variety of factors including habitat loss, and illegal hunting and trade, WCS believes that Asian governments have the ability -- and financial means -- to turn the tide on extinction.
The tiger is an example of a species that could be going the way of the bison, at least in some locations, according to WCS. India took responsibility for the tiger when it announced Project Tiger in 1972. By doing so it sent a clear message that the fate of the wild tiger was in its hands and India alone would be held accountable for their future. This almost unprecedented commitment led to one of the few examples of a major Asian species undertaking a sustained recovery. Today, while problems and challenges remain, India remains committed to ensuring that tigers are conserved effectively within its boundaries. Similarly, in the Western Forest Complex in Thailand, the Thai Government is taking responsibility for protecting its tigers by taking bold steps to overcome the poaching pressures.
Other species, such as the orangutan, face a bleaker future with widespread conversion of its habitat into palm oil plantations that have decimated wild populations. Asian rhinos and giant river turtles face relentless poaching pressure for the illegal wildlife trade, while Asian vultures have been nearly wiped out due to poisoning. Mekong giant catfish numbers have plummeted due to overfishing
WCS warns that time is running out for Asia's wildlife, noting that two large mammal species -- the kouprey, a type of wild cattle once found in Southeast Asia, and a Chinese freshwater dolphin species called a baiji -- have gone extinct.
Share this story on Facebook, Twitter, and Google:
Other social bookmarking and sharing tools:
Story Source:
The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Wildlife Conservation Society, via Newswise.
Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.
Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.
Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.
The Racing Horse Game
![[ Back to EurekAlert! ]](http://www.eurekalert.org/images/back2e.gif){kind=small}
Public release date: 13-Sep-2012
Share ] 
After fighters in the main and co-main events were forced Tuesday to withdraw from UFC 153 with injuries, only one thing remained certain: UFC president Dana White will, under no circumstances, postpone the card scheduled for 
