Wednesday, June 26, 2013

House panel subpoenas officials in Benghazi probe

WASHINGTON (AP) ? The chairman of the House Oversight Committee has subpoenaed four State Department officials as part of the panel's investigation of the deadly assault on the U.S. diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya, last year.

Republican Rep. Darrell Issa said in a statement and letter to Secretary of State John Kerry on Monday that delays in scheduling interviews with the officials were taking too long and he had no choice.

Four Americans, including Ambassador Chris Stevens, died in the Sept. 11, 2012, attack. Republicans have accused the Obama administration of misleading the public about the cause of the attack, playing down terrorism in the heat of the presidential election.

Issa issued subpoenas for officials involved in diplomatic security.

Democrats have criticized the House Republican efforts as politically motivated.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/house-panel-subpoenas-officials-benghazi-probe-002808314.html

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Monday, April 29, 2013

Today Is Virgin Galactic's First Rocket-Powered Test Flight

Earlier this month, Virgin Chairman Richard Branson announced at the launch of Virgin America's new route through Newark that his other flying endeavor would be hitting a huge milestone this month: Its first rocket-powered test flight.

From the looks of Virgin Galactic and Branson's Twitter feeds this morning, it looks like that time has come.

In late February, Virgin successfully tested the very rocket that would power its first rocket-powered test flight.

While neither account has specified that this test is, in fact, of the rocket-powered variety, Galactic PR did confirm to me earlier this month that the test would take place before the end of the month and, well, it's the end of the month. Not to mention all the buzz on Twitter from various Virgin groups and notable individuals, I think it's safe to say that this is the day the whole team at Galactic and space traveling enthusiasts have been looking forward to for some time.

Updating...

Looks like SS2 has been released but still no mention of a rocket being fired.

Scratch that. Here we go!

And she's back on the ground. We'll update with images and videos as soon as they become available.

There she is.

Pilots Stucky and Alsbury confirm that SpaceShipTwo broke the speed of sound on its test flight. Still waiting on official images and videos.

Well, this is rather interesting. Today's test touched on many a milestone for Virgin Galactic, but I didn't know that a commercial vehicle had never broken Mach 1.

As it turns out, Galactic is not, in fact, the first commercial vehicle to break Mach 1, it's just the first commercial spaceship to do so.

And here's your first shot of SpaceShipTwo firing its rocket.

Here's another shot of SS2. This is epic.

Source: http://gizmodo.com/today-might-be-virgin-galactics-first-rocket-powered-t-484341889

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Zach Braff's Kickstarter Passes $2 Million Goal

By Eddie Wright Well that was easy. Zach Braff's Kickstarter campaign for his "Garden State" follow-up "I Wish I Were Here" has cruised past its goal of $2 million after less than a week. Braff took to Twitter to thank his supporters saying, "Dear Fans, I cannot believe your unbelievable support for WIWH. I wish [...]

Source: http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2013/04/29/zach-braffs-kickstarter-passes-goal/

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Planting time for cold-weather crops

CLEVELAND - You look out your window at the bare ground. Your garden is waiting.

What are you waiting for? Gardening season has begun across northern Ohio, so get out your shovels and start digging.

Northern Ohio sits in what the US Department of Agriculture calls Hardiness Zone 5. It means that winter temperatures don't often get below -15 degrees F. For the vegetable gardener, it means most garden crops can't be planted until April or May.

April is the perfect time to plant those vegetable crops that don't like the heat of summer. Crops like potatoes can be planted as early as St. Patrick's Day and likewise for peas and onions. April is perfect weather to sow radish seeds.

Your local garden center already has flats of broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage. These plants also do best in the cooler weather of spring.

As for the tomatoes and peppers, wait a few more weeks. They need warmer ground to thrive. It?s usually safe to plant these out in the garden around May 20. Cucumbers, beans and corn also need the warmer temperatures of May?and June to thrive.

So, here's your checklist of vegetables and the optimum time to plant them outside here in Zone 5 northern Ohio:

March to early April: Potatoes, peas, onions.

Mid to late April: Cauliflower, collards, kohlrabi, cabbage, broccoli, radishes, lettuce, beets, spinach.

Late April to early May: Bush beans

Mid to late May: Pole beans, corn, cucumber, tomatoes, peppers, squash, watermelon, cantaloupe, lima beans.

Copyright 2013 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Source: http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/weather/weather_news/Planting-time-in-northern-Ohio-time-to-sow-cold-weather-crops-like-potatoes-and-onions

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Sunday, April 28, 2013

CA-BUSINESS Summary

TSX slides as mining, energy issues stumble

TORONTO (Reuters) - Canada's main stock market finished lower on Friday as natural resource stocks slumped and market sentiment soured following U.S. economic growth data that fell short of expectations. U.S. gross domestic product expanded at a 2.5 percent rate, an increase from the fourth quarter's dismal 0.4 percent pace but shy of the 3 percent growth analysts were hoping for. The weaker-than-expected data in Canada's biggest trading partner weighed on Canadian stocks.

Ethiopian Airlines first to fly 787 Dreamliner since grounding

ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) - Ethiopian Airlines on Saturday became the world's first carrier to resume flying Boeing Co's 787 Dreamliner passenger jets, landing the first commercial flight since the global fleet was grounded three months ago following incidents of overheating in the batteries providing auxiliary power. The flight from Addis Ababa to Nairobi was the first since regulators grounded all Dreamliners on January 16 after two lithium-ion battery meltdowns that occurred on two jets with other airlines within two weeks that month.

Italian court rejects Nomura seizure order: sources

SIENA, Italy (Reuters) - An Italian judge has rejected an order to seize around 1.8 billion euros ($2.3 billion) of assets from Nomura as part of a probe into suspected fraud involving troubled lender Monte dei Paschi di Siena , legal sources said on Saturday. Assets worth 140 million euros that were already seized from the Japanese bank have been released under the judge's ruling, which was made on Friday, the judicial source said.

Drug maker Valeant in talks on $13 billion Actavis buy: source

(Reuters) - Canada's largest listed drug maker, Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc , is in talks to buy generic drugmaker Actavis Inc for more than $13 billion, a person familiar with the situation told Reuters on Friday night. It is not clear how advanced the discussions are and a deal could still fall through, said the source, who declined to be identified because they are not allowed to speak to the media.

Vodafone investors want bigger bid or full takeover by Verizon

LONDON (Reuters) - Six major Vodafone investors said $100 billion was not enough for the British company's stake in its U.S. joint venture with Verizon Communications , and urged the latter to come up with an offer of at least $120 billion. Their comments followed a Reuters report on Wednesday that Verizon had hired advisers to prepare a possible $100 billion bid to buy Vodafone's 45 percent stake in their Verizon Wireless joint venture, likely to be structured as a roughly 50:50 cash and stock bid.

Renault hopes to have approval for Chinese plant by summer: CEO

PARIS (Reuters) - Renault-Nissan hopes to receive final approval from Beijing by the summer to build its first Renault plant in China, Chief Executive Carlos Ghosn said on Saturday. Ghosn had said last month he expected final government approval for the plant by the end of the year.

Volkswagen committed to European plants: CEO

VIENNA (Reuters) - German carmaker Volkswagen will keep its plants in Europe despite weak markets in the region that will require flexible manufacturing and could entail cuts to temporary staff, Chief Executive Martin Winterkorn said. Winterkorn had told shareholders in Europe's top carmaker on Thursday to brace for a tough year given faltering European consumer demand that is punishing the sector.

Boeing ready to build seven Dreamliners a month by mid-year

TOKYO (Reuters) - Boeing Co said on Saturday it is ready to build seven 787 Dreamliners a month from mid-year and is still on course for 10 per month by the end of the year. On Friday, Japanese authorities gave Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways the green light to fly the grounded Dreamliner following U.S. approval.

TransCanada sees Keystone XL delayed till second-half 2015

CALGARY, Alberta (Reuters) - TransCanada Corp , Canada's No. 2 pipeline company, said on Friday the long wait for U.S. government approval of its controversial Keystone XL project will further delay completion of the pipeline and push its cost above the company's $5.3 billion estimate. TransCanada, which reported a 27 percent rise in first-quarter profit on Friday, is waiting for the Obama administration to issue a presidential permit for construction of the line, which is designed to carry 830,000 barrels a day of Canadian and U.S. crude oil to refineries on the Gulf of Mexico coast.

Exclusive: Brazil's Vale says signs accord to quit Argentine Potash project

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - Global miner Vale SA signed an agreement with the Argentine government on Friday that will allow the Brazilian company to leave the $6 billion Rio Colorado potash mining project, a company spokeswoman told Reuters on Friday. The agreement could put an end to months of uncertainty for Vale , which suspended work on the fertilizer project in December and announced its intention to pull out in March.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ca-business-summary-000259603.html

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Austerity-weary Iceland votes in national election

REYKJAVIK, Iceland (AP) ? Five years after Iceland's economy imploded, austerity-weary voters looked set Saturday to return the parties widely blamed for the disaster to power.

Polls showed the Progressive and Independence parties, who are promising to ease Icelanders' economic pain, leading the Social Democrat-led coalition that has spent the last four years trying to pick up the pieces after the crash.

Iceland's economic recovery has been hard and uneven, and many voters are fed up.

"I think that Icelanders are craving change. The last government failed to lead us out of the economic crisis in the way people liked," said Svavar Bjorgvinsson, owner of a computer games company.

He said many voters were swayed by the center-right parties' promises of tax cuts and mortgage relief.

"Many people that have been struggling will give these parties their vote as they are seeing some light in the end of the tunnel," he said.

A shift to the right in Saturday's parliamentary election would likely shelve Iceland's plans to join the European Union, with which it has begun accession talks. Both Progressives and Independents oppose joining the 27-nation bloc.

Progressive Party chief Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson and Independence Party leader Bjarni Benediktsson are the two most likely candidates for prime minister under the system of proportional representation used for elections to Iceland's 63-seat parliament, the Althingi.

The two parties governed Iceland for several decades, often in coalition, overseeing economic liberalization that spurred a banking and business boom ? until Iceland's economy crashed spectacularly during the 2008 credit crisis.

A volcano-dotted North Atlantic nation with a population of just 320,000, Iceland went from economic wunderkind to financial basket case almost overnight when its main commercial banks collapsed within a week of one another.

The value of the country's currency plummeted, while inflation and unemployment soared. Iceland was forced to seek bailouts from Europe and the International Monetary Fund.

Despite being widely blamed for the meltdown, the Independents and Progressives say they are now best placed to lead the economic recovery.

The Progressives are promising to write off some mortgage debt, taking money from foreign creditors. Benediktsson's Independence Party is offering lower taxes and the lifting of capital controls that he says are hindering foreign investment.

"We believe we can do a lot for indebted households, but our plan is not to do only that" Benediktsson said after casting his vote in a Reykjavik suburb.

"I think the only way out of the economic difficulties we've had is growing the economy, and we need to create new jobs, start new investments and we have a very strong plan to start doing that tomorrow."

Whatever the outcome, 70-year-old outgoing Prime Minister Johanna Sigurdardottir has said she will retire from politics after the election. Iceland's first female ? and first openly gay ? prime minister, she was elected as head of a center-left alliance in 2009 on a wave of public disgust at the previous administration.

Since then, Iceland has in many ways made a strong recovery. Unemployment has fallen and the economy is growing.

But inflation remains naggingly high, and many Icelanders still struggle to repay home and car loans they took out ? often in foreign currencies whose value soared after the crash ? in the years of easy credit.

Some accuse the government of caving in to international pressure to compensate Britain and the Netherlands for their citizens' lost deposits in the failed online bank Icesave. Icelanders have twice rejected repayment deals agreed to by Sigurdardottir's government.

"The government that many people thought was cleaning up the mess is getting severely punished for the last four years," said journalist and political analyst Egill Helgason. "I don't know whether they deserve it. In many ways I think not. But this is politics ? cruel."

Some voters say the outgoing government did as good a job as could be expected.

"We cannot forget that everything collapsed here and still health care, schools and society in general functions better than in most countries", said Jon Gunnar Bjornsson, an operations manager of one of Iceland's new, post-crisis banks.

"We still retain ownership of hospitals, the road system and the utility companies. I'm not sure we could have expected more.

"But still people are unhappy and want someone to take their debt away and shower them with golden fairy dust."

Polls close at 2200GMT (6 p.m. EDT), with full results expected early Sunday.

___

Lawless reported from London. Associated Press writer David Mac Dougall in Reykjavik contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/austerity-weary-iceland-votes-national-election-092545562.html

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Saturday, April 27, 2013

Congress moving toward quick fix to flight delays

By Richard Cowan and Doug Palmer

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate moved quickly late on Thursday to end air traffic controller furloughs that were causing widespread airline flight delays related to last month's automatic federal spending cuts.

Without any debate, the Senate unanimously passed legislation giving the Department of Transportation flexibility to use unspent funds to cover the costs of air traffic controllers and other essential employees at the Federal Aviation Administration.

The House of Representatives, which is expected to approve the measure, could take it up on Friday, capping a feverish effort by Congress to end the flight delays that were snarling traffic at major U.S. airports and angering travelers.

Some Senate aides said the measure would also give the FAA flexibility to keep open nearly 150 "contract towers" at smaller airports that are staffed by non-FAA employees who help control takeoffs and landings.

Explicit language to keep open those towers was not included in the measure, however, according to the aides, and it was not clear how the agency would handle the matter.

"I'm delighted that the Senate has just passed a bipartisan bill to resolve a serious problem confronting the American traveling public and our economy," said Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine, one of a handful of senators who wrote the legislation.

The bill moved with lightning speed in the Senate where legislation often bogs down for weeks or months. It was passed after a day of furious negotiations between lawmakers and the Obama administration.

The bill, if passed by the House, would close another chapter in a series of Washington battles over budget and taxes that have been waged since 2011.

The cause of the air traffic controller furloughs was the controversial "sequestration" that took effect on March 1, requiring across-the-board spending cuts among most federal agencies. With those cuts starting to bite, a public backlash prompted Congress to reconsider, and fully fund high-profile FAA operations.

Lawmakers are eager to fix the air travel problem before they head out of town for next week's congressional recess. They are concerned about deepening public resentment over the delays caused by the furloughs of controllers.

Democratic Senator Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia, who also negotiated the legislation, applauded its quick passage, but added, "It does nothing for other essential government operations and employees that also desperately need relief."

ANGRY TRAVELERS

Airline passengers have grown increasingly irritated over the past week with delays at major hubs like Chicago, New York, Los Angeles and Atlanta. Some have reported delays of several hours in takeoff times and planes being put in holding patterns in the air. Many pilots blame furloughs for landing delays.

The National Air Traffic Controllers Association said on Thursday that many of the 1,978 controller trainees were now working full shifts by themselves to help cover staffing shortages.

Airline executives had ratcheted up their complaints. "This is government not working - capital letters, exclamation point - when we're sitting here holding the traveling public hostage in the midst of sequestration," JetBlue Chief Executive Dave Barger said on a conference call on Thursday.

The FAA has said it had no alternative to furloughing controllers this week after Congress failed to come up with a budget deal that would have averted the $85 billion in across-the-board federal spending cuts between March 1 and September 30.

At the same time, the FAA has emphasized that passenger safety is not at risk. Airlines for America, the trade organization for U.S. airlines, also said on Thursday the furloughs had not created a safety issue.

While Republicans joined the effort for a quick fix, many were skeptical about whether the White House and FAA were taking advantage of flexibility they already had.

Republicans have accused the Obama administration of maximizing the disruptions to try to shift budget blame on Republicans, an allegation the administration has denied. Republicans have created a Twitter hashtag, #Obamaflightdelays, for people to complain about the delays.

House Oversight Committee Chairman Darrell Issa, a California Republican, and House Transportation Committee Chairman Bill Shuster, a Pennsylvania Republican, sent a letter on Thursday to Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood asking for internal documents discussing budget flexibilities. The Department of Transportation said it was reviewing the request.

But a congressional aide involved in the original automatic spending cut legislation that was enacted in August 2011 told Reuters the administration could not under current law shift money from outside accounts to fund the air traffic controller account.

SEQUESTRATION FALLOUT

Without the legislation, the FAA said it would have to furlough 47,000 employees for up to 11 days through September 30 in order to save $637 million that is required by the sequestration.

Of those 47,000 workers, almost 15,000 are full-time air traffic controllers or trainees.

The FAA issued an update that said more than 863 delays in the system on Wednesday were attributable to staffing reductions resulting from the furloughs.

An additional 2,132 delays were attributed to weather and other factors, the FAA said. The agency said it would work with airlines to minimize delays.

Airlines, many of which are reporting earnings this week, have pushed the government to quickly ease the flight delays caused by the furloughs.

Jeff Smisek, chairman and chief executive of United Continental Holdings Inc, said his company's network operations center was working around the clock to minimize the impact of fewer controllers.

"We are disappointed that the FAA chose this path, that maximizes customer disruptions and damage to airlines instead of choosing a less disruptive method to comply with the budget obligations," Smisek said on a conference call.

The proposal being weighed would not spare other agencies and federal programs from the across-the-board reductions.

(Reporting by Richard Cowan; Additional reporting by Doug Palmer, Thomas Ferraro, David Lawder, Karen Jacobs and Nivedita Bhattacharjee; Writing by Karey Van Hall; Editing by Cynthia Osterman and Peter Cooney)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/congress-moving-toward-quick-fix-flight-delays-000258160.html

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Friday, April 26, 2013

Senate passes bill to ease FAA furloughs

(AP) ? With flight delays mounting, the Senate approved hurry-up legislation Thursday night to end air traffic controller furloughs blamed for inconveniencing large numbers of travelers.

A House vote on the measure was expected as early as Friday, with lawmakers eager to embark on a weeklong vacation.

Under the legislation, the Federal Aviation Administration would gain authority to transfer up to $253 million from accounts that are flush into other programs, to "prevent reduced operations and staffing" through the Sept. 30 end of the fiscal year.

In addition to restoring full staffing by controllers, Senate officials said the available funds should be ample enough to prevent the closure of small airport towers around the country. The FAA has said it will shut the facilities as it makes its share of $85 billion in across-the-board spending cuts that took effect last month at numerous government agencies.

The Senate acted as the FAA said there had been at least 863 flights delayed on Wednesday "attributable to staffing reductions resulting from the furlough."

There was no immediate reaction at the White House, although administration officials participated in the negotiations that led to the deal and evidently registered no objections.

Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, a key participant in the talks, said the legislation would "prevent what otherwise would have been intolerable delays in the air travel system, inconveniencing travelers and hurting the economy."

Senate approval followed several hours of pressure-filled, closed-door negotiations, and came after most senators had departed the Capitol on the assumption that the talks had fallen short.

Officials said a small group of senators insisted on a last-ditch effort at an agreement before Congress adjourned for a vacation that could have become politically problematic if the flight delays continued.

"I want to do it right now. There are other senators you'd have to ask what the hang-up is," Sen. Mark Udall, D-Colo., said at a point when it appeared no compromise would emerge.

For the White House and Senate Democrats, the discussions on legislation relating to one relatively small slice of the $85 billion in spending cuts marked a shift in position in a long-running struggle with Republicans over budget issues. Similarly, the turn of events marked at least modest vindication of a decision by the House GOP last winter to finesse some budget struggles in order to focus public attention on the across-the-board cuts in hopes they would gain leverage over President Barack Obama.

The Professional Aviation Safety Specialists, a union that represents FAA employees, reported a number of incidents it said were due to the furloughs.

In one case, it said several flights headed for Long Island MacArthur Airport in New York were diverted on Wednesday when a piece of equipment failed. "While the policy for this equipment is immediate restoral, due to sequestration and furloughs it was changed to next-day restoral," the union said.

It added it was "learning of additional impacts nationwide, including open watches, increased restoration times, delays resulting from insufficient funding for parts and equipment, modernization delays, missed or deferred preventative maintenance, and reduced redundancy."

The airlines, too, were pressing Congress to restore the FAA to full staffing.

In an interview Wednesday, Robert Isom, chief operations officer of US Airways, likened the furloughs to a "wildcat regulatory action."

He added, "In the airline business, you try to eliminate uncertainty. Some factors you can't control, like weather. It (the FAA issue) is worse than the weather."

In a shift, first the White House and then senior Democratic lawmakers have signaled a willingness in the past two days to support legislation that alleviates the budget crunch at the FAA, while leaving the balance of the $85 billion to remain in effect.

Obama favors a comprehensive agreement that replaces the entire $85 billion in across-the-board cuts as part of a broader deficit-reduction deal that includes higher taxes and spending cuts.

One Senate Democrat, Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, noted that without the type of comprehensive deficit deal that Obama favors, a bill that eases the spending crunch at the FAA would inevitably be followed by other single-issue measures. She listed funding at the National Institutes of Health as one example, and cuts that cause furloughs of civilians who work at military hospitals as a second.

At the same time, Democratic aides said resolve had crumbled under the weight of widespread delays for the traveling public and pressure from the airlines.

Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., involved in the discussions, said the issue was big enough so "most people want to find a solution as long as it doesn't spend any more money."

Officials estimate it would cost slightly more than $200 million to restore air traffic controllers to full staffing, and another $50 million to keep open smaller air traffic towers around the country that the FAA has proposed closing.

Across the Capitol, the chairman of the House Transportation Committee, Rep. Bill Shuster, R-Pa., said, "We're willing to look at what the Senate's going to propose."

He said he believes the FAA has the authority it needs under existing law to shift funds and end the furloughs of air traffic controllers, and any legislation should be "very, very limited" and direct the agency to use the flexibility it already has.

In a reflection of the political undercurrents, another House Republican, Rep. James Lankford of Oklahoma, said FAA employees "are being used as pawns by this (Obama) administration to be able to implement the maximum amount of pain on the American people when it does not have to be this way."

The White House and congressional Democrats vociferously dispute such claims.

___

Associated Press writers Joan Lowy, Henry C. Jackson and Alan Fram in Washington and David Koenig in Dallas contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2013-04-25-FAA-Furloughs/id-8d58bdd932e7459eac9f100d6252cd53

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Bush 43: 'History will ultimately judge ... I'm a content man' (CNN)

Share With Friends: Share on FacebookTweet ThisPost to Google-BuzzSend on GmailPost to Linked-InSubscribe to This Feed | Rss To Twitter | Politics - Top Stories Stories, News Feeds and News via Feedzilla.

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Letters to the Editor for April 26, 2013 | Baker City Herald | Baker ...


I?m supporting Richard McKim for school board

The election for school board position 4 is upon us.? There are several candidates. I believe Richard McKim is the most outstanding candidate and deserves my vote and yours. Richard is highly qualified and comes from a family line of school board members.? Please mark your ballot for Richard McKim.

Virginia Kostol

Baker City

Two votes for Cassidy, McKim for school board

Kevin Cassidy and Richard McKim will get our votes for Baker School District 5J board of directors.

They each have a child in the Baker schools. They are very concerned with the quality of education for our students. They have no hidden agendas. We are very pleased that they will devote their time and energy to improve and enrich the education of our young people.

John and Frances Burgess

Baker City

U.S. action on climate change is essential

On April 10 the idea that ?If the U.S. shows leadership (on climate change) other nations will follow? was scoffed at because the majority of the poor world will not be able to act and it is expensive. Apparently since big poor nations can?t act, we should dismiss the issue too. The idea that the United States should not spend money on solving a global issue we created is terribly myopic.

I offer one reason why U.S. leadership can make a difference. Publicly funded American research provides affordable and often life-saving tools the entire world enjoys routinely. In fact, publicly funded research and engineering projects are a hallmark of American prosperity. Examples include the Panama Canal, modern hydroelectric and nuclear electricity, the space program, the Internet, and the human genome project. These assets paid for by the American taxpayer, continue to pay dividends today the world over. Even the extraction of the very oil that causes climate change is subsidized!?

Public funding for renewable energy is an essential investment that already offers exportable technology poorer nations cannot replicate. Technological solutions researched by America will become cheaper and more enticing once the legwork has been done. We are still known as an innovation economy. There are riches to be made and a planet to be saved in this endeavor. In this ever-changing society, I find it odd that the technologies that threaten our long-term prosperity are the same technologies that we hold so dear.

When ecosystems can no longer provide the necessary water and air filtration, food and natural resources we are accustomed to, we will see economic collapse. I urge the reader to trust the science which has long been in. Energy and emission solutions are a responsibility that comes with the privilege to exhaust an entire planet?s worth of cheap energy in 200 years. This is not a political issue, but one of equity. We are right to be concerned about our children and grandchildren. But their economic problems will stem from ecological and environmental deficits, not simply monetary ones.

Eric Layton

Baker City

Source: http://www.bakercityherald.com/Letters/Letters-to-the-Editor-for-April-26-2013

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Selig: MLB won't interrupt season for Olympics

NEW YORK (AP) ? Major League Baseball won't change its schedule to boost the sport's chances of getting back into the Olympics.

Baseball was an Olympic medal sport from 1992-2008, then was dropped for last year's London Games. IOC President Jacques Rogge says baseball should make its top athletes available, as they are in basketball and hockey.

"Look, we can't stop our season in August. We just can't," baseball Commissioner Bud Selig told the Associated Press Sports Editors on Thursday. "You can't say to your fans: 'We'll see you in the next period of time. You're club loses some players but yours doesn't.'"

The IOC board meets next month to select one or more sports for consideration by September's IOC general assembly. In an effort to boost the chance of readmission for 2020, the international baseball and softball federations are merging.

Some have suggested major leaguers could play in the Olympics during an extended All-Star break. Selig was clear that MLB's schedule will not be interrupted, and that weather made an earlier start or later ending impossible.

"Do I wish I could? Yes," he said. "But is it practical? No."

The sport launched its own international event in 2006, the World Baseball Classic. The first two tournaments were won by Japan, and the Dominican Republic took this year's title last month.

Many top American pitchers didn't play for their national team, including David Price, Justin Verlander, Jered Weaver, Clayton Kershaw and Matt Cain. Some clubs were reluctant to have their players participate.

"They just didn't want to take a chance," Selig said. "And frankly, if I were running a club, I wouldn't either."

He does hope to add another international competition.

"My ultimate goal, I hope I live long enough to see it, is a true World Series," he said. "We have a ways to go."

On another international matter, Selig would like to institute a worldwide amateur draft for 2014. Under baseball's labor contract, MLB must notify the players' association by June 1 of its intent to start an international draft for next year, and the union would have until June 15 to veto it.

"We met with the players' association last week, had extended conversations on the topic," said Rob Manfred, an MLB executive vice president. "I think it's within the realm of the possible that we will have an agreement by June 1."

Union head Michael Weiner responded in an email to The Associated Press: "We have begun discussion, but I wouldn't prejudge the results."

Selig expects MLB executive vice president Joe Torre and his committee to make a proposal on expanded video review by umpires for 2014 when owners meet in New York on May 8-9. Selig does not plan on trying to make the NL use the designated hitter, which was adopted by the AL for the 1973 season.

"I'm going to leave things the way they are. And I do not think it's bad for baseball," he said.

Now 78, Selig once again insisted he will not accept a new contract when his current term expires in December 2014. He became acting commissioner in 1992 and said he would never take the job permanently, then did in 1998. After signing each of his previous extensions, Selig said he planned to retire when it concluded. He changed his mind in 2006 again in 2009, signing a deal that took him through 2012. In January 2012, he accepted a deal adding another two years.

"Done on Dec. 31, 2014. I'll assure you of that," he said.

He wouldn't commit to resolving the dispute between Oakland and San Francisco on the Athletics' desire to build ballpark in San Jose, which is part of the Giants' territory. Selig established a committee in March 2009 but wouldn't commit to a resolution while he's commissioner.

"Time will tell. I'm not going to set a time limit," he said. "We're in intense discussions with all the relevant parties."

The dispute appears to be in the same situation as Pete Rose's application for reinstatement. After agreeing to a lifetime ban in 1989 following an investigation of his gambling, Rose asked Selig in 1997 to lift the suspension.

"I keep saying it's under review. It is. And that's where it is. I'll let you draw your own conclusion," Selig said.

He will not put a timetable for deciding how much of the Los Angeles Dodgers' new broadcast agreement will be subject to revenue sharing.

Selig maintained he understands the anger of Miami Marlins' fans at the decision by owner Jeffrey Loria to sell most of the team's high-paid stars during the offseason ? after a last-place finish in the first season of the team's new ballpark, largely financed with public money. He rejected the possibility Loria will sell the team after 2014, the last year Loria would have to share proceeds with Miami-Dade County.

"The owners deny that emphatically," he said. "They've said it publicly. They've said it privately."

As for the New York Yankees, Selig doesn't believe the sale of a share of the YES Network to News Corp.'s Fox division signals the Steinbrenner family would entertain bids for the franchise. As for the Mets, Selig said the team's finances have stabilized following several years of turmoil in the fallout from the Bernard Madoff Ponzi scheme.

"I have absolutely not a scintilla of doubt that their finances are doing fine," he said. "The situations they faced have been resolved."

Baseball's security officials met Thursday but Selig said no changes are expected in the rules on bags fans can bring to ballparks, generally limited to 16 inches by 16 inches by eight inches. The meeting was scheduled before two bombs were set off at the Boston Marathon last week.

"I wouldn't say that Boston has changed anything," Selig said. "Each club makes its own decision."

He deflected questions about baseball's probe of Biogenesis of America, the closed Florida anti-aging clinic accused in media reports of distributing banned performance-enhancing drugs to players. Baseball sued the clinic and its backers and has purchased documents that included players' names.

"We have the toughest drug-testing program in American sports. To enforce that program, we have to be aggressive and thorough, and that's what we're doing," he said.

Selig expects his task force in diversity in the game to produce initiatives. MLB says about 8.5 percent of players on this year's opening-day rosters identified themselves as African-American or black, about half the figure from the mid-1970s.

"Will do better," he said. "I can assure the result of everything we're doing you will see now in the next two or three years, or maybe better than that."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-04-25-BBO-APSE-Selig/id-1824a847d7ea4639b128bbbaa58feeaf

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Thursday, April 25, 2013

Betaworks acquires Instapaper, promises continued development

Betaworks acquires Instapaper with a plan for expansion

If you're the sort who likes to catch up on web articles through a dedicated reader app, you're likely familiar with Instapaper and its lone creator, Marco Arment. His solo work makes for a cohesive experience and a great story, but it also involves a lot of strain -- enough so that Arment is selling majority control of the app to Betaworks, the owner of Bitly and Digg. Thankfully, this shouldn't represent a classic acquire-and-absorb deal that ultimately kills the original brand. Arment says he'll remain involved as an advisor, and the takeover is arranged with promises that Betaworks will add staff and continue building the read-it-later tool. While neither side has said just where they'll take Instapaper with more resources, there's a real chance that competitors like Pocket will feel some added pressure.

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Via: Marco Arment (Twiter)

Source: Marco.org

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/iuTR_oMlY3I/

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Futurity.org ? How to tame 'triple negative' breast cancer

When given in higher doses, tamoxifen shows promise for women with basal-like breast cancer, sometimes known as triple-negative disease, a subtype that has a poor prognosis because it is notoriously resistance to treatment. (Credit: iStockphoto)

U. ROCHESTER (US) ? Scientists have discovered how to exploit tamoxifen?s secondary activities to treat more aggressive breast cancers.

Tamoxifen is a time-honored breast cancer drug used to treat millions of women with early-stage and less-aggressive disease.

Published in the journal EMBO Molecular Medicine, the research is a promising development for women with basal-like breast cancer, sometimes known as triple-negative disease?a subtype with a poor prognosis because it is notoriously resistant to treatment.

In fact, basal-like cancers lack the three most common breast cancer biomarkers?the estrogen receptor, the progesterone receptor, and theHer2/neu receptor?and and without these receptors, the usual front-line treatments are not effective.

Until recently, tamoxifen was known primarily for its ability to block estrogen receptors on the outside of cancer cells. But new studies have suggested that when tamoxifen is given in higher doses, it works through a second mechanism of action independent of the estrogen receptor.

Led by doctoral student Hsing-Yu Chen and Mark Noble, professor of biomedical genetics at the University of Rochester Medical Center, researchers studied the molecular mechanism that allows basal-like breast cancer cells to escape the secondary effects of tamoxifen, and discovered that two proteins are critical in this escape. One protein, called c-Cbl, controls the levels of multiple receptors that are critical for cancer cell function. A second protein, Cdc42, can inhibit c-Cbl and is responsible for the tumor?s underlying resistance.

The team also discovered that targeting Cdc42, and thus inhibiting the inhibitor, with an experimental drug compound known as ML141 restored c-Cbl?s normal function. Through additional work in animal models and in human cell cultures, the team demonstrated that when ML141 is paired with tamoxifen, it enhances the ability of tamoxifen to induce cancer cell death and suppress the growth of new cancer cells. Neither drug alone had the same effect on basal-like breast cells.

Noble believes there is considerable value to targeting Cdc42, because elevated levels of the protein have been observed in multiple types of cancer. (In this context, scientists are also studying the potential for tamoxifen as a therapy for other cancers.)

The powerful ML141-tamoxifen drug combination looks like it has two more important features: It selectively targets cancer cells while sparing normal, healthy cells; and it appears to cripple cancer stem cells, the primitive cells responsible for initiating new tumors and for fueling the bulk of the tumor cell population.

?Our work is very exciting because our approach simultaneously addresses two of the most critical challenges in cancer research?to increase the utility of existing therapies and to discover new vulnerabilities of cancer cells,? Noble says.

?Based on these discoveries, we are already pushing forward with new compounds and with new approaches that might make clinical translation of this discovery much more rapid than would occur with traditional drug-discovery approaches.?

The National Institutes of Health, Susan G. Komen for the Cure, the US Department of Defense, and the New York State NYSTEM initiative funded the research.

Source: University of Rochester

Source: http://www.futurity.org/health-medicine/how-to-tame-triple-negative-breast-cancer/

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Bringing Creativity to Public Education: Standing Behind Children and Teachers

SYDNEY, April 24 (Reuters) - Australia named the following squad for the Ashes test series against England in July and August. Squad: Michael Clarke (captain), Brad Haddin (vice captain), Ed Cowan, David Warner, Phillip Hughes, Shane Watson, Usman Khawaja, Chris Rogers, Matthew Wade, Nathan Lyon, James Faulkner, Peter Siddle, Ryan Harris, James Pattinson, Mitchell Starc, Jackson Bird (Compiled by Greg Stutchbury; Editing by Peter Rutherford)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/bringing-creativity-public-education-standing-behind-children-teachers-181400444.html

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Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Fireballs! 'Tis the season for massive meteors.

Tonight (April 23) through Friday at dawn may be your best chance of the year to spot a fireball, a meteor that shines brighter than Venus, the brightest planet in the sky.

By Joe Rao,?SPACE.com / April 23, 2013

In this picture provided by Wally Pacholka of AstroPics.com, a Geminid fireball explodes over the Mojave Desert in the Jojave Desert, Calif. on Dec. 13, 2009. Unlike this Geminid fireball, the fireball-watching in the next few nights isn't connected to the just-completed Lyriad meteor shower or any other regular meteor shower.

Wally Pacholka / AstroPics.com / AP

Enlarge

The dramatic fireball that exploded over Russia in February got many people wondering if there is any way to anticipate future dazzling meteors before they appear.

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Well, meteors not associated with an annual shower are certainly tough to predict. But there are some patterns that skywatchers can keep in mind to maximize their chances of spotting a fireball (which technically is any meteor that shines more brightly than Venus in the sky).

For example, springtime is "fireball season," when the number of bright meteor sightings increases by as much as 30 percent, NASA experts say. And the three-day stretch from Tuesday (April 23) to Thursday (April 25) is perhaps the best time to watch for the next prospective fireball event, which might possibly even lead to the fall of a meteorite.?

Over the years, some real dazzlers have been seen during this time frame. And in at least two cases, the orbits of the meteors were virtually identical, suggesting Earth might hit more such space rocks when it passes through this part of its orbit.

A river of rubble?

Is there perhaps a "river of rubble" orbiting the sun that is populated by rather large meteoroids?

Unlike most of the annual meteor showers that are composed chiefly of dust and sand-sized particles ? such as the Lyrids, which peaked overnight Sunday (April 21) ? this supposed fireball stream might be made up of objects that are considerably larger, perhaps originating in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter or perhaps being shed by the nucleus of a long-dormant comet.?

The circumstantial evidence for such a meteor stream lies with two brilliant fireballs that appeared during the 1960s.

One of these fireballs cast shadows over northern New Jersey on April 23, 1962. The other was seen by thousands of people over England, Wales and Northern Ireland on April 25, 1969 and also dropped a 0.6-pound (0.27 kilograms) meteorite in the town of Sprucefield, Northern Ireland.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/JN_cGf2dRGw/Fireballs!-Tis-the-season-for-massive-meteors

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Annual examinations for your horse | Princeton Veterinary Hospital

We talked about the importance of getting your pet?s annual examination every year. We can?t forget about horses! They are often like members of the family, too, and they need some of the same care that our dogs and cats do. An annual examination is more important than just making sure your horse gets his shots for the year. Here are 6 things you can expect of your veterinarian at your horse?s annual appointment.

physical examination

Image from ePetHealth.

  1. Review your horse?s history. Has anything changed for your horse? Will he be traveling more (or less)? Are there any new animals on the farm? Has he moved to a different boarding stable? How are his eating, drinking, and bathroom habits? If you have noticed that anything has changed, or that your horse is not acting quite right, bring it to the attention of your veterinarian. He can do a closer examination to pinpoint your concerns.
  2. Physical examination. A physical examination usually includes a measurement of your horse?s temperature, heart rate (pulse), and respiration (breathing) rate. Your veterinarian should also estimate your horse?s weight, and do a body condition score evaluation. The body condition score is a measure of how ?fit or fat? your horse is. Your veterinarian should also do a brief examination of your horse?s teeth. He may be able to see signs of dental disease, and may recommend a more thorough examination (with sedation) and perhaps a dental float. If you notice a problem like a lameness, your veterinarian may do a more specialized examination to determine the cause of the lameness. (He may also recommend that you schedule another time for a more thorough exam of a complicated problem.)
  3. Vaccinations. Just like your dog and cat pets, horses should get a few ?core? vaccinations every year. The most important are vaccinations for Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE), Western Equine Encephalitis (WEE), and Tetanus (all in one vaccine). We also strongly recommend vaccinating against West Nile Virus. All four of these diseases are often fatal if your horse contracts them, but can be prevented with this simple vaccine. Tetanus is caused by bacteria that live everywhere in the environment. EEE, WEE, and West Nile are transmitted by mosquitos. If your horse will be traveling or coming into contact with many new horses this year, your veterinarian may also recommend a vaccine against equine influenza and equine rhinopneumonitis (rhino). Equine flu and rhino are not usually fatal, but can cause prolonged illness in your horse.
  4. Review deworming medications. Remember, all horses have worms (internal parasites) and need to be treated on a regular basis. You may be getting these medications from your veterinarian, or from another source. Your veterinarian should ask about which medications you give, and when you give them. He may have recommendations to change your deworming protocol based on your horse?s health and his environment.
  5. Questions. What other questions do you have for your veterinarian? This is your time, so be sure to ask any questions that you might have.
  6. Recommendations. Based on the results of your horse?s physical examination, his age, activity level, and body condition score, and any concerns you may have, your veterinarian may make recommendations for further tests, or may simply have recommendations on adjusting your horse?s deworming medications or diet. As horses age, they more commonly need to have their teeth floated. Many horses need to have this procedure done once a year as they get older. If your horse has a history of changes in eating, drinking, or bathroom habits, your veterinarian may recommend some blood tests to help us rule out common diseases. If your horse has a lameness, x-rays may be helpful in determining the cause of the problem and helping you treat it quickly.

Every horse (and owner!) has different needs, and these needs change as your horse gets older. Every annual examination may be a little different as your veterinarian tailors his exam to what your horse needs that year. Above all, don?t be afraid to ask questions or to point out a problem that you would like addressed.

When is the last time your horse had a physical examination? Log into your ePetHealth account to find out! Don?t have an ePetHealth account yet? Signing up is easy ? simply call us or come in to get your email address added to our database. Then log in on our website, and you?re ready to go!

ePetHealth?is a free service we offer to our clients. Through this service, you can access your pet?s medical records online, view educational articles and videos, sign up for email reminders, and more! Check out?this article?to learn more about what ePetHealth can do for you. It?s easy to sign up ? all you need to do is?call?or?email?us to add your email address to your records.

Source: http://princetonvet.net/2013/04/annual-examinations-for-your-horse/

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AAA Mich.: Gas prices rise 24 cents from last week

DEARBORN, Mich. (AP) -- AAA Michigan says gasoline prices have risen about 24 cents during the past week to a statewide average of about $3.75 per gallon.

The auto club says Monday the average is about 9 cents per gallon less than last year at this time.

Of the cities it surveys, AAA Michigan says the cheapest price for self-serve unleaded fuel is in the Marquette area, where it's about $3.55 a gallon. The highest average is in the Benton Harbor and Grand Rapids areas at about $3.78.

Dearborn-based AAA Michigan surveys 2,800 Michigan gas stations daily.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/aaa-mich-gas-prices-rise-151011074.html

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Tuesday, April 23, 2013

The Breeders' Last Splash At 20: Do You Love Me Now?

As Last Splash gets the deluxe 20th-anniversary treatment, Bigger Than The Sound reflects on the album's legacy.
By James Montgomery

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1706191/breeders-last-splash-twenty-years.jhtml

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Asia shares, commodities rattled by weak China PMI

By Chikako Mogi

TOKYO (Reuters) - Asian shares and other more risky assets fell back on Tuesday while the yen rose broadly after the HSBC "flash" PMI reading showed manufacturing growth in China slowed in April, underscoring market concerns about global growth prospects.

European stock markets were seen rising, with financial spreadbetters predicting London's FTSE 100, Paris's CAC-40 and Frankfurt's DAX would open up to 0.3 percent higher.

U.S. stock futures were down 0.2 percent to hint at a soft Wall Street open.

The preliminary or "flash" HSBC Purchasing Managers' Index for April fell to 50.5 in April from 51.6 in March. It was still stronger than February's reading of 50.4 but a contraction in new export orders pointed to fragile global demand.

The HSBC report was China's first economic indicator for the second quarter and followed weaker-than-expected growth in first-quarter gross domestic product reported earlier this month, which triggered a sharp market sell-off last week.

"No doubt the market was hoping for a PMI reading closer to 51.5 and while the 50.5 result today is not disastrous, it does reinforce market concerns about the state of growth in the Chinese economy at the moment," said Tim Waterer, senior trader at CMC Markets in Sydney.

"I am not surprised at the downward reaction by risk assets ... Because a lot of the market rally so far in 2013 has been premised on a strong Chinese economic recovery, this takes away some of that buying enthusiasm."

China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said in a separate briefing on Tuesday that companies have no strong desire to invest and face insufficient demand, noting China's economy faces unstable and uncertain factors at home and abroad.

Weaker-than-expected U.S. existing home sales data overnight added to worries over prospects for the U.S. economy, focusing even more scrutiny on China.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan fell 0.5 percent, dragged lower by Chinese shares which appeared headed for their worst day in nearly a month and weighed on Hong Kong markets. Hong Kong shares slid 1.2 percent and Shanghai tumbled 2.2 percent.

"Today's data is a confirmation of a weak trend," said Hong Hao, chief strategist at Bank of Communication International Securities. "I won't be telling clients to take excessive risks. Markets are still adjusting to this slower reality."

Shares in Australia, which are highly sensitive to economic indicators from China, its largest trading partner, trimmed some gains after the HSBC report to rise 0.9 percent.

The Australian dollar hit a session low of $1.0221, a six-week low, from around $1.0248 before the data.

Japan's Nikkei stock average eased 0.2 percent, as investors took profits from Monday's nearly five-year highs.

DOLLAR PAUSES

The dollar fell 0.4 percent to 99.79 yen, having failed to top the key 100 yen mark on Monday despite hitting a high of 99.90 yen. The weak U.S. housing data weighed on the dollar but traders say the upcoming Bank of Japan meeting on Friday may provide another opportunity to clear that symbolic level.

"Personally, I feel that any dips in dollar/yen and the related crosses will be bought into," said a trader for a Japanese bank in Singapore. "There is no indication, at least at my end, of any significant move to buy the yen, except on profit-taking."

The BOJ's reflationary plans were accepted by the Group of 20 gatherings in Washington late last week. The dollar hit a four-year peak of 99.95 on April 11. Heavy option barriers lined up around 100 yen have blocked the dollar's smooth climb against the yen, but if and when the 100 level is broken, traders expect stop-loss buying to lift the dollar even higher.

The dollar firmed against the euro, which traded down 0.2 percent at $1.3047, weighed by comments by European Central Bank policymakers stressing falling inflation and poor growth prospects in the euro zone, which suggest the bank may be leaning towards a rate cut.

Gold recovered some ground after last week's tumble but more gold outflows from exchange-traded funds summed up investors' weakening confidence in the metal.

Spot gold was at $1,425.81 an ounce, moving away from a two-year low of $1,321.35 touched last week, but still some $50 below the closing level before the sell-off began.

London copper dropped 1 percent to $6,864 a tonne.

Brent crude futures turned lower, trading down 0.6 percent at $99.80 after rising for a third straight session on Monday. U.S. crude fell 0.7 percent to $88.59 a barrel.

(Additional reporting by Ian Chua in Sydney, Masayuki Kitano in Singapore and Clement Tan in Hong Kong; Editing by Eric Meijer)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/asia-shares-rattled-weaker-china-pmi-024811494--finance.html

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Scientists map all possible drug-like chemical compounds

Scientists map all possible drug-like chemical compounds [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 22-Apr-2013
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Ashley Yeager
ashley.yeager@duke.edu
919-681-8057
Duke University

DURHAM, NC -- Drug developers may have a new tool to search for more effective medications and new materials.

It's a computer algorithm that can model and catalogue the entire set of lightweight, carbon-containing molecules that chemists could feasibly create in a lab.

The small-molecule universe has more than 10^60 (that's 1 with 60 zeroes after it) chemical structures. Duke chemist David Beratan said that many of the world's problems have molecular solutions in this chemical space, whether it's a cure for disease or a new material to capture sunlight.

But, he said, "The small-molecule universe is astronomical in size. When we search it for new molecular solutions, we are lost. We don't know which way to look."

To give synthetic chemists better directions in their molecular search, Beratan and his colleagues -- Duke chemist Weitao Yang, postdoctoral associates Aaron Virshup and Julia Contreras-Garcia, and University of Pittsburgh chemist Peter Wipf -- designed a new computer algorithm to map the small-molecule universe.

The map, developed with a National Institutes of Health P50 Center grant, tells scientists where the unexplored regions of the chemical space are and how to build structures to get there. A paper describing the algorithm and map appeared online in April in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.

The map helps chemists because they do not yet have the tools, time or money to synthesize all 10^60 compounds in the small-molecule universe. Synthetic chemists can only make a few hundred or a few thousand molecules at a time, so they have to carefully choose which compounds to build, Beratan said.

The scientists already have a digital library describing about a billion molecules found in the small-molecule universe, and they have synthesized about 100 million compounds over the course of human history, Beratan said. But these molecules are similar in structure and come from the same regions of the small-molecule universe.

It's the unexplored regions that could hold molecular solutions to some of the world's most vexing challenges, Beratan said.

To add diversity and explore new regions to the chemical space, Aaron Virshup developed a computer algorithm that built a virtual library of 9 million molecules with compounds representing every region of the small-molecule universe.

"The idea was to start with a simple molecule and make random changes, so you add a carbon, change a double bond to a single bond, add a nitrogen. By doing that over and over again, you can get to any molecule you can think of," Virshup said.

He programed the new algorithm to make small, random chemical changes to the structure of benzene and then to catalogue the new molecules it created based on where they fit into the map of the small-molecule universe. The challenge, Virshup said, came in identifying which new chemical compounds chemists could actually create in a lab.

Virshup sent his early drafts of the algorithm's newly constructed molecules to synthetic chemists who scribbled on them in red ink to show whether they were synthetically unstable or unrealistic. He then turned the criticisms into rules the algorithm had to follow so it would not make those types of compounds again.

"The rules kept us from getting lost in the chemical space," he said.

After ten iterations, the algorithm finally produced 9 million synthesizable molecules representing every region of the small-molecule universe, and it produced a map showing the regions of the chemical space where scientists have not yet synthesized any compounds.

"With the map, we can tell chemists, if you can synthesize a new molecule in this region of space, you have made a new type of compound," Virshup said. "It's an intellectual property issue. If you're in the blank spaces on our small molecule map, you're guaranteed to make something that isn't patented yet," he said.

The team has made the source code for the algorithm available online. The researchers said they hope scientists will use it to immediately start mining the unexplored regions of the small molecule universe for new chemical compounds.

###

The research was supported by a grant from the National Institutes of Health (P50-GM067082).

Citation: "Stochastic voyages into uncharted chemical space produce a representative library of all possible drug-like compounds." Virshup et. al. 2013. J. Am. Chem. Soc. [Epub ahead of print]. DOI: 10.1021/ja401184g


[ Back to EurekAlert! ] [ | E-mail | Share 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.


Scientists map all possible drug-like chemical compounds [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 22-Apr-2013
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Ashley Yeager
ashley.yeager@duke.edu
919-681-8057
Duke University

DURHAM, NC -- Drug developers may have a new tool to search for more effective medications and new materials.

It's a computer algorithm that can model and catalogue the entire set of lightweight, carbon-containing molecules that chemists could feasibly create in a lab.

The small-molecule universe has more than 10^60 (that's 1 with 60 zeroes after it) chemical structures. Duke chemist David Beratan said that many of the world's problems have molecular solutions in this chemical space, whether it's a cure for disease or a new material to capture sunlight.

But, he said, "The small-molecule universe is astronomical in size. When we search it for new molecular solutions, we are lost. We don't know which way to look."

To give synthetic chemists better directions in their molecular search, Beratan and his colleagues -- Duke chemist Weitao Yang, postdoctoral associates Aaron Virshup and Julia Contreras-Garcia, and University of Pittsburgh chemist Peter Wipf -- designed a new computer algorithm to map the small-molecule universe.

The map, developed with a National Institutes of Health P50 Center grant, tells scientists where the unexplored regions of the chemical space are and how to build structures to get there. A paper describing the algorithm and map appeared online in April in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.

The map helps chemists because they do not yet have the tools, time or money to synthesize all 10^60 compounds in the small-molecule universe. Synthetic chemists can only make a few hundred or a few thousand molecules at a time, so they have to carefully choose which compounds to build, Beratan said.

The scientists already have a digital library describing about a billion molecules found in the small-molecule universe, and they have synthesized about 100 million compounds over the course of human history, Beratan said. But these molecules are similar in structure and come from the same regions of the small-molecule universe.

It's the unexplored regions that could hold molecular solutions to some of the world's most vexing challenges, Beratan said.

To add diversity and explore new regions to the chemical space, Aaron Virshup developed a computer algorithm that built a virtual library of 9 million molecules with compounds representing every region of the small-molecule universe.

"The idea was to start with a simple molecule and make random changes, so you add a carbon, change a double bond to a single bond, add a nitrogen. By doing that over and over again, you can get to any molecule you can think of," Virshup said.

He programed the new algorithm to make small, random chemical changes to the structure of benzene and then to catalogue the new molecules it created based on where they fit into the map of the small-molecule universe. The challenge, Virshup said, came in identifying which new chemical compounds chemists could actually create in a lab.

Virshup sent his early drafts of the algorithm's newly constructed molecules to synthetic chemists who scribbled on them in red ink to show whether they were synthetically unstable or unrealistic. He then turned the criticisms into rules the algorithm had to follow so it would not make those types of compounds again.

"The rules kept us from getting lost in the chemical space," he said.

After ten iterations, the algorithm finally produced 9 million synthesizable molecules representing every region of the small-molecule universe, and it produced a map showing the regions of the chemical space where scientists have not yet synthesized any compounds.

"With the map, we can tell chemists, if you can synthesize a new molecule in this region of space, you have made a new type of compound," Virshup said. "It's an intellectual property issue. If you're in the blank spaces on our small molecule map, you're guaranteed to make something that isn't patented yet," he said.

The team has made the source code for the algorithm available online. The researchers said they hope scientists will use it to immediately start mining the unexplored regions of the small molecule universe for new chemical compounds.

###

The research was supported by a grant from the National Institutes of Health (P50-GM067082).

Citation: "Stochastic voyages into uncharted chemical space produce a representative library of all possible drug-like compounds." Virshup et. al. 2013. J. Am. Chem. Soc. [Epub ahead of print]. DOI: 10.1021/ja401184g


[ Back to EurekAlert! ] [ | E-mail | Share 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/2013-04/du-sma042213.php

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