Interview: PRACE Scientific Conference at ISC'12 to Showcase ...

The European PRACE Research Infrastructure announced an award this week of 120 million core hours on the new CRAY XE6 Hermit supercomputer at HLRS. With their?PRACE Scientific Conference 2012 coming up at ISC?12, I caught up with PRACE Communications Officer,?Tiina Leiponen, to learn more about what else PRACE has in store for HPC.

insideHPC: The European Commission has doubled its investment in HPC as it wants the E.U. to be exascale competent by 2020. Does PRACE have an operational plan to help administering this effort?

Tiina Leiponen: The?European Commission has published a Communication for review by the European Parliament and the Council. In this Communication the EC proposes a doubling of the investment in HPC. This has therefore not been agreed nor decided on yet. PRACE is mentioned in the Communication, but does not have a plan of action yet as ? again ? the Communication is still a proposal.

insideHPC: In conjunction with ISC?12, the PRACE Scientific Conference 2012 will be held on Sunday, June 17. What are the goals of the program and who will be the keynote speakers?

Tiina Leiponen: The goal is to highlight advances in large scale simulation and key results obtained by the top European scientists, with support of PRACE, the Partnership for Advanced Computing in Europe.?The European Commission and PRACE director Dr. Maria Ramalho will present their visions for HPC in Europe.?The programme will include a short meeting of the User Forum which will provide an excellent opportunity for users and prospective users to exchanges ideas and experiences

The keynote speakers are:

• Paolo Carloni, German Research School for Simulation Sciences GmbH
  • Excess proton at water/hydrophobic interfaces: A Car-Parrinello MD study.

?

• Bing Liu, Max-Planck-Institut f?r Eisenforschung
  • A dislocation dynamics study of dislocation cell formation and interaction between a low angle grain boundary and an in-coming dislocation.

?

• Jeremie Bec, Observatoire de la C?te d?Azur
  • Droplet growth by coalescence in turbulent clouds: kinetics, fluctuations, and universality.

?

• Yves Ineichen, Paul Scherrer Institut, PRACE Award Winner
  • A Fast and Scalable Low Dimensional Solver for Charged Particle Dynamics in Large Particle Accelerators.

insideHPC: PRACE now has at least four production systems online as computational resources: JUGENE, CURIE, HERMIT, and FERMI. What kinds of supercomputers are next on the horizon?

Tiina Leiponen: As announced in spring 2012, we will add the?SuperMuc, provided by GCS/LRZ, which is an IBM I DataPlex system. The new Spanish system, successor of MareNostrum of BSC is yet to come during 2012/2013.

insideHPC: Does PRACE have any Summer School activities planned for 2012?

Tiina Leiponen: We have two Summer School programs in 2012:

• PRACE Summer School on Code Optimisation for Multi-Core and Intel MIC Architecture, Lugano (CH), June 21-23, 2012
  • PRACE is pleased to announce the Summer School on Code Optimisation for Multi-Core and Intel Many Integrated Core (MIC) architecture at the Swiss National Supercomputing Centre in Lugano, Switzerland. In this three day intensive event participants will focus on programming and tuning techniques for modern multi- and many-core processors with a particular focus on the Intel? Many Integrated Core architecture..Please Read more
• EU-U.S. Summer School
  • The U.S. National Science Foundation?s Extreme Science and Engineering Discovery Environment (XSEDE) project and the European Union Seventh Framework Program?s Partnership for Advanced Computing in Europe (PRACE) are pleased to announce the third International Summer School on High Performance Computing (HPC) Challenges in Computational Sciences, June 24-28, 2012, in Dublin, Ireland.
• Please read more at http://www.prace-ri.eu/EU-U-S-Summer-School

insideHPC: What will PRACE be showcasing at their ISC?12 exhibit?

Tiina Leiponen: In ISC?12 PRACE will be exhibiting its Tier-0 infrastructure of Peta-scale systems. PRACE is proudly announcing the PRACE Award winner of 2012 and The Most Innovative Industrial HPC Application in Europe.

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Online Pet Store Opens for Business: www.PetsRForUs.com ...

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ABERDEEN, Wash., May 22, 2012 /PRNewswire/ ?Washington-based internet retailer of household pet supplies, Hauoli Enterprises LLC, today announced the opening of its new online pet store at www.PetsRForUs.com ?

Mediaset fears internet challenge amid ad slump
MILAN (Reuters) ? An executive at Mediaset said on Friday internet giants could challenge Italy's biggest commercial broadcaster's business model in coming years, while the advertising outlook remains grim. Mediaset, controlled by ex-prime minister Silvio Berlusconi, is Italy's leading advertising seller but in the last few years its dominance has been eroded by pay-TV satellite competitor Sky ?

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Justin Bieber Battery Case Against Paparazzo Could Be Sent To Prosecutors

'Nothing has been presented yet, but there is a possibility it will be,' says a spokesperson for the Los Angeles County D.A.'s office.
By Gil Kaufman

<P><a href="http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/bieber_justin/artist.jhtml">Justin Bieber</a> may end up having his day in court if police decide to refer his case of <a href="/news/articles/1685942/justin-bieber-paparazzo-criminal-battery.jhtml">criminal battery</a>&#8232; to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office for possible criminal prosecution.</P><P>Though a spokesperson for the D.A.'s office told MTV News on Tuesday (May 29) that nothing has been presented yet, that doesn't mean action isn't coming. "There is a possibility it will be," said spokesperson Shiara Davila-Morales. <a href="http://www.tmz.com/2012/05/29/justin-bieber-battery-paparazzo-prosecutors/" target="_blank">TMZ</a> reported that the case will be referred for possible prosecution after Bieber was allegedly involved in an altercation with an unnamed paparazzi photographer on Sunday afternoon in the parking lot of a mall in Calabasas, California. Citing unnamed sources, the site reported that police investigating the case have already decided to refer the case to prosecutors, even though they are still in the midst of the investigation.</P><P>In addition to witnesses, the police are eager to interview Bieber, 18, who has been unavailable so far because he is on a promotional jaunt to Norway.</P><P></p><div class="player-placeholder right" title="MTV First: Justin Bieber" id="id:1684329" width="415" height="255"></div><p></P><P>Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department spokesperson Lieutenant Margarito Robles told MTV News that the investigation is ongoing and that there was no update on its progress at press time. He also noted that a large percentage of these kinds of cases do get presented to the D.A.'s office, where it is left up to prosecutors to decide how, or if, to proceed.</P><P>Bieber is a suspect in a criminal battery investigation after he got into it with the photographer, who was reportedly attempting to snap a shot of Bieber when a physical altercation took place between them.</P><P>The photographer called 911 after the incident, but when the police arrived Bieber and girlfriend Selena Gomez had already left the scene. The camera man was transported to a local hospital by ambulance after complaining of pain in his upper torso and released a short time later. He filed a police report naming Bieber as the culprit and police are now investigating the incident as a misdemeanor battery case and are looking to speak to Bieber, Gomez and other witnesses. It has not yet been reported what injuries the photog allegedly suffered or what took place during the scuffle.</P><P>A spokesperson for Bieber had no comment on the incident. According to TMZ, if Bieber is charged and convicted, he could face up to six months in jail. But, given the chronic overcrowding in Los Angeles jails and a federal mandate to ease that overpopulation, it's unlikely that the singer would spend much time behind bars if convicted.</P><P><center><a href="http://www.mtv.com/photos/?fid=1617615"><img src="http://www.mtv.com/news/photos/s/spotted/banner/spotted.jpg"></a></center></p>

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Topaz Horizon: Looking for health insurance for my family (because ...

Posted this over at Twitter recently:

Yep, I'm still looking for health insurance! If you've been reading my blog long enough, I started looking for a private health plan for my family when the TMC disaster happened. By private, I mean it's a service that we pay for and not provided by the company I work for. Almost all of the recommendations I get from blog commenters and Twitter followers are the health plan providers that their company works with. The company I work for has health benefits, of course, but I'm looking for something more comprehensive and one that would cover all the members of my family, not just me.

So I've been researching?and I've narrowed down my choices. I won't say what those are yet since I'll still give them a call and check them out. They might not look as good on paper, you know. What I'm really looking for is the kind of health plan my family got when my Mama was employed at Meralco. It's almost as good, if not better, than health plans in the US before the current health crisis.?As a child, I was sick constantly. Like, I'd be confined at a hospital maybe 3-4 times a year. Not once did Mama have to take out her wallet to pay for my bills. Our dental needs were also completely covered, unlike today when only cleaning and temporary fillings are covered. Back then, we were assured that we can have everything from a filling to a root canal and not worry about the cost. Even cosmetic treatments (braces, bleaching, etc) were covered up to 25%. Absolutely frikkin' awesome. That's the kind of plan I want for my family!

Of course, that means I've been apprehensive about the cost of personal health plans, thinking that there's a reason why companies subsidize them.?But I am happy to report that we actually have cheap health insurance here. My research shows that for just P10,000 a year, a family of four can get good coverage--private hospital room, good accredited hospitals, annual physical exams, dental check-ups. If you add another 5K-10K to that amount and you get absolutely fantastic coverage, the type that asks no questions, just pays your medical bill.

That plan, even if it may be P20,000 a year, I like very much. It's really not a lot of money. Just divide 20K by 4 (that's me and my three adorable boys!), and that's just 5K a family member for an entire year. That covers dental work, annual medical checks, and should someone get sick, great medical service and treatment. For peace of mind, 20K is nothing!

Someone told me, however, that the best health insurance is money in the bank. She doesn't believe in insurance, you see, thinking that it's all a scam. She said, "How many times does one get sick anyway? Once, twice? As long as you live a healthy lifestyle, you'll be fine. And for those times you do get sick, nothing beats cash." I do agree with her somewhat, especially since when I gave birth, both times were completely paid for by cold hard cash. There's a certain sense of pride knowing we were able to save up for a hospital like St. Luke's Global.

Still, if there's cheap health insurance available here anyway, I don't see why we shouldn't avail of it. What do you think? Should I or shouldn't I? Do you have personal health plans or is yours provided by your company?

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The Rodent-Infested Walmart In Monticello, New York - Business ...

This Walmart in Monticello, New York is disgusting.

Really disgusting.

It has had a long-time problem with a mouse infestation, and now after state inspections that have reported "thousands" of mouse droppings, it's in danger of getting shut down, reports Laura Northrop at the Consumerist.?

Reports of mice at the store date back to September, 2011, and the latest state reports reveal just how gross the place has gotten.

Here are all the "critical deficiencies" inspectors found in their last two reports, according to the sanitary inspection report:

• 1st report: Nine pounds of food found to be rodent defiled with mouse droppings and gnaw marks. Product destroyed under signed waiver during inspection.
• 3-4 fresh appearing mouse droppings and urine are present on soda shelves.
• 4-5 fresh appearing mouse droppings are present near trap between displays in beer area.
• 3-4 fresh appearing mouse droppings are present in retail dry fruit section.
• 3-5 fresh appearing mouse droppings are present in retail bagged cereal.
• 2-3 fresh appearing mouse droppings are present in retail bagged candy.
• Over 1000 fresh appearing mouse droppings are present on floor between back of snack/chip display and back of egg and juice cooler.
• Paper flyer being used as nesting material in retail canned soup area.
• One very old mouse carcass is present in end of metal soda supports.
• One very old mouse carcass is present in bait station end of product isle.
• One mouse carcass is present in trap under end cap of snack/chip isle.

• 2nd report: Cold cut platter was being made, with ready to eat food are subjected to cross contamination from romaine lettuce that was being used as garnish, worker was observed placing lettuce on platter without washing the lettuce. The package stated that the lettuce is to be washed before use. Tray was destroyed during inspection.
• 2-3 fresh appearing mouse dropping are present on shelves near check out #17, gnawed Health Bar was noted on back of shelf.
• 1-2 fresh appearing mouse droppings are present on shelves in check out areas.
• 5-6 fresh appearing mouse droppings are present in check out #7, under shelf had been cleaned.
• 2-4 fresh appearing mouse droppings are present on shelf in isle #8, package of dried blue berries exhibits gnaw marks. Package was behind cracked crumb pie crust.
• 4-5 fresh appearing mouse droppings are present isle #4 dried fruit area.
• 10-20 fresh appearing mouse droppings are present in area being reset with Kosher items.
• 10-20 fresh appearing mouse droppings are present soup section of isle #6, between Cup of soup & canned pasta.
• 8-10 fresh appearing mouse droppings are present in canned soup area isle #6.
• 11-15 fresh appearing mouse droppings are present in packages, isle is #7 (same area backed by isle #6.

If you've been to, or work at, this Walmart, shoot an email to kbhasin@businessinsider.com.

NOW SEE: Presenting The End Of The Retail World As We Know It >

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Deal of the Day ? NEW! 15.6? Lenovo IdeaPad Z580 Ivy Bridge Core i7 Laptop

Monday’s LogicBUY Deal is the new 15.6″ Lenovo IdeaPad Z580 Ivy Bridge Core i7 Laptop for $749.99.? Features: ?3rd generation Intel Core i7 processors, Intel HD 4000 graphics, and at least 6GB RAM and 500GB hard drives,?Bluetooth 4.0, USB 3.0, card reader, and HDMI output. Normal price is $1399.99;? $749.99 with free shipping. This deal [...]

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Video: Fast fixes for fighting fatigue

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User:GauthierNorvell396 - Harlequins Historical Society

From Harlequins Historical Society

Online Life Coaching Universities For Your own Improved Life

Online Life Coaching colleges tend to be effortless to acquire, however how do you know which is a good school and also how did you know if the coach is any kind of good? Well very first of all let you find out what life coaching really is.

Life coaching is basically the art of helping pupils get a hold of their goals and also achievements in daily life. This might be definitely not simply financial success, however can also be relational, religious, intellectual, bodily as well as emotional. As soon as you put them every together, this might be exactly what I call "Harmonic Riches." Online life coaching (along with offline) was initially some sort of offshoot from executive training. This practise tended to look soon after top professionals and also the stresses which go along with this type of job, but it was soon recognized that everyone can and additionally does benefit from having their personal online life coach training program.

Objective setting is and also success is actually intrinsic piece of man's internal desire. Guy is driven by the requirement to keep improving your personal life and also various individuals get a hold of this difficult to do due to the fact 1) the two do definitely not understand where to start, 2) the two get easily distracted by our lifestyles as well as 3) you are simply too busy to focus on making more time to improve the life and also consequently, you end up running around the treadmill machine forever. Online life coaching takes our busy schedule as well as our crazy lifestyles into consideration. Being online signifies which you do certainly not need to travel to see our coach. We can now do one-on-one movie conferencing using services like Skype. In order we are able to save time and additionally cash or even be in different countries.

Online life coach school also allow pupils which are not able to travel to partake in self improvement. For example, you are an unmarried mother or father, or perhaps you might be ill, handicapped, hunting following a home bound relative, you might actually be too shy to leave home, regardless of what the factor, you are able to now benefit from the internet life coaching programs the exact same since every other student. How do you choose an on-line life coaching school? Well very first of all recommendations always assist. If you know someone whom happens to be with the coach before in addition they happened to be happy, you may discover that this really is good for you. Personal recommendations is the best form of advertising around.

Make sure you feel comfortable alongside your own coach. You're most likely going to give one another information that you may think about private and additionally confidential extremely you really need to be pleased to allow them understand this information. I suggest speaking with them upon the cellphone or perhaps thru Skype movie a few of times to reach understand them before actually signing up for a system. I would definitely certainly be happy to do this with you.

Experience is another significant factor which comes into play. I do not think it is essential that the coach be a licensed coach by some international school, in fact I am certainly not. I do unfortunately think that the coach should walk the talk. Since a college student I had been frequently financially "coached" by mentors whom were completely broke or "coached" in union building by mentors whom had disaster relationships. This just doesn't work for me. Your coach must be well grounded in his subject. My speciality for illustration, lays in entrepreneur training, riches creation as well as goal and also fantasy getting. This really is just what I feel best at my self and also this is certainly what I can improve because an expert. Check out this website to find out how to become a life coach

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Analysis: Geography, not economy, counts in China's rebalancing

XI'AN, China (Reuters) - A gleaming new $1.4 billion airport extension, a $5.2 billion bullet train and Samsung's planned $7 billion electronics plant, touted as the largest single high-tech foreign investment in China, are sure signs of economic intent in ancient Xi'an.

Along with a $1.4 billion subway, a crane-cluttered skyline and rapidly rising tower blocks shrouded in industrial smog that cloaks the 3,000-year old former dynastic capital, they show that fixed asset investment remains the main route to growth for China - trod for three decades and likely for decades to come.

For all of China's talk of economic rebalancing to shield it from internal and external risks, the only real re-orientation in the medium term is geographic - shifting infrastructure spending west to replicate rewards reaped by 30 years of coastal development.

That is likely to stoke concerns already voiced by the International Monetary Fund about China's unprecedented rate of investment spending and confound investor expectations that rebalancing would be a swifter shift towards the consumption-driven growth of developed economies - not 20 more years of inland infrastructure creation.

"There are experiments everywhere in China. Some good points emerge and the best points are what the centre tries to identify and encourages others to learn from," Zhang Wei Wei, a leading scholar of China's development model who was translator to its architect - Deng Xiaoping - told Reuters.

China's rise, in Zhang's analysis, depends on a conscious effort by Beijing to perfect an urban development model that eases rural poverty and cements power in the capital.

It implies fixed asset investment on a scale as enormous as that which has generated around half of China's growth in the last decade - when it amassed a foreign reserves fortune of $3.3 trillion, became the world's second-largest economy, the biggest exporter and the most important driver of global growth.

Indeed, intensive urbanization is the only way Xi'an and dozens of similar cities can grow fast enough for the Communist Party to make good on pledges to raise incomes for the poor and achieve social stability, thereby justifying its grip on power.

During the 2005-2010 five-year plan, average annual urban income in Xi'an roughly doubled to 22,244 yuan ($3,530). The plan is to double it again by 2015. But that still leaves wages way behind Shanghai's 71,874 yuan average - China's highest.

STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE

China's 'Go West' development strategy, in its second decade after generating $325 billion in investment since its launch in 2000, is the manifest example of the China model in action and ample evidence to long-term investors of its durability.

"It is a conscious strategic objective," said Gang Zou, general manager in Xi'an for Applied Materials, the world's largest chip-fabrication equipment maker and an investor so important it is mentioned by name in the municipality's latest five-year plan - the cornerstone of government policy.

"The first 10 years of the 'Go West' policy helped Xi'an build the infrastructure to be ready to take more opportunities in the second 10 years," Zou told Reuters on a tour of Applied's $300 million research, development and training facility - and the world's biggest privately-owned solar cell R&D laboratory.

Applied, which has operated in China for 28 years, generated $2.5 billion of its $10.5 billion global revenues in the country in 2011 - a cool $1 billion more than it billed there in 2010.

No wonder Samsung is following suit with an investment in a plant to make memory chips that will total $7 billion over several years - or 11.5 percent of Xi'an city's entire 2011 GDP.

Samsung, like Applied, cites clear-planned, infrastructure-led urban development as a key reason for investing in a city that boasts one of the highest research institute and university campus concentrations in China.

Sustained spending though risks a further increase in internal economic imbalances already at levels that worry the IMF.

"Our fear is that China continues to invest so heavily as a share of GDP over the next four or five years that vulnerabilities begin to emerge," said Murtaza Syed, the IMF's chief representative in China.

World Bank data shows gross fixed capital formation, which covers in investment in things like buildings, roads, bridges, railways, airports, industrial equipment and machinery, rose to 45.4 percent of GDP from 36.3 percent between 2002 and 2010.

No economy of China's size has ever maintained investment at such a rate for such a sustained period before. The IMF believes it could stay around 45 percent for the next five years.

"What concerns us is how this capacity is absorbed. Either it goes into the global market, or it is absorbed domestically, or it leads to non-performing loans," Syed said.

COMPOSITION KEY

The composition of the investment is key.

That's why Beijing is determined to keep curbs on property speculation that it imposed two years ago after 4 trillion yuan ($635 billion) of fiscal stimulus injected in the wake of the 2008-09 global financial crisis sparked frenzied development.

It's a lesson in how fixed asset spending can go wrong. The determination to avoid a repeat is so strong that growth is being sacrificed short term, with analysts citing property curbs as the main reason why 2012 is set to see China's slowest economic growth since 1999 - albeit at 8.2 percent.

Productive, efficient assets like essential infrastructure and globally competitive factories are welcome. Building too much speculative capacity, particularly real estate, could backfire if they lead to bad debts and the recapitalization of the banks left holding them.

Xi'an plans to increase fixed asset investments by 26 percent in 2012. Between 2005 and 2010, the value of such spending rose four-fold compared with the previous five years.

Wolfgang Weil, chief operating officer at Xi'an Xianyang International Airport, reckons his new 20 million passenger-capable terminal and second runway - able to accommodate the Airbus A380 superjumbo jet - is part of a virtuous cycle.

"I'm pretty sure in the case of Samsung, one factor helping their decision was that there is now a runway available at Xi'an airport without any limitation to aircraft type and payload," he told Reuters a couple of weeks after the official opening.

Weil says sustainable passenger potential in Xi'an - home to 8.5 million people and the least developed, but fastest-growing city in China's four main metropolitan deltas - appealed greatly to Germany's Fraport, the airport's joint venture partner.

Sustainable is a key word for those concerned that China's intensive urbanization is dangerously unbalanced development.

While investment has soared, final consumption fell to 48.3 percent of GDP in 2010 from 59.6 percent in 2002.

Economies of scale, however, mean that factories dwarf the household contribution to GDP and, by definition, a fall in investment spending in coastal provinces will naturally raise consumption's share of GDP there.

Meanwhile shifting investment inland to where workers are cheaper allows China to squeeze another decade or two from a development model pushing its maximum potential on the coast.

The apparently unbalanced development is China's greatest economic strength, according to Yukon Huang of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington, who says the last major economy to develop in such a skewed way was the United States - the most powerful nation on Earth.

That means the key question for investors is how Beijing can manage the investment and political risks generated by another two decades of development spending, when China's urban population is expected to swell to 66 percent by 2030 from 51 percent in 2011.

"China is large and disparate enough for industry to shift and take advantage of comparative advantages and cheaper labor elsewhere in the country," said Eric Fishwick, head of economic research at brokerage CLSA.

"But China's scale implies continuing friction as policymakers in developed nations have a wrong-headed view of what China's rebalancing means."

(Editing by Neil Fullick)

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Tile Floors, Concrete Sealer, and Other Home Improvement ...

When you?re looking to tackle a home improvement project, there are countless things you could do to add value to your home. With housing prices as they have been, you may be wondering if it?s worth it to undergo such difficult tasks. There are many good reasons to pursue the tasks at hand. No matter how low housing prices become, your home will be more likely to sell?if the decision is ever made. Anything that you can do to improve the quality of your home makes it more competitive in the housing market. Furthermore, anything you do to your home provides a benefit for you and your family while you are living there. Consider these interesting ideas for home improvement:

?

Basement

Some individuals have unfinished basements used primarily for storage. The truth is that finishing your basement can provide greater benefit than you receive from its current uses. One major element to consider when thinking about finishing a basement is the type of flooring. Concrete floors are durable, stylish, and relatively inexpensive. When you decide to install concrete floors, remember to use concrete sealer. Concrete sealer becomes absorbed into the small pores on the surface of the concrete. It creates a chemical change and reaction that helps protect your floor from damage and stains. Using the right sealer can help increase the durability without diminishing the necessary traction.

?

Tile Floors

Removing linoleum and laying a tile floor can add a touch of class and sophistication. There are countless different sizes, colors, and textures when it comes to tile floors. If you plan on doing the job yourself, you may need to rent a special type of saw that requires water. This instrument?s use of water helps prevent the tile from breaking as you cut your exact measurements. When you have the measurements made, the tile cut, and the necessary materials, you are only a few steps away from having a beautiful tile floor. Remember to spread the mortar and set the tile in such a way that you don?t end up cornering yourself without a means to escape. If you neglect this last step, you may need to walk on your freshly set tiles and restart the project. When it comes to filling the joints with grout, you may want to compare the color of the tile and find a color that complements the tile and the room itself.

?

Home improvement can be a fun and fulfilling task. If you decide on concrete floors, remember concrete sealer. If you decide to tile your floor, remember to carefully follow every step.

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Driver on trial in China accused of hitting toddler left to die on busy street for 7 minutes

BEIJING - State media in China say a trial has begun for a man accused of driving a minivan that ran over a toddler on a busy street. The case sparked outrage after the little girl was ignored as she lay dying on the road.

The official Xinhua News Agency reported Friday that Hu Jun was charged with the wrongful death of 2-year-old Wang Yue in the southern city of Foshan

Video footage shows the van striking the toddler and then resuming driving, rolling its back right wheel over her.

Over the next seven minutes, 18 people walked or cycled by the child. Another van struck her before a scrap picker scooped her up as the girl's mother came looking for her.

The child died a week later, but the incident caused soul searching among Chinese over declining morality.

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Is Facebook trying to buy Opera?

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Real estate realtor and housin?

Written on May 26, 2012 ? 2:17 am | by admin

Real estate realtor and housing team (real estate agent) are usually qualified to build up assignments, make a deal, deal with and enable customers trade real estate but are both several. Normally real estate agents and groupings are interchanged due to incorrect practice.

The real estate representative need to release his job with liberty and adhere to the normal apply as well as the guideline outlines out there. Agents complete exploration, discussions, renting procedure, pay for and purchasers purchases for firms, section and the ones. Providers analysis data, concept accounts, assessment reports and related document records. He or she readies renting, sales agreements, accomplishments, enables along with other transaction papers.

A representative are able to use public retail as well as other approaches to advertise unwanted real estate in dexterity with metropolis unit and companies. In addition, they illustrate the types of procedures and processes for buying the home and property towards likely buyers. Brokers calculate or arrange assessments to determine the right rate for your real estate to get hired, purchased and got rid of. Affirmation of usage and look of real estate details is also required a representative. A real estate agent helps make demonstrations on tasks for the promote owners, what is representatives or office office buildings for decisions. They are to keep up the strength of the corporation retain excessive honourable carry out, reliability and will be responsive to assorted way of life and competition. She or he need to operate in cohesiveness along with other many other agencies. They will are write about their strategies and specifics compared to other realtors and collection in constructive and efficient manner.

Real estate groupings (agents) are persons in the National Association of Realtors. Real estate professionals adhere to the content of code of honesty. The unique codes of carryout are restrictive and confining, the target audience pledges to adhere to the unique codes.

The interests of clients are believed to be crucial rather than self applied and all of parties are handled honest with integrity. The realtor will not be to hide facts, misrepresent or do too much of, and investigate and make known details at the appropriate time. The agent cooperates with broker agents and real estate agents from the desire of shopper. A realtor probably should not give professional services without showing on the celebrations the main benefit of fee acquired. In every case they should not gather commission payment and rate from third party devoid of the concur of vendors. By the same token, they need to not accept rate from multiple party without agreement of all parties involved. The consumers? pay for should not be combined with realtor?s finance. The papers served by a real estate agent should be easy worded to grasp and then he should spread the papers for all the uneasy events. They must be proficient to generate program adapted to standards and truthful in adverts, unless adequately certified realtor probably should not process law. The real estate professional cooperates and discloses facts if priced.

Real estate brokers say yes to follow the standard and program code of values of National Association of Realtors (NAR) on paper. Real estate agents tend not to stick to NAR unless of course they may be Agents. Realty are propagate across the world and pay once-a-year costs to remain in NAR. Real estate agents are classified with real estate agents on the location to share with you the various listing solutions and set affiliated with the state of hawaii and NAR. Real estate realtor gives their costs for their state and native realtor organization. The complaints next to another broker and shopper is often submitted for the firm.

This company levies fines and the member condition is usually affected. A complaint Date Ideas towards an agent is usually lodged with the real estate accreditation commission payment. Permission is granted for each declare in US. Providers carry continued instruction training from express certification planks. Real estate brokers undertake length of extended knowledge from NAR with increased increased exposure of ethical procedures and customer defense.

On various conditions equally real estate brokers and groupings share data and communicate with co-ordination. As the circumstance requires either ought to conduct jointly the duty towards buyer with fairness and reliability to your get-togethers linked to substantial ethical and standard methods in complete collaboration.

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?The Closer I Get To You?: Overcoming the Blind Spot II ? accord1

?The Closer I Get To You?: Overcoming the Blind Spot?II

Posted by accord1 on May 25, 2012 ? Leave a Comment?

The popular song, ?The Closer I Get To You,? by the late Donny Hathaway and Roberta Flack says, ?The closer I get to you the more you?ll make me see.?? It was a very popular romantic duet written in 1977. Like many other romantic songs, it communicates a central message of passion. It is this principal of passion that is needed in our human relationships to overcome differences and make them work. It was the Passion Play of the ages that brought hope to humanity as, ?God gave his only begotten son.? ?John 3:16??

Bridging our ethnic/cultural divide involves these passion principals of appreciating, valuing and investing. We miss so much due to our blind spot?because of our?superficial relationships. The surface level is often mired by baseless stereotypes that in turn allow us to resist going deeper.

BLIND SPOT EXERCISE

1. Look at graphic of the cross and the black circle.
2. Sit at your computer with your nose pointing in between the cross and the black circle.
3. Cover your LEFT eye and stare at the cross with your RIGHT eye.
4. Now SLOWLY move towards the computer screen while still staring at the cross with your RIGHT eye.

Somewhere between 10-14 inches from the computer screen, the black circle will disappear and the area where the black circle was will now be white.? This is your BLINDSPOT.

Your brain can even ?fill in? missing information for you?..in the above graphic, you?ll notice that when you cover your left eye and look at the cross with your right eye ? the brain will ?fill in? your blind spot (the area where the circle is). You will see that your brain fills in the line for you. Keep looking at the cross ? don?t look back at the circle ? or you will see the circle again.

The preceding information is presented on the Visionary Eyecare?s Blog: ?The Eye Journal.?

In the blind spot eye exercise, we overcome the blind spot by moving even closer to a point where the circle reappears. It is the same with bridging perceived differences to unity. Some would provocatively say that, ?The devil is in the details,? or, ?With every level there?s a devil.? However, the worst devil of all is what is left to our misguided and uninformed imagination that says stop, proceed no further. Our apprehensive hyperbole tells us to settle for the status quo and to refuse to seek multi-ethnic engagements/friendships. These relationships reside in our own blind spot.? But if we step out of our comfort zone and move closer, we can see the bridge showing us the path to a new vision of one another.

To shy away from engagement with others of a different ethnic group is to limit our passion that we have been given and leaves room for the mental ?fill in? of human nature that is tilted toward division.? As we saw in the blind spot exercise, the brain ?fills in? the blind spot with its most recent information.? If we are divisive, the blind spot is divisive.? Since the brain does not question the misinformation, we believe it to be true.? However, we can permit our blind spot to proceed in a new direction.? When we allow ourselves to believe in changing the status quo, then our blind spot will continue changing the status quo.

The word of God says, ?Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples?when they see the love you have for each other.?? John 13:34-35, The Message (MSG)

Through our passion we are driven to pursue unity. We can do this by finding tangible means to engage with those who are of different ethnicities. Small groups of various forms offer great platforms to overcome our blind spot by appreciating, valuing and investing our individual and collective beauty in our differences.??

Kevin Robinson, Executive Director of Accord1

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Filed under Biblical Ethnic Diversity Inclusion, Blind Spot, building the bridge, Christ Centered Diversity/Inclusion, cultural intelligence, ethnic unity, reconciliation, relationship with god, The Relationship with God, Uncategorized ? Tagged with culture, human-rights, spirituality

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User:ClaytorCaster584 - PlugWiki

From PlugWiki

Small Enterprise Internet Promotion Things to consider

For small business online marketing can massively powerful and worthwhile. Numerous small companies now recognise the significance of developing a synergised unified internet marketing campaign that can do like a charm for important thing.

Most small businesses now have an online prescence and plenty of small companies now are making use of Facebook for boosting their online reputation. You'll find however some procedures of the online game (web 2 . 0) which business, in fact service repair shop, should be aware prior to they start an all-inclusive online marketing harm. The development of internet website marketing made a great progress way so lets take a look at the considerations:

1. Just how much wedding photography marketing are you aware of?

One thing to consider what are you aware of the internet. As an example, have you any idea what Search engine optimization (search engine optimization) is? Have you any idea how The search engines will work? Have you any idea where to get key phrases? Consider some of the difference between a head search phrase and also a long tail keyword and key phrase and what type 's better to rank very by Google and also the other search engines like yahoo such as Google? Deciding your level of internet website marketing information will help you ascertain which kind of internet marketing techniques you.

2. Who's your current market?

The next thing to think about who's going to be your market? Just as before it will impact what types of ways to use. As an illustration think you're supplying senior citizens who won't use Fb, or are you currently supplying a also, he? Are you supplying individuals and experts? This can figure out by using Facebook or myspace for your small business and Twitter.

3. The span of time wedding photographer seo have?

Website marketing needs time. There aren't any no cost lunches and patience is essential. It is a bit like going to a Personal Coordinator and expecting they will make you wealthy right away. It's not going to take place. Internet marketing is often a research instead of a secret act whilst things are all getting more automating and easier to do. As an example Facebook search engine marketing is simpler now that business can cause gorgeous web page which backlink to their websites. Smaller businesses marketing for portrait and wedding photographers using Myspace can program mass twitter updates. However you ought to just how much time are you able to spend with your website marketing advertising campaign, simply because once more this tends to evaluate which you choose and the way normally you choose it.

4. Are you already on the web?

Do you currently have a website acquiring high SEO? Does one already use social websites methods for your enterprise? Maybe you all have to adjustment within the sides. The fact is internet marketing wants a steady solution. I might come across Believe in Advertising and marketing and making human relationships and you also can not make it happen if your marketing is stationary. Yet again, it's easy to improve a lot of things like email newsletters and the like but believe in marketing however takes a personal touching and social networking enables this, do not neglect it!

They are the critical things to consider with the website marketing of your business. The truth is tolerance does pay off if you possess the correct substances and you are regularly mixing up them up. You will find certainly many other individuals factors to consider and intensely effective tactics that you can use to acquire your internet site up Bing and employ social media marketing to boost your net profit.

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Colo. Congressman Mike Coffman expands 'birther' apology

Coffman later said his comments were 'boneheaded' and that he should not have questioned Obama's patriotism.?

By Associated Press / May 25, 2012

This 2012 file photo provided by the candidate's campaign shows Colorado Rep. Mike Coffman. Earlier this month, Republican congressman Coffman said that he doesn't know if President Barack Obama was born in the United States and that in his heart, Obama is not an American.

AP/File

Enlarge

A Colorado congressman is expanding his apology to President Barack Obama after publicly questioning his citizenship and his belief in American values.

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Rep. Mike Coffman of Aurora wrote a long apology published in Thursday's Denver Post. Coffman says his comments earlier this month were "boneheaded" and that he should not have questioned Obama's patriotism. Coffman wrote, "I should never have questioned the president's devotion to our country."

Coffman is expanding his apology after he told a GOP crowd in Elbert County that he doesn't know if Obama was born in the United States.

Coffman has come under heavy criticism after the comment was released to the media. Coffman faces a re-election in a suburban district that is much more competitive than his current one.

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Afraid of needles? Futuristic syringe doesn?t need them

15 hrs.

John Roach

Getting a shot may soon be nearly painless, according to researchers developing a new type of syringe.

The device is able to blast a high-pressure jet of medicine at the speed of sound through a person?s skin without the aid of a hypodermic needle.?

The jet is about the same diameter as a mosquito?s proboscis, Ian Hunter, a mechanical engineer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, explains in the video below.?

?As many of you know, you don?t feel when the mosquito inserts its proboscis into your skin because it?s so very narrow,? he said.

While needle-less syringes have been around for a few years, the prototype device Hunter and his colleagues are developing can be fine-tuned to control the depth and speed of drug delivery.

For example, a shot may start with a super high-pressure blast to penetrate the skin, but then scaled back to deliver the drug in a slower stream.

This variable adjustment of the jet may ring familiar to fans of Star Trek, where medical officers are constantly fiddling?with drugs and doses.

This is all possible thanks to a mechanism called a Lorentz-force actuator that MIT describes in a news release as:

A small, powerful magnet surrounded by a coil of wire that?s attached to a piston inside a drug ampoule. When current is applied, it interacts with the magnetic field to produce a force that pushes the piston forward, ejecting the drug at very high pressure and velocity. ? The speed of the coil and the velocity imparted to the drug can be controlled by the amount of current applied.

The device can be programmed for different types of skin ? a baby getting the whooping cough vaccine at the doctor?s office, for example, has softer skin than parents and grandparents who might also need the shot.

According to Hunter, the device can be used for delivery of drugs right through the eye into the retina as well as the inner ear.?

The device can also be programmed to vibrate, which is able to make powdered drugs behave as if they were a liquid, which means it can inject powdered vaccines in parts of the world that lack refrigeration.

John Roach is a contributing writer for msnbc.com. To learn more about him, check out his website and follow him on Twitter. For more of our Future of Technology series, watch the featured video below.

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Acne treatment safe during pregnancy | Health and Fitness

But I am better. If you think you might have cystic acne acne treatment safe during pregnancy make an pregnancy appointment with a dermatologist immediately. Wash with a soap that contains aloe vera. It is even better if you can buy sulfur- based soap especially for acne. The treatments for acne scars differ in terms of effectiveness and quickness as well as in terms of costs so you have to consider each one carefully. After all, all the food what that we are eating in our acne life are most likely unhealthy, but tasty; fried acne food, animal food, dairy products, sugar, coffee, micro waved food, alcohol and aspirin. Such products are 100% natural, and contain no manmade ingredients. Finacea Gel is used to treat bacterial infections mainly Acne. You can also purchase a bottle of same available in pharmacies. Only a dermatologist should prescribe this type of acne scar removal. Tinted Moisturizer for Acne Prone gets Skin Move acne treatment safe during pregnancy over the thick greasy foundations, tinted moisturizers which offer excellent coverage to the face and come in numerous colors and textures, are the new ? It? in the world of make- up. The goal of each is to minimize breakouts while helping to restore clearer skin. Makeup also encourages the occurrence of acne. It safe often requires eight to ten days for the skin to heal following during the procedure. Well the truth of it lies in Mike? s approach to curing acne. lumps formed on the body. Many times these companies are already a while ago and have a good reputation. If all people had to do to cure acne was to meditate and relax, just rid think what would happen to all those profits. 7. Rolling scars create of a wave- like appearance on the skin? s surface due to their wide and shallow depth. Witch Hazel Astringent This astringent will come in the plant aided by the very same term. 1 The first step requires that you exfoliate regularly. This is deep seated under the skin and requires special care. This will even recommended as a what gets rid of acne scars method of eliminating your acne scars. It was found out actually that when your skin pores shrink, more oils are clogged in the pores of the skin, causing the onset of scars acne. How to Naturally Cure Acne at Home Natural remedies for acne treatment are safer for the skin, inexpensive and easy to make in the comforts of ones own home. These ? natural? remedies are usually natural items such as everyday foods, plants, chemicals, etc. This made it very difficult for me at times to be around my friends or to concentrate on my studies. www. acne- treatment- uk. com reviews some of the more effective treatments. treatment 3. Talk to your friends, listen to your favorite music, or take a walk in the park.

Related Post Acne treatment safe during pregnancy

best primer for acne prone skin Falling for and believing in false advertisements and promises to improve your skin. Fortunately, acne is very curable. For more important health articles visit for Donald? s Health Website. Because of it is potency, dilute tea tree oil with some water prior If your doctor has advised you on some topical or any other oral treatment and still if you see that this is not working By doing this, they are able to achieve results in a matter of days and wipe out hormonal cystic acne treatment acne on a Going to bed with dirty skin or makeup will encourage an acne outbreak. They enlarge the skins sebaceous glands and increase their oil production

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Empty Walls Got You Down? TurningArt Nabs $1.5M For Its Netflix-Style Art Rental Service

Paddle8, Artsy, Zazzle, and Art.com are all part of a growing contingent of startups that are on a mission to democratize the purchase, discovery, and enjoyment of art by bringing it online. In August 2010, Boston-based TurningArt joined this cadre of art industry disruptors, launching its own unique spin on the democratization of art commerce with a Netflix-esque model that allows any and all to "rent" and enjoy contemporary art. To support its mission to transform the way people buy artwork, the startups is today announcing that it has raised $1.5 million in funding from a number of institutional and angel investors.

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HP cuts 27,000 jobs, profit tumbles 31 percent in Q2

Looks like rumors of major cost-cutting measures at HP are true: the company along with its fiscal Q2 results has just outlined plans to slash 27,000 jobs by the end of its fiscal 2014. The drop, or about eight percent of its workforce, is being offered an "early retirement" if it doesn't want to wait to be let go involuntarily. The move is intended to streamline HP's operations and save between $3 billion to $3.5 billion a year by the time the cuts are done. As for the results themselves, they explain all too clearly why the cuts are inbound: HP 's profit dropped a massive 31 percent to $1.6 billion, and its revenue dropped three points to $30.7 billion. CEO Meg Whitman touted the results as exceeding an earlier glum outlook, but with the enterprise, printer and services groups all dragging the company down, it's clear that HP is in the same boat as a struggling Dell.

Continue reading HP cuts 27,000 jobs, profit tumbles 31 percent in Q2

HP cuts 27,000 jobs, profit tumbles 31 percent in Q2 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 May 2012 16:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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All eyes on Nadal, Djokovic as French Open nears

PARIS (AP) ? Rafael Nadal's white T-shirt carried specks of rust-colored clay and his white socks were smothered with the stuff during a practice session on Court Philippe Chatrier in the steamy early afternoon Thursday.

As Nadal slid across his favorite surface, in his favorite stadium, at his favorite tournament, a picture of a shiny French Open trophy rotated on a video board overhead. Under the close watch of his coach, and fully focused on the work at hand, Nadal never stole a glance at that photo. No need: He ought to have every feature of that prize memorized by now.

When the draw for the year's second Grand Slam tournament is revealed Friday, much of the attention will be on the paths presented to two men: Nadal, who is bidding for a record seventh French Open championship; and Novak Djokovic, who will be trying to become only the third man in history to win four consecutive major tennis tournaments.

With the seedings based on rankings, Nadal will be No. 2, and Djokovic will be No. 1. They can meet each other only in the final June 10, and that is what many expect to happen.

By winning their two recent matchups in clay-court finals, Nadal stopped a seven-match losing streak against the Serb ? including in the past three Grand Slam title matches ? and reasserted himself on the surface he's dominated since 2005.

"He is always the favorite, even if I win against him seven times," Djokovic explained after losing to Nadal at the Italian Open on Monday. "He is the best player in the world on this surface."

Among active players, that's absolutely indisputable.

And Nadal might very well be the best in history on clay: Since 2005, he is 220-9, a .961 winning percentage. That includes not only his six championships at Roland Garros, a mark matched only by Bjorn Borg, but also six titles at the Italian Open, seven at the Barcelona Open, and eight at the Monte Carlo Masters.

"Hopefully I will keep playing like this," Nadal said after his 7-5, 6-3 victory over Djokovic in Rome.

"When you lose," Nadal acknowledged, referencing his problems against Djokovic, "you play with doubts."

But that shouldn't be an issue when play begins in Paris on Sunday.

Nadal is as comfortable as can be on red clay ? nothing like his trouble with the footing on the blue clay at the Madrid Open this month, when he was upset by Fernando Verdasco in his second match.

"I am trying to play more aggressive," Nadal said.

In Thursday's training session, he carved up the clay, leaving skid marks when sliding into shots. He spent a lot of time working on his serve, which once was a liability but increasingly is becoming an asset. So far this season, Nadal is fifth on the ATP World Tour, winning 88 percent of his service games. The four men ahead of him? Roger Federer, owner of a record 16 Grand Slam titles, and three of the biggest hitters out there: Milos Raonic, Juan Martin del Potro and John Isner.

That success with the serve helps Nadal get that extra point ? or easy game ? here and there, making it all the more difficult for opponents who already needed to deal with the Spaniard's terrific return game, relentless retrieving and defense-to-offense excellence at the baseline.

"To me, he's the greatest clay-courter ever ? already. To me, what he's chasing is trying to chase down Roger, and get into the conversation of being the greatest of all time, and the greatest of this era," former U.S. Davis Cup captain and ESPN analyst Patrick McEnroe said. "And if it wasn't for a guy named Djokovic, he might be knocking on the door of doing that."

Clearly, Nadal is superb no matter what kind of court he's playing on. He owns a total of 10 major titles and, like Federer, is one of only seven men with a career Grand Slam.

Djokovic can join that elite club in a little more than two weeks. While not as perfect as he was at the start of 2011, when he was 41-0 before losing to Federer in the French Open semifinals, Djokovic has been good enough to stay atop the rankings.

He's 30-5 with two titles, including his nearly six-hour victory over Nadal in the Australian Open final. Djokovic never has been beyond the semis at Roland Garros, but if he can manage to win seven matches in Paris, he'll be the first man since Rod Laver pulled off a true Grand Slam in 1969 (the Australian did it in 1962, too) to take four major championships in a row.

Djokovic doesn't sound as if he finds the pursuit too daunting.

"Expectations and pressure are part of the professional sport and this is something that you get used to," Djokovic said, "but I think I have enough experience to know how to approach a Grand Slam."

___

AP Sports Writer Andrew Dampf in Rome contributed to this report.

___

Howard Fendrich can be reached at http://twitter.com/HowardFendrich

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Study shows that fever during pregnancy more than doubles the risk of autism or developmental delay

Public release date: 23-May-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Karen Finney
karen.finney@ucdmc.ucdavis.edu
916-734-9064
University of California - Davis Health System

Outcome leads authors to recommend further studies of inflammation and neurodevelopment

(SACRAMENTO, Calif.) A team of UC Davis researchers has found that mothers who had fevers during their pregnancies were more than twice as likely to have a child with autism or developmental delay than were mothers of typically developing children, and that taking medication to treat fever countered its effect.

"Our study provides strong evidence that controlling fevers while pregnant may be effective in modifying the risk of having a child with autism or developmental delay," said Ousseny Zerbo, lead author of the study, who was a Ph.D. candidate with UC Davis when the study was conducted and is now a postdoctoral researcher with the Kaiser Permanente Northern California Division of Research. "We recommend that pregnant women who develop fever take anti-pyretic medications and seek medical attention if their fever persists."

Published online in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, the study is believed to be the first to consider how fever from any cause, including the flu, and its treatment during pregnancy could affect the likelihood of having a child with autism or developmental delay.

The results are based on data from a large, case-control investigation known as the Childhood Autism Risk from Genetics and the Environment (CHARGE) Study. Another recent study based on CHARGE data found that mothers who were obese or diabetic had a higher likelihood of having children with autism.

Irva Hertz-Picciotto, a professor of public health sciences at UC Davis and principal investigator of CHARGE, pointed out that fever is produced by acute inflammation the short-term, natural immune system reaction to infection or injury and that chronic inflammation, which no longer serves a beneficial purpose and can damage healthy tissue, may be present in mothers with metabolic abnormalities like diabetes and obesity.

"Since an inflammatory state in the body accompanies obesity and diabetes as well as fever," said Hertz-Picciotto, "the natural question is: Could inflammatory factors play a role in autism?"

She explained that when people are infected by bacteria or viruses, the body generally reacts by mounting a healing response that involves the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines from white blood cells into the bloodstream. Some cytokines are able to cross the placenta, and therefore could reach the fetal central nervous system, potentially altering levels of neurotransmitters and brain development.

"We definitely think more research is necessary to pinpoint the ways that inflammation could alter brain development," said Hertz-Picciotto.

CHARGE includes an ethnically diverse population of children aged 2 to 5 years born in California and living in Northern California. The current study included 538 children with autism, 163 children with developmental delay but not autism, and 421 typically developing children whose mothers answered standardized questionnaires about whether they had the flu and/or fever during pregnancy and if they took medications to treat their illnesses.

The results showed that flu during pregnancy was not associated with greater risks of having a child with autism or developmental delay. Fever from any cause during pregnancy, however, was far more likely to be reported by mothers of children with autism (2.12 times higher odds) or developmental delay (2.5 times higher odds), as compared with mothers of children who were developing typically. For children of mothers who took anti-fever medication, the risk of autism was not different from the risk in children whose mothers reported no fever.

According to Irva Hertz-Picciotto, results based on CHARGE data are noteworthy because of the study's large population-based sample and detailed information on participants. Other CHARGE evaluations have found that taking prenatal vitamins prior to and during the first month of pregnancy may help prevent autism and that living near a freeway or in areas with high regional air pollution is associated with higher risk of autism in children.

"CHARGE has obtained a wealth of environmental, demographic and medical information on young children and their parents and provides a solid basis for a variety of epidemiologic studies," said Hertz-Picciotto. "Those studies are helping us find ways to protect childhood neurodevelopment."

###

The study, "Is maternal influenza or fever during pregnancy associated with autism or developmental delays? Results from the CHARGE (Childhood Autism Risks from Genetics and Environment) Study," was funded by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (grants R01-ES015359 and P01-ES11269), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's STAR program (grants R-829388 and R-833292) and the UC Davis MIND Institute. The study is available at www.springerlink.com/content/x7602q07w228t313/?MUD=MP.

In addition to Zerbo and Hertz-Picciotto, other UC Davis authors were Robin Hansen of the Department of Pediatrics, Sally Ozonoff of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Cheryl Walker of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Ana-Maria Iosif of the Department of Public Health Sciences. Hertz-Picciotto, Hansen, Ozonoff and Walker are also affiliated with the UC Davis MIND (Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders) Institute.

Based in Sacramento, Calif., the UC Davis MIND Institute is a collaborative international research center committed to the awareness, understanding, prevention, care and cure of neurodevelopmental disorders. Utilizing the advanced biomedical technology and research infrastructure of UC Davis, the institute's scientists and clinicians pursue investigations that will ensure better futures for the one in twenty Americans with neurodevelopmental disorders.

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Public release date: 23-May-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Karen Finney
karen.finney@ucdmc.ucdavis.edu
916-734-9064
University of California - Davis Health System

Outcome leads authors to recommend further studies of inflammation and neurodevelopment

(SACRAMENTO, Calif.) A team of UC Davis researchers has found that mothers who had fevers during their pregnancies were more than twice as likely to have a child with autism or developmental delay than were mothers of typically developing children, and that taking medication to treat fever countered its effect.

"Our study provides strong evidence that controlling fevers while pregnant may be effective in modifying the risk of having a child with autism or developmental delay," said Ousseny Zerbo, lead author of the study, who was a Ph.D. candidate with UC Davis when the study was conducted and is now a postdoctoral researcher with the Kaiser Permanente Northern California Division of Research. "We recommend that pregnant women who develop fever take anti-pyretic medications and seek medical attention if their fever persists."

Published online in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, the study is believed to be the first to consider how fever from any cause, including the flu, and its treatment during pregnancy could affect the likelihood of having a child with autism or developmental delay.

The results are based on data from a large, case-control investigation known as the Childhood Autism Risk from Genetics and the Environment (CHARGE) Study. Another recent study based on CHARGE data found that mothers who were obese or diabetic had a higher likelihood of having children with autism.

Irva Hertz-Picciotto, a professor of public health sciences at UC Davis and principal investigator of CHARGE, pointed out that fever is produced by acute inflammation the short-term, natural immune system reaction to infection or injury and that chronic inflammation, which no longer serves a beneficial purpose and can damage healthy tissue, may be present in mothers with metabolic abnormalities like diabetes and obesity.

"Since an inflammatory state in the body accompanies obesity and diabetes as well as fever," said Hertz-Picciotto, "the natural question is: Could inflammatory factors play a role in autism?"

She explained that when people are infected by bacteria or viruses, the body generally reacts by mounting a healing response that involves the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines from white blood cells into the bloodstream. Some cytokines are able to cross the placenta, and therefore could reach the fetal central nervous system, potentially altering levels of neurotransmitters and brain development.

"We definitely think more research is necessary to pinpoint the ways that inflammation could alter brain development," said Hertz-Picciotto.

CHARGE includes an ethnically diverse population of children aged 2 to 5 years born in California and living in Northern California. The current study included 538 children with autism, 163 children with developmental delay but not autism, and 421 typically developing children whose mothers answered standardized questionnaires about whether they had the flu and/or fever during pregnancy and if they took medications to treat their illnesses.

The results showed that flu during pregnancy was not associated with greater risks of having a child with autism or developmental delay. Fever from any cause during pregnancy, however, was far more likely to be reported by mothers of children with autism (2.12 times higher odds) or developmental delay (2.5 times higher odds), as compared with mothers of children who were developing typically. For children of mothers who took anti-fever medication, the risk of autism was not different from the risk in children whose mothers reported no fever.

According to Irva Hertz-Picciotto, results based on CHARGE data are noteworthy because of the study's large population-based sample and detailed information on participants. Other CHARGE evaluations have found that taking prenatal vitamins prior to and during the first month of pregnancy may help prevent autism and that living near a freeway or in areas with high regional air pollution is associated with higher risk of autism in children.

"CHARGE has obtained a wealth of environmental, demographic and medical information on young children and their parents and provides a solid basis for a variety of epidemiologic studies," said Hertz-Picciotto. "Those studies are helping us find ways to protect childhood neurodevelopment."

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The study, "Is maternal influenza or fever during pregnancy associated with autism or developmental delays? Results from the CHARGE (Childhood Autism Risks from Genetics and Environment) Study," was funded by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (grants R01-ES015359 and P01-ES11269), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's STAR program (grants R-829388 and R-833292) and the UC Davis MIND Institute. The study is available at www.springerlink.com/content/x7602q07w228t313/?MUD=MP.

In addition to Zerbo and Hertz-Picciotto, other UC Davis authors were Robin Hansen of the Department of Pediatrics, Sally Ozonoff of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Cheryl Walker of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Ana-Maria Iosif of the Department of Public Health Sciences. Hertz-Picciotto, Hansen, Ozonoff and Walker are also affiliated with the UC Davis MIND (Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders) Institute.

Based in Sacramento, Calif., the UC Davis MIND Institute is a collaborative international research center committed to the awareness, understanding, prevention, care and cure of neurodevelopmental disorders. Utilizing the advanced biomedical technology and research infrastructure of UC Davis, the institute's scientists and clinicians pursue investigations that will ensure better futures for the one in twenty Americans with neurodevelopmental disorders.

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