Instead of complaining narrowly about newly confirmed Treasury Secretary Jack Lew?s bloated compensation at NYU, we should demand that all universities release all employee salaries. As tuitions skyrocket, students and parents have the right to know where their dollars are going.
By Jonathan Zimmerman / February 28, 2013
Jack Lew testifies at his Senate confirmation hearing to be the new Treasury secretary in Washington Feb. 13. He was confirmed on Wednesday. Op-ed contributor Jonathan Zimmerman says: 'The great irony of the elite American university is that it?s populated mostly by liberal do-gooders, many of whom behave like conservative self-maximizers....[T]he distance between the John Galt and the Jack Lew positions is a lot shorter than many of us would like to admit.'
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I?ve got one kid in college and another on the way there, so the question is very much on my mind. I also teach at a hugely expensive university, which paid one of its executive vice-presidents more than $800,000 a year and loaned him at least $1.4 million to buy a home. He also received a $685,000 severance payment, and his loan was ultimately forgiven.
I speak of Jack Lew, President Obama?s nominee to lead the Treasury Department. I didn?t meet Lew when he worked at New York University, from 2002 to 2006. But I haven?t met most of the administrators atop our massive institution, which continues to hire more and more of them.
And that?s the real story in the controversy over Mr. Lew, who was confirmed by the Senate as President Obama's new Treasury secretary late yesterday. Most media reports have focused on Lew?s efforts to steer NYU student borrowers towards ?preferred lenders? like Citigroup, which made Lew a top executive after he left NYU. In fairness to Lew, though, we really don?t know if there was any quid pro quo there.
Here?s what we do know: between 1975 and 2005, the number of ?executive, administrative, and managerial employees? at American universities grew by 85 percent. Meanwhile, so-called ?professional staff? ? accountants, counselors, admission officers and so on ? rose by a whopping 240 percent.
But the number of professors grew by just 51 percent ? almost exactly the same rate as student enrollment. In 1975, colleges and universities employed one professor for every 16 students; 40 years later, there was one professor for every 15.
But the administrator-to-student ratios changed dramatically. In 1975, universities hired one administrator for every 84 students and one staffer for every 50 students. By 2005, there was an administrator for every 68 students and a staffer for every 21.
Here?s another way to look at it: Back in 1975, there were about 447,000 professors and 269,000 staffers and administrators. Four decades later, the staffers and administrators outnumbered the professors, 756,000 to 676,000.
And at the top of these pyramids, people pull down huge salaries and perks. By 2007, 12 university presidents earned more than a $1 million salary per year and 81 received more than $500,000. Less well-known are the packages showered on the presidents? every-growing coterie of so-called ?cabinet? hires.
By 2003, for example, the University of Maryland at College Park employed six vice presidents, six associate vice-presidents, five assistant vice-presidents, six assistants to the president, and six assistants to the vice president. And the vice presidents? salaries climbed 50 percent between 1998 and 2003, when student tuition rose sharply as well.
Oh Universe, you will never cease to amaze me, with all your galaxies and your pulsars and supernovas and your planets and your alien civilizations that never show up and all that starstuff we love so much. You know, like the fact that you draw perfect spirographs in the sky all the time. More »
While mad game show skills are nice and all, IBM has started to nudge Watson toward the door to begin paying its own freight. After a recent foray into the financial industry, the publicity-loving supercomputer has now brought its number-crunching prowess to the pharmaceutical and pastry industries, according to the New York Times. If the latter sounds like a stretch for a hunk of silicon, it actually isn't: researchers trained Watson with food chemistry data, flavor popularity studies and 20,000 recipes -- all of which will culminate in a tasting of the bot's freshly devised "Spanish Crescent" recipe. Watson was also put to work at GlaxoSmithKlein, where it came up with 15 potential compounds as possible anti-malarial drugs after being fed all known literature and data on the disease. So far, Watson projects haven't made Big Blue much cash, but the company hopes that similar AI ventures might see its prodigal child finally pay back all those years of training.
Angie Morehouse has been helping Sister Schools with our communications needs since the turn of the century. Angie has an AA in Visual Communications from the Art Institute of Seattle and a BA in Biology from Seattle Pacific University. She leads low-tide beach walks for the Seattle Aquarium, is an active musician, and a very active mother of three. In the future, Angie would like to work in Public Health. Besides her artist?s eye and technical talent, Angie has the best laugh in the biz.
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- Al Horford had 23 points and 22 rebounds, and the Atlanta Hawks beat the Detroit Pistons 114-103 on Monday night for their fifth win in six games.
Josh Smith added 23 points for the Hawks, who were ahead 61-51 at halftime and led by as many as 26 in the third quarter.
The Pistons have lost three straight, all without guard Brandon Knight, who has a hyperextended right knee. Will Bynum was also out Monday because of a suspension.
Jeff Teague had 20 points for Atlanta, which shot 14 of 33 from 3-point range. Kyle Korver scored 15 points, all from beyond the arc.
Rodney Stuckey led Detroit with 22 points, and Jonas Jerebko added 21.
Horford equaled his career high in rebounds.
Atlanta's only loss in its last six games was to Miami, and the Heat lead the Hawks by 8 1/2 games in the Southeast Division. But the Hawks are very much on the bubble for home-court advantage in the opening round of the playoffs. They moved percentage points ahead of Brooklyn for fourth place in the Eastern Conference.
The Pistons were already without rookie big man Andre Drummond, who has a stress fracture in his back, and Knight's recent injury made matters worse. With Bynum suspended for striking Indiana forward Tyler Hansbrough during a game against the Pacers on Saturday, Kim English ? a second-round pick in last year's draft ? became the top guard off the bench.
The Hawks were without Zaza Pachulia because of an Achilles strain, but they shot 55 percent in the first half, including 7 of 16 from 3-point range. Horford already had 13 points and 13 rebounds by halftime.
Horford's shot from the baseline in the third made it 76-58, and Pistons coach Lawrence Frank took his second timeout of the quarter. It was no use. A 3-pointer by Smith pushed the lead to 24, and Teague's two free throws made it 86-60.
The Pistons cut the deficit to 14 and had the ball midway through the fourth quarter, but Teague's steal and layup made it 97-81.
Near the end, Horford capped his terrific game with a 3-pointer from around the top of the key ? his first of the season and fourth of his career.
NOTES: Korver has made a 3-pointer in 49 consecutive games. ... Horford also had 22 rebounds against Miami on Feb. 27, 2009.
The Museum of Broadcast Communications (MBC) will celebrate the 89th anniversary of The National Barn Dance radio show in the actual historic WLS studio on March 23 at 3pm. The special event will feature an afternoon of classic country music, historic reflections and documentary clips from The Hayloft Gang: The Story of the National Barn Dance.Filmmaker Stephen Parry will host the anniversary celebration that will benefit The National Radio Hall of Fame, which is housed inside the MBC.
In 1924, The National Barn Dance made its debut over WLS Radio/Chicago. The show was the first to blend folk and country music with rural humor. The legendary Gene Autry, Pat Buttram, George Gobel, Andy Williams and Eddie Peabody were all regular members of the shows cast The National Barn Dance rapidly grew in popularity and was the idea behind Nashvilles Grand Ole Opry.
Duke Miglin, current building owner and noted Chicago developer, is making the space available for the celebration. The historic studio will soon be transformed into office space.
Celebration attendees will receive a limited edition poster commemorating the 89th anniversary of The National Barn Dance. The program was inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame in 2011.
WLS Radio is a promotional sponsor of the celebration. Rubschlager Baking Corporation is an event sponsor and will provide light refreshments.
Stephen Parry is the writer/producer of the PBS documentary The Hayloft Gang that chronicles the history of the WLS National Barn Dance. Highlights of the documentary will be presented.
Seminar speakers include:
Scott Childers, radio personality, author of the book - Chicagos WLS Radio and host of - The History of WLS website.
James F. Evans retired farm broadcaster, educator and author of Prairie Farmer and WLS: The Burridge D. Butler Years.
Paul Tylermusician, folklorist and historian with the Old Town School of Folk Music and author of the lead essay in the book The Hayloft Gang; Tyler will also perform live.
David Wyle historian of The National Barn Danceand early station history and contributor to The Hayloft Gang.
Stephen Parry writer and producer of The Hayloft Gang, will moderate the discussion.
Attendees will receive a limited edition poster commemorating the 89th Anniversary the WLS National Barn Dance.
Saturday, March 23, 2013, at 3 p.m. Tickets are $89 each and can be purchased here or by phone at 312-624-8010. (Limited Seating). 1230 W Washington Blvd, Chicago, IL 60607. The site of the historic WLS radio studio where the National Barn Dance once originated.
To protect Earth from space rock threat, a scientist recommended spray painting an asteroid to alter the amount of sunlight reflected by it, thereby changing its trajectory.
By Mike Wall,?space.com / February 22, 2013
An artist's illustration of an asteroid flying near Earth.
Texas A&M University
Enlarge
The dramatic space rock events of last week highlighted the need in many people's minds for a viable asteroid-deflection strategy, and one scientist thinks he has a good candidate ? paint.
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There is research that is off the wall, some off the charts and some off the planet, such as what a Texas A&M University aerospace and physics professor is exploring. It's a plan to deflect a killer asteroid by using paint, and the science behind it is absolutely rock solid, so to speak, so much so that NASA is getting involved and wants to know much more.
On Friday (Feb. 15), the 130-foot (40 meters)?asteroid 2012 DA14?gave Earth a historically close shave, missing the planet by just 17,200 miles (27,000 kilometers). Hours earlier, a 55-foot (17 m) object exploded over the Russian city of Chelyabinsk, damaging thousands of buildings and injuring 1,200 people.
The?asteroid?encounters served as a reminder that Earth sits in the middle of a cosmic shooting gallery, scientists say, and that destructive impacts are inevitable in the future unless humanity takes action.
One form of action could involve dusting a threatening asteroid with a thin coat of paint. The paint would change the amount of sunlight reflected by the space rock, potentially nudging it away from Earth through the accumulated push provided by many thermal photons as they radiate from the asteroid's surface. (This force is called the Yarkovsky effect, after the Russian engineer who first described it around the turn of the 20th century.) [Photos: Asteroids in Deep Space]
The scheme would use powdered paint, which the sun's rays would then cure into a smooth coating. The paint would probably have to be applied long before any potential impact ? years or decades, perhaps ? to give the Yarkovsky effect enough time to make a difference.
"I have to admit the concept does sound strange, but the odds are very high that such a plan would be successful and would be relatively inexpensive," Dave Hyland, of Texas A&M?University, said in a statement. "The science behind the theory is sound. We need to test it in space."
NASA is interested in Hyland's idea and has approached the researcher to discuss developing such a space test, Texas A&M officials said.
Hyland is not the only scientist who thinks paint could save Earth from a cataclysmic impact. Last year, an MIT graduate?student?proposed launching a spacecraft that would?bombard a threatening asteroid with paint-filled pellets. The idea won the 2012 Move an Asteroid Technical Paper Competition, which was sponsored by the United Nations' Space Generation Advisory Council.
Whatever?deflection strategies?researchers devise, the first step toward safeguarding the Earth is to detect and map the orbits of potentially hazardous objects, Hyland said. One million or more asteroids are thought to lurk in near-Earth space, but just 9,600 of them have been discovered to date.
"The smaller ones like DA14 are not discovered as soon as others, and they could still cause a lot of damage should they hit Earth," Hyland said. "It is really important for our long-term survival that we concentrate much more effort discovering and tracking them, and developing as many useful?technologies?as possible for deflecting them."
Follow SPACE.com senior writer Mike Wall on Twitter?@michaeldwall?or SPACE.com?@Spacedotcom. We're also on?Facebook?and?Google+.?
As North Bay lodging businesses look to the year ahead, most are expressing confidence for continued improvement, with occupancy rates and revenues showing steady gains across Sonoma, Napa and Marin counties.
In each county, important metrics used in the industry were up over the year, suggesting the travails of 2008 and 2009 recession-driven stagnation are finally in the rear view mirror, officials said.
?People are positive in their outlook, which is a good thing,? Tim Zahner, marketing director for Sonoma County Tourism, said, his sentiments echoed in Marin and Napa counties.
Sonoma County led the way in the rebound, with occupancy rates up by 6.8 percent over the year,average daily room rates up 3.4 percent and revenue per available room, or RevPar ? a key indicator that combines rate and occupancy ? up significantly by 10.5 percent, according to Smith Travel Research. Total revenues over the year were also up by 10.4 percent. Over the month, January occupancy rates were up by 15.5 percent, daily room rates by 1.8 percent and RevPar up by 17.5 percent, meaning 2013 is off to a positive start.
Mr. Zahner said the county has received an uptick in inquiries either looking to expanding or opening new tourism-related businesses in Sonoma County, a reflection of its continued rebound. ?
Similarly, over the 12 months ending in January, occupancy at Napa County hotels was up 3.2 percent, average daily room rates were up by 3 percent and RevPar was up by 6.4 percent, according to Smith Travel Research figures released last week. ?For the month of January, occupancy rates were up 4.7 percent, average daily room rates by 5.3 percent and RevPar increased by 10.3 percent. Total revenues were up by 13.7 percent.
?It sure feels robust in and around the Valley,? said Clay Gregory, chief executive officer of Napa County?s official tourism arm, Visit Napa Valley.
That RevPar was up by more than 10 percent in January bodes especially well given it?s the height of the offseason, Mr. Gregory said, noting that last January wasn?t an especially memorable month. But continued efforts to promote the offseason, dubbed ?Cabernet Season,? are beginning to pay off, he said.
Mr. Gregory also pointed to two-year statistics from Smith Travel, which indicated that, from 2010 to 2012, RevPar was up by 24.6 percent on weekends, while weekdays have seen an increase of 22.3 percent, the result of Visit Napa Valley focusing on soliciting business groups that travel primarily during the week. ?To that end, in January, weekday travel was up 15.3 percent over the year, while weekend travel was up by 1.7 percent.
Individual leisure travel business was down by 1.8 percent in the month of January, but that was more than offset by a big jump in in group business, which increased by 44.6 percent over January of last year.
Likewise, during the off-season from 2010 through 2012, RevPar was up by 30.9 percent, while during the high season it was up by 16.4 percent.
?Hopefully that says we?ve had an impact during the off-season,? Mr. Gregory said.? He also highlighted the importance of a business improvement district, or BID, that was enacted in mid-2010, which put Napa County on par with its main competitors in terms of spending power. The BID generates roughly $4 million annually through a 2 percent assessment on hotel rooms.
Over in Marin County, for the month of December, occupancy rates were up by 3.3 percent, average daily room rates by 3.1 percent and RevPar up by 6.6 percent, according to the latest figures from PKF Consulting. Over the year, the rebound was stronger, with occupancy up by 6.4 percent, average daily rates by 5.5 percent and RevPar up by an impressive 12.2 percent.
Mark Essman, chief executive officer of the Marin County Visitors Bureau, attributed the better year to an improved overall economy, with more travelers coming to San Francisco, which then spill off into Marin.
Marin is also poised to benefit from continued activity related to the America?s Cup, taking place through 2013 along the San Francisco and San Pablo bays.
Back in Sonoma County, Mr. Zahner said the region is also poised for future growth now that the county has been included in the Bay Area region on official state tourism maps. It was previously listed as North Coast, meaning travelers to San Francisco wouldn?t see Sonoma County on potential Bay Area destinations.
Sonoma County Tourism lobbied for six years to have that designation changed, arguing that for every other purpose ? from U.S. Census data to the Association of Bay Area Governments ? Sonoma County was listed in the Bay Area, but curiously not for tourism. Now that it?s in the Bay Area, marketing the region will that much easier, Mr. Zahner said, especially during the off-season, also known as Sonoma Sneak Away.
?When you can use the Golden Gate Bridge to sell Sonoma County, that?s fantastic,? he said.
On his show, Comedian Rodney Perry covers arts and entertainment, everything from comedy and politics to music and acting, with his signature comedic slant.
MashUp Radio is a 30-minute podcast that discusses the fusion of technology, life, culture and science. Host Peter Biddle, engineer and executive for Intel?s Atom Software, dishes up a thought-provoking discussion.
Joy Keys provides her listeners with insight to improve their lives mentally, physically, monetarily and emotionally. Past guests on the show have included Meshell Nedegeocello, Blair Underwood, in addition to an impressive list of CEOs, humanitarians and authors.
Host Barry Moltz gets small businesses unstuck. He has founded and run small businesses with a great deal of success and failure for more than 15 years. This is a business radio show where he shares all the craziness of small business. It?s that craziness that actually makes it exciting, interesting and totally unpredictable.
The Bottom Line Sports Show is hosted by former NBA stars Penny Hardaway, Charles Oakley, Mateen Cleaves. Tune in to get the inside scoop on what's happening in sports today.
Deepak Chopra Radio provides an online forum for compelling and thought provoking conversations on success, love, sexuality and relationships, well-being and spirituality.
Hits Radio covers basketball, sports culture and entertainment with past guests including Jason Kidd, Robin Lundberg and Chris Herren.
Listeners get an earful on The Halli Casser-Jayne Show, Talk Radio for Fine Minds. Whether it?s the current political cocktail or the latest must-read award-winning book, Halli tackles all topics and likes to stir ? and sometimes shakes ? things up.
Official Internet radio show of forthcoming epic paranormal investigation book by Eric Olsen and "Haunted Housewife" Theresa Argie.
Award-winning World Footprints is a leading voice in socially responsible travel and lifestyle. Hosts Ian & Tonya celebrate culture and heritage and bring a unique voice to the world of travel.
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Host John Martin interviews the nation's leading entrepreneurs and small biz experts to educate small business owners on how to be successful. Past guests have included Emeril Lagasse and Guy Kawasaki.
The Movie Geeks share their passion for the art through interviews with the stars of and creative minds behind your favorite flicks and pay tribute to big-screen legends. From James Cameron and Francis Ford Coppola to Ellen Burstyn and Robert Duvall, The Geeks have got'em all.
Sylvia Global presents global conversations pertaining to women, wealth, business, faith and philanthropy. Sylvia has interviewed an eclectic mix from CEOs and musicians to fashion designers and philanthropists including Randolph Duke and Ne-Yo.
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Paula Begoun, best-selling author of Don't Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me, separates fact from fiction on achieving a radiant, youthful complexion at any age. She?s regularly joined by health and beauty experts who offer the latest on keeping your skin in tip-top shape.
Nineteen baby Siamese crocodiles are being let loose in the wetlands of Laos, the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) announced this week. The effort gives a boost to the critically endangered species, which is thought to include just 250 individuals in the wild.
The rare reptiles' eggs had been incubated at the Laos Zoo after being recovered during wildlife surveys in the wetlands of Savannakhet Province, and they hatched in the summer of 2011.
The baby crocs are being let go near the same spot where they were found, but they will stay in a "soft release" pen for several months. There they will get used to their surroundings and receive supplementary food and protection from community members, according to the WCS. Rising water levels at the start of the rainy season will eventually let the crocodiles swim away on their own, but they will be monitored occasionally by conservationists.
Siamese crocodiles grow up to 10 feet (3 meters) in length, but right now, these toothy creatures of the Laos Zoo measure only about 27 inches (70 cm). The crocs have never been known to attack humans, according to the conservation agency Fauna & Flora International. Classified as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the Siamese crocodile population has been cut down by overhunting and habitat loss across much of its former range through Southeast Asia and parts of Indonesia.
The release effort was organized by the WCS's Laos branch as part of a community-based program to recover the local Siamese crocodile population and restore the associated wetlands, with a focus on incentives that improve local livelihoods.
"We are extremely pleased with the success of this collaborative program and believe it is an important step in contributing to the conservation of the species by involving local communities in long-term wetland management," Alex McWilliam, a WCS conservation biologist, said in a statement. "The head starting component of this integrated WCS program represents a significant contribution to the conservation of this magnificent animal in the wild."
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WASHINGTON (AP) ? Democratic governors meeting with President Barack Obama say their state economies will be hurt by automatic, across-the-board federal government spending cuts scheduled to begin on March 1.
Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin, chairman of the Democratic Governors Association, says states have seen increased employment, but that their prosperity is being hindered by "the games being played by the Republicans in Congress."
Obama met with the Democratic governors Friday. The governors are in Washington for a National Governors Association meeting this weekend. Governors from both parties will attend the White House Sunday for dinner and Monday for meetings.
Obama has proposed averting $85 billion in cuts this year with more targeted reductions and with tax increases. Republicans oppose further increases in tax revenue unless it is used to lower tax rates.
SAN BERNARDINO - Police have filed a case with the District Attorney's Office seeking criminal charges against an Eisenhower High School basketball coach.
Steve Johnson, 47, of Yucaipa was shot several times in his upper torso after stopping at Seccombe Lake Park on Fifth Street in San Bernardino shortly before 8 p.m. Jan. 21.
Johnson, a popular boys basketball coach at the Rialto school, said he stopped to use the bathroom on his way to get gasoline, San Bernardino police said.
According to police, Johnson has given conflicting reports of what transpired that night.
In a previous statement, San Bernardino Police Chief Robert Handy said there is reason to believe that Johnson withheld some information in
his statement of what happened that night and that his failure to be completely honest hindered the investigation.
Police want Johnson to be charged with obstruction of justice.
"This case is pending review," said district attorney's spokesman Christopher Lee. "Until a decision has been made, we cannot comment any further."
Johnson initially told police he stopped at the park to urinate and that when he was done three black men attempted to rob him.
Handy has said police had no reason to doubt that Johnson was the victim of a robbery followed by a shooting at the park.
The gunman demanded Johnson's wallet. When he said he didn't have it, the gunman opened fire, police said.
Since the shooting, Johnson has changed his story multiple times, prompting the filing of the case with prosecutors, police said.
A witness reportedly came forward but Handy said in a phone interview Friday that he would not confirm or comment on the matter.
Johnson was at home recovering but under heavy medication, according to his brother, Phil Johnson.
Officials with the Rialto Unified School District said they continue to support Johnson as he recovers.
"We wish Coach Johnson, who indeed was the victim of a violent crime, a speedy recovery, and the district will continue to work with law enforcement during their investigation," district spokeswoman Syeda Jafri has said.
Reach Doug via email, call him at 909-386-3925, or find him on Twitter @crimeshutterbug.
Bear with us for a second, guys. We just hallucinated that there was an impossibly cool statue of Darth Vader, holding his own helmet in introspection. Oh God, it's real! The statuette comes from the always impressive Sideshow Collectibles (via io9), and it's the latest in their "Star Wars Mythos" series of badass figures. On [...]
Untuk lebih jelasnya, ikuti langkah latihan berikut: 1. Bukalah registry melalui editor Regedit.
2. Masuklah pada alamat kunci berikut:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control? Panel\Cursors
3. Pada subkey Cursors, carilah datadengan tipe? Expandable? StringValue bernama ?AppStarting?.
4. Klik dua kali pada data AppStarting, kemudian masukkanalamatkursor yang akan Anda gunakansebagaitandaaplikasi sedangdibuka.Sebagai contoh, saya? menggunakan??? alamat?F:\GAMBAR\Cursors\banana.ani? pada bagian Value Data.
5. Dari beberapa langkah di atas, bentuk pengaturan lengkapnya dapat dilihat pada gambar berikut.
6. Untuk melihat hasil perubahannya, lakukan Refresh.
7. Jika belum berhasil,Log Off atau Restart komputer terlebih dahulu.
Langsung aja yuk sob dipraktekkan materi kita Mengganti Kursor Ketika AplikasiDijalankan, jika sobat mau mempelajari lanjutan materi ini, silahkan sobat klik Windows Vista.
Flipping the 'off' switch on cell growthPublic release date: 22-Feb-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Shawna Williams shawna@jhmi.edu 410-955-8236 Johns Hopkins Medicine
Protein uses multiple means to help cells cope when oxygen runs low
A protein known for turning on genes to help cells survive low-oxygen conditions also slows down the copying of new DNA strands, thus shutting down the growth of new cells, Johns Hopkins researchers report. Their discovery has wide-ranging implications, they say, given the importance of this copying known as DNA replication and new cell growth to many of the body's functions and in such diseases as cancer.
"We've long known that this protein, HIF-1?, can switch hundreds of genes on or off in response to low oxygen conditions," says Gregg Semenza, M.D., Ph.D., a molecular biologist who led the research team and has long studied the role of low-oxygen conditions in cancer, lung disease and heart disorders. "We've now learned that HIF-1? is even more versatile than we thought, as it can work directly to stop new cells from forming." A report on the discovery appears in the Feb. 12 issue of Science Signaling.
With his team, Semenza, who is the C. Michael Armstrong Professor of Medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine's Institute for Cell Engineering and Institute for Genomic Medicine, discovered HIF-1? in the 1990s and has studied it ever since, pinpointing a multitude of genes in different types of cells that have their activity ramped up or down by the activated protein. These changes in so-called "gene expression" help cells survive when oxygen-rich blood flow to an area slows or stops temporarily; they also allow tumors to build new blood vessels to feed themselves.
To learn how HIF-1?'s own activity is controlled, the team looked for proteins from human cells that would attach to HIF-1?. They found two, MCM3 and MCM7, that limited HIF-1?'s activity, and were also part of the DNA replication machinery. Those results were reported in 2011.
In the new research, Semenza and his colleagues further probed HIF-1?'s relationship to DNA replication by comparing cells in low-oxygen conditions to cells kept under normal conditions. They measured the amount of DNA replication complexes in the cells, as well as how active the complexes were. The cells kept in low-oxygen conditions, which had stopped dividing, had just as much of the DNA replication machinery as the normal dividing cells, the researchers found; the difference was that the machinery wasn't working. It turned out that in the nondividing cells, HIF-1? was binding to a protein that loads the DNA replication complex onto DNA strands, and preventing the complex from being activated.
"Our experiments answered the long-standing question of how, exactly, cells stop dividing in response to low oxygen," says Maimon Hubbi, Ph.D., a member of Semenza's team who is now working toward an M.D. degree. "It also shows us that the relationship between HIF-1? and the DNA replication complex is reciprocal that is, each can shut the other down."
###
Other authors on the report are Kshitiz, Daniele M. Gilkes, Sergio Rey, Carmen C. Wong, Weibo Luo, Chi V. Dang and Andre Levchenko, all of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and Deok-Ho Kim of the University of Washington, Seattle.
The study was funded by the U.S. Public Health Service (contracts N01-HV28180 and HHS-N268201000032c), the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (grant number T32-HL007525), the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (grant number T32-GM008752), the American Heart Association (predoctoral fellowship 10PRE4160120), the Susan G. Komen Foundation (postdoctoral fellowship KG111254), the Foundation for Advanced Research in the Medical Sciences and the Johns Hopkins Institute for Cell Engineering.
Link to the paper: http://stke.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/sigtrans;6/262/ra10
Related stories:
Podcast on the Science Signaling paper: http://stke.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/sigtrans;6/262/pc5/DC1
Johns Hopkins Researchers Link Cell Division and Oxygen Levels: http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/media/releases/johns_hopkins_researchers_link_cell_division_and_oxygen_levels
Gregg Semenza on how doping in endurance sports and treating cardiovascular disease are interrelated: http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/institute_cell_engineering/experts/meet_scientists/gregg_semenza.html
Need Oxygen? Cells Know How to Spend and Save: http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/media/releases/need_oxygen_cells_know_how_to_spend_and_save
Johns Hopkins Researchers Discover How Breast Cancer Spreads to the Lung: http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/media/releases/johns_hopkins_researchers_discover_how_breast_cancer_spreads_to_lung
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Flipping the 'off' switch on cell growthPublic release date: 22-Feb-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Shawna Williams shawna@jhmi.edu 410-955-8236 Johns Hopkins Medicine
Protein uses multiple means to help cells cope when oxygen runs low
A protein known for turning on genes to help cells survive low-oxygen conditions also slows down the copying of new DNA strands, thus shutting down the growth of new cells, Johns Hopkins researchers report. Their discovery has wide-ranging implications, they say, given the importance of this copying known as DNA replication and new cell growth to many of the body's functions and in such diseases as cancer.
"We've long known that this protein, HIF-1?, can switch hundreds of genes on or off in response to low oxygen conditions," says Gregg Semenza, M.D., Ph.D., a molecular biologist who led the research team and has long studied the role of low-oxygen conditions in cancer, lung disease and heart disorders. "We've now learned that HIF-1? is even more versatile than we thought, as it can work directly to stop new cells from forming." A report on the discovery appears in the Feb. 12 issue of Science Signaling.
With his team, Semenza, who is the C. Michael Armstrong Professor of Medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine's Institute for Cell Engineering and Institute for Genomic Medicine, discovered HIF-1? in the 1990s and has studied it ever since, pinpointing a multitude of genes in different types of cells that have their activity ramped up or down by the activated protein. These changes in so-called "gene expression" help cells survive when oxygen-rich blood flow to an area slows or stops temporarily; they also allow tumors to build new blood vessels to feed themselves.
To learn how HIF-1?'s own activity is controlled, the team looked for proteins from human cells that would attach to HIF-1?. They found two, MCM3 and MCM7, that limited HIF-1?'s activity, and were also part of the DNA replication machinery. Those results were reported in 2011.
In the new research, Semenza and his colleagues further probed HIF-1?'s relationship to DNA replication by comparing cells in low-oxygen conditions to cells kept under normal conditions. They measured the amount of DNA replication complexes in the cells, as well as how active the complexes were. The cells kept in low-oxygen conditions, which had stopped dividing, had just as much of the DNA replication machinery as the normal dividing cells, the researchers found; the difference was that the machinery wasn't working. It turned out that in the nondividing cells, HIF-1? was binding to a protein that loads the DNA replication complex onto DNA strands, and preventing the complex from being activated.
"Our experiments answered the long-standing question of how, exactly, cells stop dividing in response to low oxygen," says Maimon Hubbi, Ph.D., a member of Semenza's team who is now working toward an M.D. degree. "It also shows us that the relationship between HIF-1? and the DNA replication complex is reciprocal that is, each can shut the other down."
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Other authors on the report are Kshitiz, Daniele M. Gilkes, Sergio Rey, Carmen C. Wong, Weibo Luo, Chi V. Dang and Andre Levchenko, all of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and Deok-Ho Kim of the University of Washington, Seattle.
The study was funded by the U.S. Public Health Service (contracts N01-HV28180 and HHS-N268201000032c), the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (grant number T32-HL007525), the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (grant number T32-GM008752), the American Heart Association (predoctoral fellowship 10PRE4160120), the Susan G. Komen Foundation (postdoctoral fellowship KG111254), the Foundation for Advanced Research in the Medical Sciences and the Johns Hopkins Institute for Cell Engineering.
Link to the paper: http://stke.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/sigtrans;6/262/ra10
Related stories:
Podcast on the Science Signaling paper: http://stke.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/sigtrans;6/262/pc5/DC1
Johns Hopkins Researchers Link Cell Division and Oxygen Levels: http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/media/releases/johns_hopkins_researchers_link_cell_division_and_oxygen_levels
Gregg Semenza on how doping in endurance sports and treating cardiovascular disease are interrelated: http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/institute_cell_engineering/experts/meet_scientists/gregg_semenza.html
Need Oxygen? Cells Know How to Spend and Save: http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/media/releases/need_oxygen_cells_know_how_to_spend_and_save
Johns Hopkins Researchers Discover How Breast Cancer Spreads to the Lung: http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/media/releases/johns_hopkins_researchers_discover_how_breast_cancer_spreads_to_lung
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It's time for our weekly roundup of new and notable Android apps ? those released for the first time this week, or which have been newly ported from smartphones to tablets (or vice versa).
The roundup includes apps and games, and the pricing in brackets relates to the initial download ? some apps listed as free may include in-app purchases. The iOS roundup will follow later in the day.
Here's this week's pick of the Google Play store:
The Beeb has ported its iOS sports app to Android smartphones and tablets, promising news, live text commentary, fixtures and tables, and a mixture of live and on-demand video and audio from a range of events. The BBC is promising more features to be added in the coming months, including team customisation and homescreen widgets.
I can't over-stress how obsessed I get with every new simulation game from Japanese developer KairoSoft, even though they all use a pretty similar formula. Here, you're managing a racehorse ranch, training up horses to win prizes, while breeding new colts. Looks like a real battery-chewer (the game, not the horses ??that wouldn't be healthy).
HotelTonight's same-day hotel bookings app has been available on Android smartphones for a while, but it's now been redesigned for Google-powered tablets. Supporting cities in the US and abroad ??16 in Europe including London, Dublin, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Liverpool, Manchester and Birmingham ??it puts the emphasis on photography of hotels, and promises bookings in less than eight seconds when time's a pressure.
Flipboard, News360, Zite... Android is spoilt for choice when it comes to news aggregation/discovery apps. Newscover is the latest, promising to learn your interests as you read news stories, then serve up more articles it thinks you'll like. It's available in Spanish and English versions, with the option to log in using Twitter and Facebook for further personalisation.
This app isn't from listings website Craigslist itself, but it IS "officially licensed" by the company. What's more, it's very slickly designed ??more so than the site by a long chalk. The app helps you browse listings, including by location, while setting alerts and push notifications for specific kinds. You can also post your own listings from within the app.
If your Android smartphone has one of Qualcomm's Snapdragon processors inside, this new (beta) app aims to eke out more battery time and optimise the device ??simply by running in the background and adapting to usage. Very useful, although I wonder how many people who could benefit won't, because they don't know what chips are inside their phone.
Retro treat of the week comes from Team 17 with an Android remake of its top-down shooter Alien Breed, which came out in 1991 originally. The game offers a choice of classic and enhanced modes ??beefier graphics and sound in the latter, as well as touch-tweaked controls ??as well as four new levels, and social leaderboards.
There's some very good buzz around Sidebar, an app to help Android users multi-task with a sidebar of their most frequently-used apps. "Simply swipe in from the edge of the screen to gain instant access to the apps you use most," as the Google Play listing puts it.
The Sandbox is one of a clutch of pixel-art creation-games to have appeared in recent months, inspired by Minecraft but with an emphasis on 2D worlds rather than 3D. The game offers 71 levels to work through, as you trigger chemical reactions, generate lifeforms and try to build the Pyramids. Wonderful stuff.
Moment.me is one of the apps trying to aggregate people's social posts around specific events and locations. Which sounds like tech-pseudy rubbish, I know, but there's something to it: the app gathers photos, tweets and videos from an event and sorts them into collections, with the ability to cluster friends for this purpose too.
Another famous game comes to Android: a 3D hardware-accelerated port of first-person title Hexen, released by developer Kokak. And while it's probably something for more technical users comfortable with downloading IWAD files, it's still good to see.
British retailer B&Q has worked with Grapple Mobile on this app for its loyalty club, serving up offers and discounts to members, while letting newcomers sign up from their phones. Competitions and local store details are also included.
Puzzle game Sporos wants to stretch your brain, as you light up cells in patterns using a "sporos" seed, dragging pieces around the screen to the strains of "soothing electronic music". Hundreds of levels should provide a decent challenge.
Android isn't just about retro games this week. Flashout 3D is new, albeit clearly influenced by Wipeout. It's a futuristic racing game with lots of ships, tracks and upgrades to explore, and an intriguing-sounding "interactive equalizer" feature that matches the in-game music to the on-track visuals.
Available globally but possibly of most interest to Americans who grew up with the Berenstain Bears books, this is a storybook app for children that sees Papa Bear and his cubs trying to get out of helping Mama Bear with the housework. Expect voice narration, word-highlighting to help young readers, and (possibly) less rampantly-sexist 4-8 year-olds as a result.
Okay, Android is quite a lot about retro games this week. Manos: The Hands of Fate is a new title that looks like an old one: "An homage to the great games you remember from your childhood... When the streets were filled with bats, ghosts and Frankenstein monsters".
Another famous American storybook series ??Little Critter ??is being digitised for smartphones and tablets by publisher Oceanhouse Media. This latest app sees him having a bad dream, with similar voice narration and reading features to the Berenstain Bears app. This time, the target audience is 2-5 year-olds.
As the name makes clear, this is an app for rooted Android devices only (if you're not aware of the phenomenon, Wikipedia is your friend, by the way). Greenify promises to keep your smartphone running smoothly, including booting "bad behaving apps into hibernation" if they're sucking up battery life or hogging the memory.
Who needs physical cosmetic surgery, when digital face-tweaking is now A Thing? That's the idea behind Perfect365, in a way: a way to "apply a natural touch-up or a sizzling makeover" to facial photos on an Android device, removing blemishes, whitening teeth and even enhancing noses and lifting cheeks. The results can be shared on social networks, for friends to stare quizzically at.
"First they (bankers) took everything and now they want more," explains the Google Play listing for this topical tower defence game. Not just ordinary bankers, of course: zombie bankers. Developer La Factoria d'Imatges says it'll donate a portion of its profits to charity, too.
That's this week's selection, but what apps are you enjoying on Android this week? Make your recommendations or comment on the apps listed above in the Comments section.
Kenneth Asbury replaces Dan Allen as CEO of CACI International Inc.
CACI International Inc.'s decision to replace its CEO after less than two years on the job is part of a plan to refocus on new contract opportunities and acquistions of companies that can spur growth, Chairman Jack London and new CEO Kenneth Asbury told investors in a call Thursday morning.
Departing CEO Dan Allen didn't fit into that strategy, London said.
"What we're doing now is a bit of a modification to the strategy in the sense of priorities," he said. "The board determined that the best course of action is to put in place an aggressive business development ? a contract winning process ? under the direct leadership of an extremely qualified individual at the CEO level."
Whether the Arlington-based company's decision to replace Allen will be deemed a hasty one by investors, partners and government customers is yet to be determined.
Asbury, who was directly involved in efforts to capture contracts at Bethesda-based Lockheed Martin Corp., said he will reorganize the company to have business development operations report directly to his office.
"I would like to be personally involved in every one of the major bids we see in front of us," he said. "We intend to be a winner of those."
Personnel hires for the business development group will be addressed in the near term, Asbury noted.
The company wants to continue the aggressive acquisition strategy that was initiated 20 years ago and has led to nearly 60 buys thus far. Asbury pointed to cybersecurity as a key area for acquisitions, particularly in light of recent efforts by the Obama administration to better protect computer systems and trade secrets. Another possible target will be companies trying to exit certain services.
Meet Garry A. Berger of Berger Legal LLC. With 15 attorneys, most working from home and a few from their own offices, Berger Legal is a virtual law office comprised of only senior professionals that delivers a full range of legal services. As Berger Legal grew and expanded into other areas, handling cases from New York to Florida to France, Spain and other parts of Europe, implementing a scalable practice management platform was crucial.
When asked how using Clio and ?the cloud? has changed the way he practices law, Berger emphasized the ability for ?his whole firm to work remotely, either from home or an office space of their choosing. Doing so allows his firm to keep overhead low, and charge lower rates for client services. He also said he ?used to have to wait until two weeks after each month closed to see how the firm was doing. Now I can find out how the firm is doing, by a particular client or matter, now instead of later. And I can also see what people are working on now instead of later.?
For any lawyer, tracking time is still the standard method for billing. And for Berger Legal, ?Clio is easier and neater than using a spreadsheet. It?s really great and a big win for billing since it cut down my office manager?s time spent on records.? Berger also said that his office manager can now ?focus on other tasks, which changes her role considerably and is a huge help to the firm.?
Before implementing Clio, spreadsheets were how the firm tracked and recorded time. As Berger explained it, ?each person recorded their time in Excel, and sent the spreadsheet to the office manager/billing coordinator. She did her magic to put the entry into QuickBooks.? Straightforward process for a one or two person firm, perhaps, ?but as the firm grew it became unmanageable. We needed remote, online access, in order to minimize all of the time spent populating bills with time records.?
Berger Law needed a scalable, cloud-based practice management platform. Being able to have his firm work remotely, simplify and streamline billing and time records and still keep overhead low are necessary to his firm?s success. To some, investing in a practice management platform might seem counterintuitive as it, too, is an expense. When asked about this, Berger said that ??if you?re trying to avoid expenses Clio makes the cut. It?s an expense worth incurring. Another way to think of it is that we don?t pay rent.?
And Berger had one final word on billing: ?The presentation of the bills in Clio is very nice, and though we?ve always been accurate in our bills and timely, we?re now a little more accurate and timely.?
Read more?#GoneClio interviews?to see how other lawyers have realized the benefits of cloud-based practice management. Interested in being interviewed??Let us know!
For the full interview, click
INTERVIEW?
How big is your firm?
15 attorneys now, and it?s a virtual platform so most of the attorneys work from home and a few work from their own offices.
What did you use before Clio?
Before Clio each person recorded in Excel, sent the spreadsheet to the office manager/billing coordinator who did her magic to put the entry into QuickBooks. When the firm was smaller, just two or three people, it was manageable but as the firm grew it became unmanageable. We needed remote access, online, in order to minimize all of the time spent populating bills with time records.
Our attorneys don?t all work full time, some work part time, so she wasn?t collecting a dozen full time schedules, but it nonetheless got to the tipping point.
What made you decide on Clio? Did you try out any other solutions?
Clio was recommend by someone I trust who ?was speaking at a conference on technology. I really hadn?t heard of Clio, then he mentioned it, and I took a look at it and thought it was really fantastic. He?s really involved in the space so his recommendation was meaningful.?
At various times I looked at other options, but they didn?t seem to be very user friendly.
What problems did Clio help your firm solve?
I used to have to wait until two weeks after each month closed to see how the firm was doing. Now I can find out how the firm is doing, by a particular client or matter and I can also see what people are working on now instead of later.
What did you find to be Clio?s most valuable feature?
Time entry is very easy. Clio is easier and neater than using spreadsheet. It?s really great and a big win for billing since it cut down my office manager?s time spent on records, which frees her up to do other things for the firm. She can focus on other tasks, which changes her role considerably and is a huge help to the firm.
What benefits have you realized from Clio that you didn?t anticipate?
Clio is what I expected. And it has plenty of bells and whistles.
Have Clio & ?the Cloud? changed the way you practice law? If so, how?
When I started, it was just the idea of working from home that I liked, and saving on overhead so I could charge lower rates. The firm grew, I hired people but it never made sense to rent office space and incur expenses. I wanted to maintain the same idea of working from home for myself and enable my colleagues to work either from home or in office space of their choice closer to home. As long as the clients are happy, it doesn?t matter where our lawyers work. Clio lets us work from different locations, which keeps overhead low which in turn keeps rates low.
How did you find the process of getting up and running with Clio?
Very simple. I did a trial and basically was up and running. I got some help from the videos, then did a walk through and a call or two with Clio and my firm. It was all pretty basic and from the point of view of an attorney. So it was pretty simple and at this point it?s very self-sustaining.
How has Clio improved your firm and the service you offer your clients?
The client still receives bills from me, though maybe a couple days earlier than before. The presentation of the bills in Clio is very nice.
Have you had any experiences with Clio?s support team?
Everyone is very helpful, and they know the product.
Would you recommend Clio to your colleagues?
Of course. That?s why I offered to do the interview.
Mac or PC?
Mostly PC. I think there are one or two people who use Macs. Either way, we haven?t had any issues.
Read more?#GoneClio interviews?to see how other lawyers have realized the benefits of cloud-based practice management. Interested in being interviewed??Let us know!
The Museum of Broadcast Communications (MBC) will celebrate the 89th anniversary of The National Barn Dance radio show in the actual historic WLS studio on March 23 at 3pm. The special event will feature an afternoon of classic country music, historic reflections and documentary clips from The Hayloft Gang: The Story of the National Barn Dance.Filmmaker Stephen Parry will host the anniversary celebration that will benefit The National Radio Hall of Fame, which is housed inside the MBC.
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Public release date: 22-Feb-2013
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Meet Garry A. Berger of Berger Legal LLC. With 15 attorneys, most working from home and a few from their own offices, Berger Legal is a virtual law office comprised of only senior professionals that delivers a full range of legal services. As Berger Legal grew and expanded into other areas, handling cases from New York to Florida to France, Spain and other parts of Europe, implementing a scalable practice management platform was crucial.