Strong earthquake strikes far west China

BEIJING (AP) ? A strong earthquake has jolted China's Central Asian frontier, shaking buildings and cutting off electricity in the remote mountainous area and sending rescuers in search of casualties.

The U.S. Geological Survey measured the Saturday morning quake that hit the Xinjiang region at 6.3 magnitude, while China's Earthquake Networks Center put it at 6.6.

China's state-run Xinhua News Agency reported that residents near the epicenter were shaken out of bed in pre-dawn darkness and that some households lost electricity. It reported that the quake shook buildings 200 kilometers, or 120 miles, to the west in the regional capital, Urumqi.

Xinhua said rescuers are being dispatched to the sparsely populated area to search for casualties.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-06-29-China-Earthquake/id-f8c90e12e2df44e2876fd5ef568b2642

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AISD Instructional Support: Sharing Google Docs With Your Class

Many users quickly learn to share documents via a users email address, but teachers in the Austin ISD Google domain can also very easily share documents with the entire class or single students.

When you are ready to share a document, click the Share button as you normally would in Google Docs. In the 'Add people' box, start typing the name of the person you wish to share the document with.

In the picture above, we typed 'john' and a list of names that contain 'john' automatically populate the share box. It is very important that our users carefully look at the domain after the @ sign before selecting a name.? The subdomain 'stu.austinisd.org' is only for students.? So, johnsmith@austinisd.org would be a teacher while johnsmith@stu.austinisd.org could only be a student.? Before sharing sensitive documents with other teachers, please check the address fully.

Another subdomain that we have is the 'crs.austinisd.org' domain that is reserved for class groups. Students accounts are automatically added into a crs group by the class scheduling system. Teachers do not need to create these group or manage the movement of students between classes or schools.

In this picture, we see that two different addresses have been selected to share this document with.? The first is a class account. These follow the format, ?
CampusCode/Teacher'sE#/Period#@crs.austinisd.org .? Like the other addresses, the crs addresses will autopopulate as you type in this box.

You also have the ability to attach a message with this sharing process.? From this same picture, we see a teacher giving editing rights to an entire class and a specific student.? Students can use the Google 'File- Make a copy' menu to make their own editable copy that they can then save to a collection that the teacher has created for all students in that class.? Collections can be shared in the exact same way as above to help manage student document sharing with the teacher.

How would you use document sharing in your classroom?? Share!

Source: http://aisdis.blogspot.com/2012/04/sharing-google-docs-with-your-class.html

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Union Woodshop owners to open restaurant in Fenton fire hall

It's official. The City of Fenton Downtown Development Authority selected Union Joints (owners of Clarkston Union, Union Woodshop, Union General Store and Union Adworks) to open a restaurant in Fenton's old fire hall.

Other contenders for the spot were Lockhart's BBQ, Arbor Brewing Company and Tavern 131/Ciao Amici. The DDA narrowed it down to Clarkston Union and Arbor Brewing Company last week. The location has been vacant for a few years, and the city decided its best use would be as a restaurant.

Union Joints will keep the name Fenton Fire Hall, according to its proposal, and expects to open the restaurant in about eight months.

Owners Curt Catallo and his wife, Ann Stevenson, who recently opened the Vinsetta Garage in Berkley with partner KC Crain, vice president of Autoweek magazine, said in an e-mail, "We're wildly excited about this opportunity. Ann and I have always dug that building and preserving it as a restaurant is right up our alley!"

Plans are for indoor and outdoor seating, an open-pit kitchen and 60-tap biergarten. Catallo and Stevenson created the website www.fentonfirehouse.com so the community can follow the changes. The design fits into the couple's mantra of not straying from what was originally housed in buildings that they transform into restaurants. "The Fenton Fire Hall should be kept true to the building's original purpose," the restaurant proposal said. "We propose a joint that respects both the flame and the ability to douse it."

The building is on the corner of South Leroy and Ellen streets.

Source: http://detroit.metromix.com/restaurants/article/union-woodshop-owners-to/3108089/content

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Activists: Dozens killed in Syria shelling

In this Thursday, June 28, 2012 photo, embers of the Free Syrian Army are seen in a neighborhood of Damascus, Syria. Much of the violence that has gripped Syria has been sanctioned by the government to crush dissent. But rebel fighters are launching increasingly deadly attacks on regime targets, and several huge suicide bombings this year suggest al-Qaida or other extremists are joining the battle. A bomb blast rocked central Damascus on Thursday near a busy market and the country's main justice complex, wounding at least three people and sending a cloud of black smoke into the air. (AP Photo)

In this Thursday, June 28, 2012 photo, embers of the Free Syrian Army are seen in a neighborhood of Damascus, Syria. Much of the violence that has gripped Syria has been sanctioned by the government to crush dissent. But rebel fighters are launching increasingly deadly attacks on regime targets, and several huge suicide bombings this year suggest al-Qaida or other extremists are joining the battle. A bomb blast rocked central Damascus on Thursday near a busy market and the country's main justice complex, wounding at least three people and sending a cloud of black smoke into the air. (AP Photo)

In this Thursday, June 28, 2012 photo, embers of the Free Syrian Army are seen in a neighborhood of Damascus, Syria. Much of the violence that has gripped Syria has been sanctioned by the government to crush dissent. But rebel fighters are launching increasingly deadly attacks on regime targets, and several huge suicide bombings this year suggest al-Qaida or other extremists are joining the battle. A bomb blast rocked central Damascus on Thursday near a busy market and the country's main justice complex, wounding at least three people and sending a cloud of black smoke into the air. (AP Photo)

In this Thursday, June 28, 2012 photo, embers of the Free Syrian Army are seen in a neighborhood of Damascus, Syria. Much of the violence that has gripped Syria has been sanctioned by the government to crush dissent. But rebel fighters are launching increasingly deadly attacks on regime targets, and several huge suicide bombings this year suggest al-Qaida or other extremists are joining the battle. A bomb blast rocked central Damascus on Thursday near a busy market and the country's main justice complex, wounding at least three people and sending a cloud of black smoke into the air. (AP Photo)

Syrians inspect burned cars at the site of a blast in the Syrian capital Damascus Thursday June 28, 2012. A strong explosion rocked the Syrian capital Thursday near a busy market and the Palace of Justice, sending black smoke billowing into the sky. State TV reported at least three people were wounded and around 20 cars were damaged. (AP Photo/Muzaffar Salman)

Syrians inspect burned cars at the site of a blast in the Syrian capital Damascus Thursday June 28, 2012. A strong explosion rocked the Syrian capital Thursday near a busy market and the Palace of Justice, sending black smoke billowing into the sky. State TV reported at least three people were wounded and around 20 cars were damaged. (AP Photo/Muzaffar Salman)

BEIRUT (AP) ? Syrian troops rained tank and artillery shells down on a rebellious suburb of the Syrian capital of Damascus Friday, killing dozens of people during a particularly bloody week across the country, opposition groups and activists said.

It's difficult to get an accurate death toll in tightly controlled Syria, where journalists and human rights groups are either banned or severely restricted. But two opposition groups that compile and document casualties reported the death of more than 125 civilians in fighting across the country on Thursday alone.

Death tolls often take several days to compile because of the restrictions and chaos in the country.

The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Thursday's toll included more than 60 soldiers. If confirmed, it would be one of the highest death tolls on a single day since the start of the uprising against President Bashar Assad in March 2011.

Activists said at least 43 people were killed in over two days of shelling in the sprawling Damascus suburb of Douma that has been a hotbed of dissent against Assad's regime. The dead included three children and five members of a single family.

The barrage is part of a fierce government offensive aimed at regaining control of parts of Damascus suburbs where rebels operate, particularly Douma.

A local activist who spoke on condition of anonymity for security reasons said the shelling was "relentless" throughout Thursday, and exploding shells killed people in their homes.

"They (government troops) are trying to bring Douma under control, but they are being met by fierce resistance," said Rami Abdul-Rahman, the group's director. He said most of the dead were civilians.

The Local Coordination Committees network said 59 people were killed in Thursday's shelling of Damascus suburbs, most of them in Douma. The difference in tolls could not be reconciled.

The state-run news agency SANA said troops continue to pursue "terrorist groups" in Douma, raiding their hideouts and destroying their communications and other equipment. Clashes resulted in the death of dozens of terrorists ? the official term authorities use for rebels ? and the wounding and arrest of many others, the statement said.

Amateur videos posted by activists online showed bloodied bodies lying on blankets in a room and others shrouded in white sheets and placed on stretchers. "A new massacre by Bashar Assad," cried a man holding a dead girl in a pink blouse, a large gash on her face.

The violence around the capital's suburbs mirrored fighting across many parts of Syria that killed dozens of other people Thursday, according to the groups.

Activists say more than 14,000 people have been killed since the uprising began in March 2011.

Much of the violence that has gripped Syria has been sanctioned by the government to crush dissent. But rebel fighters are launching increasingly deadly attacks on regime targets, and several huge suicide bombings this year suggest al-Qaida or other extremists are joining the battle. A bomb blast rocked central Damascus on Thursday near a busy market and the country's main justice complex, wounding at least three people and sending a cloud of black smoke into the air.

The latest carnage came as world powers show new urgency to resolve the crisis, which so far has resisted international efforts.

World powers will meet Saturday in Geneva for talks on Syria, but few observers expect a breakthrough. Syria has the protection of Russia, a veto-wielding member of the U.N. Security Council, and has so far been impervious to international pressure.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Moscow will not endorse a call on Assad to give up power.

"We are not supporting and will not support any external meddling," he said. "External players must not dictate ... to Syrians, but, first of all, must commit to influencing all the sides in Syria to stop the violence."

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Thursday it was "very clear" that all the participants at the Geneva meeting ? including Russia ? are on board with a transition plan created by international envoy Kofi Annan. His plan calls for the formation of a national unity government that would oversee the drafting of a new constitution and elections.

Clinton told reporters that the invitations to Saturday's meeting in Geneva made clear that representatives "were coming on the basis of (Annan's) transition plan."

Lavrov said it was "obvious that a transitional period is needed to overcome the Syrian crisis," but insisted the major powers in Geneva must focus on convincing the opposition groups to soften their demands.

Diplomatic hopes have rested on Russia to agree to a plan that would end the Assad family dynasty, which has ruled Syria for more than four decades. Russia is Syria's most important ally, protector and supplier of arms.

There are few options besides keeping up diplomatic pressure, as an international military intervention is all but ruled out in the near future. Few countries are willing to get deeply involved in such an explosive conflict, and Russia and China have pledged to veto any international attempt to intervene militarily.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-06-29-Syria/id-1d7bb59b551147ec8e562fe62c2cf5e2

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Canada's Largest Indie Game Developer is Hiring - Techvibes.com

Canada's largest independent game developer is Vancouver's East Side Games (at least according to their website).

Founded in July of 2011 by Jason Bailey with a "mountain of cash," East Side Games is a profitable social and mobile gaming company with several live titles including, NomNom Combo, Zombinis, Blaze Runner and their flagship game, Pot Farm.

Bailey is legendary in Vancouver for bootstrapping Super Rewards to a $100 million run rate within 18 months and then selling it for a reported $50 million. He's now an outspoken angel investor and one of the founders of accelerator GrowLab.

East Side Games has had over six million installs and have well over half a million unique users across their games every month.

Their team has over 100 years of combined experience working at AAA studios such as Blizzard/Activision, THQ, Crytek, EA, Rockstar, Disney and Ubisoft and over 60 years experience in the social/mobile space at studios such as DES Games, Hothead Games, Nexon America, Club Penguin (Disney) and Magellan Interactive.

East Side Games' is hiring across the board in Gastown including these two roles posted on the Techvibes Job Board.

Source: http://www.techvibes.com/blog/canadas-largest-indie-game-developer-is-hiring-2012-06-26

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Insights into primate diversity: Lessons from the rhesus macaque

ScienceDaily (June 29, 2012) ? New research published in BMC Genetics shows that the rhesus macaque has three times as much genetic variation as humans. However despite much of this extra variation within genes, protein function is not affected. Consequently damaging variations are at similar levels in macaques and humans -- indicating a strong selection pressure to maintain gene function regardless of mutation rate or population size.

Humans and rhesus macaques shared a common ancestor approximately 25 million years ago. Although there are now over seven billion humans on the planet only 100,000 years ago the human population was as low as one million. The effective human population, the number of people required to explain current genetic variation rate, was until recently less than 8,000.

The population size of rhesus macaques is in the millions and is exceeded only by humans (among primates). However there are 13 subspecies which have evolved to exploit environments as diverse as savannah and forests, and across a range of climate zones.

A team of researchers led by Christina Barr and David Goldman from the NIH determined that the effective population size for these primates was 80,000, ten times that of humans. Analysis of genetic variation, using single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), showed that the macaque genome had three times higher genetic variation than humans. Most of these SNP were previously unknown and were disproportionally found in functionally important regions of DNA and each known gene had at least one SNP.

Dr. Goldman explained, "Although macaques have more variation than humans in the protein coding regions of genes, the ratio of variation in these regions compared to non-coding regions is significantly lower. Additionally the macaque variation is less likely to alter protein function. This brings down the amount of damaging variation to a level close to what was actually seen in humans."

Dr Barr continued "Our comparative approach across primate species (human and macaques) gives us a genomic view of evolutionary selection and reaffirms the effects of population history on genetic variation. Not very long ago, on an evolutionary timescale, there were more macaques than people, and the genomes of both species are a legacy of those times past."

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---

Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by BioMed Central.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

---

Journal Reference:

1. Qiaoping Yuan, Zhifeng Zhou, Stephen G Lindell, James Dee Higley, Betsy Ferguson, Robert C Thompson, Juan F Lopez, Stephen J Suomi, Basel Baghal, Maggie Baker, Deborah C Mash, Christina S Barr and David Goldman. The rhesus macaque is three times as diverse but more closely equivalent in damaging coding variation as compared to the human. BMC Genetics, 2012 [link]

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120629005454.htm

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Associate Director of Marketing and Communications - HigherEdJobs

The Associate Director of Marketing and Communications is primarily responsible for proactively planning and implementing the marketing and
communications strategies for Tennessee's Community Colleges, but will also assist the Communications Director with communications- and
marketing-related projects and activities on behalf of the TBR System. The Community Colleges work will entail managing centralized
messaging to key audiences about the value and benefits of Tennessee's community colleges and planning to enhance the colleges' image by
coordinating messaging and marketing. The person in this role will work closely with the Communications Director, the Vice Chancellor for
Community Colleges, and the marketing/communications directors at each of the community colleges to create focused and effective marketing
messages and communications (media and public relations, web site content, marketing plans, graphic style management, advertising, social
media coordination) for all relevant media and the Tennessee's Community Colleges website. The person in this role will also periodically
serve as the spokesperson for the Community College System for the media and may, on occasion, do the same for the TBR System.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in public relations, communications or marketing related fields PLUS a minimum of 7 years of increasingly responsible experience in a related field
• OR master's degree in public relations, communications or marketing related fields PLUS a minimum of 4 years of increasingly responsible experience in a related field
• Demonstrated excellent professional communication skills related to public relations and media relations
• Knowledge of Associated Press style guidelines

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience working in or with higher education institutions
• Experience working in or with a community college
• Experience working with social media in a professional capacity
• Photography and videography experience, including editing capabilities
• Working knowledge of Internet/web tools

All applicants must apply online at https://jobs.tbr.edu

Benefits include but not limited to: medical, dental, vision,
LTD, retirement plan options, 401 (k), two annual leave days per month, one sick day per month, seven holidays, educational assistance employee/spouse/dependents)

TBR employees are paid monthly

Source: http://www.higheredjobs.com/details.cfm?JobCode=175644417

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Google launches Chrome web browser for Apple iPhone & iPad

Google today announced that a version of its Chrome browser for iOS will hit the App Store later today.

Chrome for iOS will work on the iPhone and iPad, Brian Rakowski, vice president of Chrome, said during the Google I/O developer conference today.

"Some of you have been very persistently asking" for Chrome on iOS, Rakowski said.

Rakowski promised a "silky smooth experience" that will allow users to close tabs with a quick swipe and swap tabs by dragging from the side. "It makes browsing the Web on your iPhone really fun," he said.

Like the desktop version of Chrome, the iOS app will sync across devices. Pull up pages that you looked at on your PC or iPhone via the iPad, or vice versa. Credentials are also synced, so no need to re-enter a password on that New York Times story via the iPad if you've already signed in on your PC.

Incognito mode is also available; toggle between public and private mode via a button on the browser bar.

During yesterday's I/O keynote, Google also unveiled Chrome for Android, running on the new Jelly Bean-enhanced Nexus 7 tablet.

The announcement comes as Google today released Chrome 20, which includes hundreds of bug fixes.

Published under license from Ziff Davis, Inc., New York, All rights reserved.
Copyright ? 2012 Ziff Davis, Inc

Source: http://feeds.itproportal.com/~r/itproportal/rss/~3/vUmHTS5dC-U/

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Eugene Levy goes under 'Witness Protection'

Actor Eugene Levy returns to the big screen Friday as an investment banker in "Madea's Witness Protection," and tells TODAY's Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb that it was a huge honor to work with iconic director and producer Tyler Perry.

In the film, Levy's character goes into hiding with Madea's memorable family, a white man hiding out in a neighborhood where "we don't even have any white cars."

"It's a very funny movie and I have to say?(Tyler Perry is)?a very funny man," Levy told the hosts, revealing that he had Perry's permission to go off-script and get "a little nutty."

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Related content:

Source: http://todayentertainment.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/06/29/12480104-eugene-levy-goes-under-madeas-witness-protection?lite

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Adobe Gamifies Photoshop To Make Mastering Pixel Pushing Fun [Photoshop]

The best way to ensure that professionals are using your software is to get users hooked when they're young. That's why most software packages have an educational discount, and why Adobe has just introduced a plugin that turns learning Photoshop into a game. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/lGQGSECWUfA/adobe-gamifies-photoshop-to-make-mastering-pixel-pushing-fun

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Sudanese Authorities Demolish Two Church Buildings

Compass Direct News reports that authorities in Khartoum demolished two church buildings last week, days after confiscating three Catholic schools, sources told Compass. Officials from the Ministry of Planning and Housing of the local government authority on June 18 sent bulldozers that destroyed a church building belonging to the St. John Episcopal Church of Sudan, in the Haj Yousif area, an area source reported by email. A Catholic church building in the area was also demolished the same day. Clergymen said persecution was intensifying following the secession of South Sudan in July 2011, with officials targeting churches they claim to be associated with now unwelcome, largely Christian southern Sudanese in the Islamic-ruled country. Christian support organization Open Doors reported that the churches were targeted on the pretext that southern Sudanese had attended services, and that since they had presumably left, the buildings were no longer necessary.

Source: http://www.crosswalk.com/blogs/religion-today-blog/sudanese-authorities-demolish-two-church-buildings.html

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Jesant13: I liked a @YouTube video http://t.co/TvzdhMCQ F5 Joplin Missouri/Tuscalloosa Tornado Up Close Video - CAUGHT

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Source: http://twitter.com/Jesant13/statuses/218152653077757952

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Saudi jails Qaeda militants over planned attacks

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Blogosphere ~ The Assassination of Julius Caesar: A People?s History of Ancient Rome (Rogue Classicism)

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Ford Focus EcoBoost 1.0L Review

With the proliferation of its EcoBoost technology and an ongoing battle to be a leader in the fuel economy segment one can?t help but wonder how small of an engine Ford will be willing to offer in its North American lineup.

FAST FACTS

1. Ford EcoBoost 1.0L 3-cylinder was recently named International Engine of the Year 2. Fuel Economy is rated at as high as 49 mpg. 3. Set to arrive on our shores, we're likely to see the EcoBoost 1.0L in the Focus and Fiesta.

At present, the answer seems to be a 1.0-liter three-cylinder, incorporating direct injection and turbocharging. Developed by Ford?s U.K. technical center in Dunton, Essex, this engine was conceived primarily for powering Ford?s smaller volume vehicles in Europe, namely the Fiesta, Focus and its B-Max and C-Max derivatives.

This week in Dearborn, Ford reaffirmed plans that the EcoBoost 1.0 is definitely coming to North America, though declined to say exactly when (sometime next year was the best we could get), or which cars in its lineup will offer it.

Nevertheless, AutoGuide was given a chance to sample the motor in a Euro-spec Focus at the Dearborn Proving Grounds.

TWO POWER OUTPUTS

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In Europe, the Ecoboost 1.0 is currently offered in two versions: one that develops 98 horsepower and the other, 123 horsepower. Availability is currently restricted to the Focus, though Ford says it will be offered in the B-Max and C-Max later this year.

Features of this engine, which is about the size of an A4 sheet of paper, include a low inertia turbocharger, designed to spin at low rpm for better throttle response, while an exhaust manifold cast into the cylinder head has been designed to lower exhaust temperatures and therefore optimize air/fuel ratios across a wider rpm spread.

?

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In addition, in order to maximize efficiency and fuel economy the engine uses a cast-iron instead of aluminum block. The idea is to promote faster warm up, reducing the need for more fuel when cold, thus boosting gas mileage and lowering emissions.

In Europe, the 98-horsepower engine is rated at 4.8-liters per 100 km (49 mpg US), while the 123 hp version is said to deliver 5.0 liters per 100 km (47 mpg US). We should point out, however, that those numbers are based on the less strict European test cycle and should drop by as much as 20 percent once US EPA testing is done. CO2 emissions output is rated at 109 grams per kilometer and 114 g/km respectively.

Because three-cylinder engines are inherently unbalanced and in the past, often incredibly coarse under load (just ask anybody who?s ever driven a Geo Metro), Ford has decided to tackle this issue by installing an unbalanced flywheel, in an effort to improve smoothness without the need to install power robbing balance shafts.

The question is, does it work?? Well, during our fairly brief stint driving the car on the track, two things readily became apparent. Firstly, for such a small engine the EcoBoost 1.0 delivers a healthy wallop of torque at low rpm.

Secondly, it feels and sounds very much like a small diesel engine, even though it runs on gasoline. In our six-speed manual test Focus we had no problem accelerating out of corners and traversing hills and dips on the test route. Usually, in a car of this size with a gas engine this small, the thing would have trouble getting out of its own way, yet the EcoBoost 1.0 was responsive, peppy even.

Although not as smooth as its larger 1.6 and 2.0-liter four-cylinder counterparts, it?s far removed from the likes of that nasty old Suzuki unit found in the Geo Metro and is without doubt, an overachiever of an engine. And, like other EcoBoost motors, it?s designed to run on regular grade fuel.?

WHAT WILL WE GET IT IN?

?

?

At this point it?s difficult to say, though we?ll interpret small cars to mean likely the Focus and possibly the Fiesta too. If and when that does happen, Ford will likely list it as an option on the Focus rather than the standard engine, in keeping with practice on other models such as the Taurus and F-150. That way, consumers will have a chance to warm to it, since after all, the idea of a three-cylinder engine in a regular passenger car is still alien to most Americans.

As to any changes we can expect from the European version, engineers we talked in Dearborn this week said they would be minimal, restricted to minor spark calibrations and ECU settings.?

THE VERDICT

?

Expecting to be underwhelmed, the Ford's new 1.0L EcoBoost engine surprises with power and is a reassuring sign that the return of the 3-cylinder engine won't spell a new era of outrageously underpowered cars. Perfectly suitable in terms of power for the Focus, it's certain to be an even better match in the Fiesta. There's still more to be done in the area of refinement, while perhaps the biggest potential drawback will be Ford's strategy of pricing its EcoBoost offerings above the conventional gasoline ones, meaning those interested in this ultra efficient gasoline engine have to settle for its diesel-like characteristics.

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Math goes to the movies

Public release date: 27-Jun-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Karthika Muthukumaraswamy
karthika@siam.org
267-350-6383
Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics

Get a behind-the-scenes look at the mathematics underlying movie special effects at this free public event, July 11 at 6:15 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis

Minneapolis, MN27 June, 2012What do Avatar, The Chronicles of Narnia, X-Men, Harry Potter, and Pirates of the Caribbean have in common?

Simulated physics.

That's right. Making visual effects real for movie audiencesbe it Avatar's vast ocean surface or rising water levels in The Deathly Hallowsrequires quite a bit of physics and math. Physical equations and scientific computations are generated behind the scenes to ensure that the elements you see on the big screen obey the same laws of physics as their real counterparts.

One mathematician who helps ensure the credibility of such visual effects is Dr. Robert Bridson of the University of British Columbia. He will talk about the math and physics behind a broad range of 3D special effects used in movies and computer animations at the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis from 6:15 to 7:15 p.m. on Wednesday, July 11. The talk is targeted to a general audience and does not require expertise in mathematics or movie production; knowledge of high-school level mathematics is adequate.

The event is free and open to the public, and is part of the Annual Meeting of the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM), being held July 9-13 right here in Minneapolis. Bridson's talk is this year's I. E. Block Community Lecture, organized by SIAM to inspire appreciation for mathematics and its influence on the world around us.

Dr. Bridson has worked on several blockbuster movies, including The Rise of the Planet of the Apes and The Adventures of Tin-Tin. He is co-creator of Naiad, a software that provides liquid and gas simulations at very high speeds with minimal processing power. The release of this software to studios worldwide has redefined the movie-industry standard for fluid simulations.

In addition to his silver screen exploits, Dr. Bridson is an internationally-known researcher in computer graphics and numerical simulation methods as well as a full-time professor of scientific computing and computer graphics at the University of British Columbia.

The SIAM Annual Meeting brings together applied mathematicians and computational scientists from all over the world, providing a broad view of state-of-the-art applications of their work through presentations, lectures, minisymposia, papers, and posters.

###

About SIAM

The Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM), headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is an international society of over 14,000 individual members, including applied and computational mathematicians and computer scientists, as well as other scientists and engineers. Members from 85 countries are researchers, educators, students, and practitioners in industry, government, laboratories, and academia. The Society, which also includes nearly 500 academic and corporate institutional members, serves and advances the disciplines of applied mathematics and computational science by publishing a variety of books and prestigious peer-reviewed research journals, by conducting conferences, and by hosting activity groups in various areas of mathematics. SIAM provides many opportunities for students including regional sections and student chapters. Further information is available at www.siam.org.

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

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

Public release date: 27-Jun-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Karthika Muthukumaraswamy
karthika@siam.org
267-350-6383
Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics

Get a behind-the-scenes look at the mathematics underlying movie special effects at this free public event, July 11 at 6:15 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis

Minneapolis, MN27 June, 2012What do Avatar, The Chronicles of Narnia, X-Men, Harry Potter, and Pirates of the Caribbean have in common?

Simulated physics.

That's right. Making visual effects real for movie audiencesbe it Avatar's vast ocean surface or rising water levels in The Deathly Hallowsrequires quite a bit of physics and math. Physical equations and scientific computations are generated behind the scenes to ensure that the elements you see on the big screen obey the same laws of physics as their real counterparts.

One mathematician who helps ensure the credibility of such visual effects is Dr. Robert Bridson of the University of British Columbia. He will talk about the math and physics behind a broad range of 3D special effects used in movies and computer animations at the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis from 6:15 to 7:15 p.m. on Wednesday, July 11. The talk is targeted to a general audience and does not require expertise in mathematics or movie production; knowledge of high-school level mathematics is adequate.

The event is free and open to the public, and is part of the Annual Meeting of the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM), being held July 9-13 right here in Minneapolis. Bridson's talk is this year's I. E. Block Community Lecture, organized by SIAM to inspire appreciation for mathematics and its influence on the world around us.

Dr. Bridson has worked on several blockbuster movies, including The Rise of the Planet of the Apes and The Adventures of Tin-Tin. He is co-creator of Naiad, a software that provides liquid and gas simulations at very high speeds with minimal processing power. The release of this software to studios worldwide has redefined the movie-industry standard for fluid simulations.

In addition to his silver screen exploits, Dr. Bridson is an internationally-known researcher in computer graphics and numerical simulation methods as well as a full-time professor of scientific computing and computer graphics at the University of British Columbia.

The SIAM Annual Meeting brings together applied mathematicians and computational scientists from all over the world, providing a broad view of state-of-the-art applications of their work through presentations, lectures, minisymposia, papers, and posters.

###

About SIAM

The Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM), headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is an international society of over 14,000 individual members, including applied and computational mathematicians and computer scientists, as well as other scientists and engineers. Members from 85 countries are researchers, educators, students, and practitioners in industry, government, laboratories, and academia. The Society, which also includes nearly 500 academic and corporate institutional members, serves and advances the disciplines of applied mathematics and computational science by publishing a variety of books and prestigious peer-reviewed research journals, by conducting conferences, and by hosting activity groups in various areas of mathematics. SIAM provides many opportunities for students including regional sections and student chapters. Further information is available at www.siam.org.

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

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

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Business blog for all of today's news and updats

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Manulife targets Cambodia's growing middle class

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Nora Ephron Remembered By Tom Hanks, Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman

'At a dinner table and on a film set she lifted us all with wisdom and wit,' Hanks says of late filmmaker.
By Jocelyn Vena

Nora Ephron
Photo: Getty Images

Nora Ephron's impact on the world of film — particularly romantic comedies, thanks to her memorable scripts for big-screen classics "When Harry Met Sally ..." and "Sleepless in Seattle" — was felt in the wake of the news that the screenwriter, journalist and director passed away on Tuesday at the age of 71 from pneumonia.

Tom Hanks and his wife, Rita Wilson, who both appeared in "Sleepless in Seattle" (Hanks also later appeared in Ephron's "You've Got Mail"), recalled the times they spent with her when the cameras weren't rolling. "Nora Ephron was a journalist/artist who knew what was important to know; how things really worked, what was worthwhile, who was fascinating and why," Hanks and Wilson said in a statement to E! News. "At a dinner table and on a film set she lifted us all with wisdom and wit, mixed with love for us and love for life. Rita and I are so very sad to lose our friend who brought so much joy to all who were lucky enough to know her."

Comedian and 2012 Academy Awards host Billy Crystal recalled the joy of appearing in "When Harry Met Sally ..." in his remembrance of the multi-hyphenate talent. "I am very sad to learn of Nora's passing," he said in a statement. "She was a brilliant writer and humorist. Being her Harry to Meg's Sally will always have a special place in my heart. I was very lucky to get to say her words."

Carrie Fisher, who appeared alongside Crystal in the iconic film, said in a statement to the Boston Globe, "In a world where we're told that you can't have it all, Nora consistently proved that adage wrong. A writer, director, wife, mother, chef, wit — there didn't seem to be anything she couldn't do. And not just do it, but excel at it, revolutionize it, set the bar for every other screenwriter, novelist, director. She was inspiring, intimidating and insightful. She was so, so alive. It makes no sense to me that she isn't anymore. My heart goes out to her family and the many others who treasured her."

The outpouring of love for Ephron hardly ended there. Academy Award-winning actress Meryl Streep, who starred in two Ephron classics, "Heartburn" and 2009's "Julie & Julia," noted that her interests and intellect touched on all subject matters.

"Nora just looked at every situation and cocked her head and thought, 'Hmmmm, how can I make this more fun?' " Streep said. "You could call on her for anything: doctors, restaurants, recipes, speeches or just a few jokes, and we all did it, constantly. She was an expert in all the departments of living well."

Nicole Kidman, who starred in Ephron's quirky big-screen take on the classic 1960s sitcom "Bewitched," noted that it was a "joy to be around" the writer. "She was so smart, warm and funny. I am so grateful that she was my friend and we had the opportunity to work together. My thoughts and love are with her family at this time. I will never forget the dinners, games and laughter we all shared," Kidman said.

Leave your condolences for Nora Ephron's family and friends in the comments below

Related Videos

• Nora Ephron: Dead At 71

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• Nora Ephron: A Rom-Com Legacy

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Jason Lee welcomes third child, a baby boy

By Courtney Hazlett

It's a boy for Jason Lee and his wife Ceren! The couple announced to People?that their son, Sonny Lee, arrived Saturday, June 16, in Los Angeles. Sonny arrived at 2:57 a.m., and weighed in at 7 lbs., 6 oz.

Jason Merritt / Getty Images

The couple are also parents to daughter Casper, 3 1/2, and Lee's son Pilot Inspektor (from his prior relationship with Beth Riesgraf) is 8 1/2. Jason and Ceren have been married since July 2008. You can catch Jason on "Up all Night," which returns to NBC this fall.

Related content:

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The Seychelles Islands ? Your Best Honeymoon Destination

Consider a strand of 115 granitic and coral islands stretching across the turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean. Being equatorial, the weather doesn?t change too much ? it?s always warm enough for a swim or an al fresco dinner for two, preferably with the sound, sight and subtle scent of the sea close by. Add in pure white sand beaches and lush tropical foliage, and the appeal of a Seychelles honeymoon just grows on you. With so many islands and the range of accommodation available, it?s no wonder that Seychelles honeymoons are considered the very best by so many.

Seychelles Honeymoons ? Spoilt for Choice

The Seychelles have an incredible array of luxury resorts that seem custom-made to celebrate a honeymoon. Many of the outstanding resorts throughout the Seychelles islands offer special services and offers to honeymooning couples- making it a luxury holiday that won?t break the newlywed budget.

Rock Solid Luxury

The capital of Seychelles is Victoria, on the biggest island of Mahe, where all international flights land. Mahe and the islands closer by are granitic- unusual and part of what makes the islands so unique. Some beaches are ringed with granite outcrops sculpted by nature, and several islands boast peaks to rival the Scottish Highlands.

This dramatic backdrop provides an incredibly romantic setting for resorts like the Banyan Tree Seychelles. With just 60 villas either beachside or along the hills, it?s the perfect setting for romance You?ll revel in the luxurious and spacious living areas, and your own private swimming pool, sundeck and verandah. Honeymooners will appreciate a special discount just for them, along with a complimentary bottle of champagne and a special romance package.

Constance Ephelia Resort, also on Mahe, is a new entrant to the luxury holiday market in Seychelles, and was built alongside two of the most beautiful beaches on Mahe ? maybe in the world! Outstanding architecture blends in with the rare and stunning vegetation of this tropical island paradise, and the Suites and Villas are all lovingly decorated, spacious and designed for barefoot Seychelles honeymoon delight. Here, honeymooners will enjoy a complimentary bottle of bubbly, a romantic bath bliss session, and a discount off their holiday.

Praslin Pleasure

Praslin is the 2nd largest island in Seychelles, and is just a quick 15 minute flight from the main airport on Mahe. This is the island that some speculated was the original Garden of Eden ? so lush and vibrant with life. It?s also the lush life when you book your Seychelles honeymoon at Raffles Praslin. Sumptuous villas with all the modern comforts, a large patio and your own private plunge pool ? plus the signature Raffles 24 hour butler service at your command. Raffles Seychelles welcomes honeymooners with complimentary champagne, a couples? spa treatment and an evening romance package. All this, and a honeymooners discount too.

Island Delights

If the idea of a populated island sounds just a bit too busy for you, Seychelles excels at one-resort islands that combine barefoot luxury, exclusivity and a deep respect for the natural world around them.

Consider Denis Private Island, with 25 cottages dotted around this coral island and ringed with pristine beaches. It?s an escape into total tranquillity and peace, with all accommodation thoughtfully arranged to provide total privacy either close to the beach or amongst the garden-like grounds of the island. Honeymooners get extras like a starlit dinner on the beach, a celebratory Sundowner drink with canap?s, a romance package and a special discount. Thirty minutes from Mahe by air, but worlds away from the everyday.

Desroches Island is another pristine getaway to escape to after the excitement of the wedding. They have 20 beautiful suites or an option to upgrade to even more luxurious villas. The Escape Spa is divine, and when you tire of watching azure waves lapping at the stunning white sand beaches, you could try out some sailing, cycling or a snorkelling excursion. As a honeymooner, you?ll enjoy a candle-lit dinner at a venue of your choice (perhaps the beach), a couples massage and a discount.

This article was written by Thom Sanders on behalf of Seychelles Elite. They offer fantastic Luxury holidays Seychelles, including the brilliant Seychelles Honeymoon.

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The Right?s Cocoon Breaks With Reality (OliverWillisLikeKryptoniteToStupid)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories News, RSS and RSS Feed via Feedzilla.

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Prenatal exposure to common household chemical, phthalate, increases risk for childhood eczema

ScienceDaily (June 26, 2012) ? Prenatal exposure to a ubiquitous household chemical called butylbenzyl phthalate (BBzP) can increase a child's risk for developing eczema, according to research conducted at the Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health at the Mailman School of Public Health.

Widely used in vinyl flooring, artificial leather and other materials, BBzB can be slowly released into air in homes.

Details are published in the advance online edition of Environmental Health Perspectives, a journal of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.

Eczema, which is characterized by dry, itchy red skin on the face, scalp, or extremities, is common in early childhood. "While hereditary factors, allergens, and exposure to tobacco smoke are known to contribute to the condition, our study is the first to show that prenatal exposure to BBzB is a risk factor," says Allan C. Just, PhD, first author on the Mailman School study and currently a postdoctoral researcher at the Harvard School of Public Health.

The study looked at 407 nonsmoking African-American and Dominican women and their children in New York City. Exposure to BBzB was measured through a urine test during the third trimester of pregnancy. Following birth, the mothers were asked if their child had been diagnosed with eczema. The result: onset of eczema by age 2 was 52 percent more likely in children whose mothers had been exposed to higher concentrations of BBzP, compared with those whose mothers had been exposed to lower concentrations. All but one of the women in the study showed some level of exposure to the chemical.

How BBzP might induce eczema remains murky. To explore that question, the researchers looked at allergies as a possible mechanism. Children were tested for three common indoor allergens: cockroaches, dust mites, and mice, as well as for total IgE, a biomarker for an immune response to all allergens. But they found no evidence of a link between BBzP exposure and allergy.

"We know allergies are a factor with some childhood eczema, but our data suggest that is not the case when BBzP is involved," says senior author Rachel Miller, MD, Director of the Allergy and Immunology fellowship program and Associate Professor of Medicine (in Pediatrics) and Environmental Health Sciences, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center; and a Co-Deputy Director of the Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health. "However, these are important findings, given that eczema is a common and uncomfortable disease of early childhood."

The researchers also found that while African-American mothers in the study were twice as likely as their Dominican-American counterparts to report that their child had been diagnosed with eczema, both groups had a similar association between BBzP exposure and the disease.

Previous research by study co-author Robin M. Whyatt, DrPH, Professor of Clinical Environmental Health Sciences and Co-Deputy Director of the Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health, found that exposure to BBzP and other phthalates was shown to delay motor skill development in young children and to increase risk for behavioral problems. Phthalates are also known to disrupt the body's endocrine system.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

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Journal Reference:

1. Allan C. Just, Robin M. Whyatt, Matthew S. Perzanowski, Antonia M. Calafat, Frederica P. Perera, Inge F. Goldstein, Qixuan Chen, Andrew G. Rundle, Rachel L. Miller. Prenatal Exposure to Butylbenzyl Phthalate and Early Eczema in an Urban Cohort. Environmental Health Perspectives, 26 Jun 2012 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.1104544

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

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Seeing inside tissue: Researchers develop technique to focus light inside biological tissue

ScienceDaily (June 26, 2012) ? Imagine if doctors could perform surgery without ever having to cut through your skin. Or if they could diagnose cancer by seeing tumors inside the body with a procedure that is as simple as an ultrasound. Thanks to a technique developed by engineers at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), all of that may be possible in the not-so-distant future.

The new method enables researchers to focus light efficiently inside biological tissue. While the previous limit for how deep light could be focused was only about one millimeter, the Caltech team is now able to reach two and a half millimeters. And, in principle, their technique could focus light as much as a few inches into tissue. The technique is used much like a flashlight shining on the body's interior, and may eventually provide researchers and doctors with a host of possible biomedical applications, such as a less invasive way of diagnosing and treating diseases.

If you crank up the power of light, you might even be able to do away with a traditional scalpel. "It enables the possibilities of doing incision-less surgery," says Changhuei Yang, a professor of electrical engineering and bioengineering at Caltech and a senior author on the new study. "By generating a tight laser-focus spot deep in tissue, we can potentially use that as a laser scalpel that leaves the skin unharmed."

Ying Min Wang, a graduate student in electrical engineering, and Benjamin Judkewitz, a postdoctoral scholar, are the lead authors on the paper, which was published in the June 26 issue of the journal Nature Communications.

The new work builds on a previous technique that Yang and his colleagues developed to see through a layer of biological tissue, which is opaque because it scatters light. In the previous work, the researchers shined light through the tissue and then recorded the resulting scattered light on a holographic plate. The recording contained all the information about how the light beam scattered, zigzagging through the tissue. By playing the recording in reverse, the researchers were able to essentially send the light back through to the other side of the tissue, retracing its path to the original source. In this way, they could send light through a layer of tissue without the blurring effect of scattering.

But to make images of what is inside tissue -- to get a picture of cells or molecules that are embedded inside, say, a muscle -- the researchers would have to be able to focus a light beam into the tissue. "For biologists, it's most important to know what's happening inside the tissue," Wang says.

To focus light into tissue, the researchers expanded on the recent work of Lihong Wang's group at Washington University in St. Louis (WUSTL); they had developed a method to focus light using the high-frequency vibrations of ultrasound. The WUSTL group took advantage of two properties of ultrasound. First, the high-frequency sound waves are not scattered by tissue, which is why it is great for taking images of fetuses in utero. Second, ultrasonic vibrations interact with light in such a way that they shift the light's frequency ever so slightly. As a result of this so-called acousto-optic effect, any light that has interacted with ultrasound changes into a slightly different color.

In both the WUSTL and Caltech experiments, the teams focused ultrasound waves into a small region inside a tissue sample. They then shined light into the sample, which, in turn, scattered the light. Because of the acousto-optic effect, any of the scattered light that passes through the region with the focused ultrasound will change to a slightly different color. The researchers can pick out this color-shifted light and record it. By employing the same playback technique as in the earlier Caltech work, they then send the light back, having only the color-shifted bits retrace their path to the small region where the ultrasound was focused -- which means that the light itself is focused on that area, allowing an image to be created. The researchers can control where they want to focus the light simply by moving the ultrasound focus.

The WUSTL experiment was limited, however, because only a very small amount of light could be focused. The Caltech engineers' new method, on the other hand, allows them to fire a beam of light with as much power as they want -- which is essential for potential applications.

The team demonstrated how the new method could be used with fluorescence imaging -- a powerful technique used in a wide range of biological and biomedical research. The researchers embedded a patch of gel with a fluorescent pattern that spelled out "CIT" inside a tissue sample. Then, they scanned the sample with focused light beams. The focused light hit and excited the fluorescent pattern, resulting in the glowing letters "CIT" emanating from inside the tissue. The team also demonstrated their technique by taking images of tumors tagged with fluorescent dyes.

"This demonstration that we can focus significant optical power deep within tissues opens up significant possibilities in optical imaging," Yang says. By tagging cells or molecules that are markers for disease with fluorescent dyes, doctors can use this technique to make diagnoses noninvasively, much as if they were doing an ultrasound procedure.

Doctors might also use this process to treat cancer with photodynamic therapy. In this procedure, a drug that contains light-sensitive, cancer-killing compounds is injected into a patient. Cancer cells absorb those compounds preferentially, so that the compounds kill the cells when light shines on them. Photodynamic therapy is now only used at tissue surfaces, because of the way light is easily scattered. The new technique should allow doctors to reach cancer cells deeper inside tissue.

The team has been able to more than double the current limit for how far light can be focused into tissue. With future improvements on the optoelectronic hardware used to record and play back light, the engineers say, they may be able to reach 10 centimeters (almost 4 inches) -- the depth limit of ultrasound -- within a few years.

Still, the researchers say, their demonstration shows they have overcome the main conceptual hurdle for effectively focusing light deep inside tissue. "This is a big breakthrough, and we're excited about the potential," Judkewitz says. Adds Caltech's Wang, "It's a very new way to image into tissue, which could lead to a lot of promising applications."

The Nature Communications paper is titled "Deep-tissue focal fluorescence imaging with digitally time-reversed ultrasound-encoded light." In addition to Wang, Judkewitz, and Yang, the other author on the paper is Charles DiMarzio of Northeastern University. This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the Sir Henry Wellcome Postdoctoral Fellowship from the Wellcome Trust, and the National Science Scholarship from the Agency for Science, Technology, and Research in Singapore.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by California Institute of Technology. The original article was written by Marcus Woo.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

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Journal Reference:

1. Ying Min Wang, Benjamin Judkewitz, Charles A. DiMarzio, Changhuei Yang. Deep-tissue focal fluorescence imaging with digitally time-reversed ultrasound-encoded light. Nature Communications, 2012; 3: 928 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms1925

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

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