headline news today: February 2012

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Italy's Costa brand weakened by shipwreck, fire

In this photo taken Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2012 by Zil Air and released by the Seychelles Office of the President, the Costa Allegra cruise ship is seen at sea near the Seychelles. Disabled by an engine fire, the cruise ship is being towed and should reach land Thursday, according to a spokesman for Costa Cruises. (AP Photo/Zil Air via Seychelles Office of the President)

A view of the entrance of the Costa Crociere headquarters in Genoa, Italy, Wednesday, Feb.29, 2012. The Costa company said the cruise ship Allegra, which began drifting in the Indian Ocean after a fire broke out in its generator room on Monday, would arrive in the Seychelles' main port at about 9 a.m. local time Thursday (0500 GMT, midnight EST). Monday's fire came only six weeks after the Costa Concordia hit a reef and capsized off Italy, killing 25 people and leaving seven missing and presumed dead. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

A view of the Costa Crociere headquarters in Genoa, Italy, Wednesday, Feb.29, 2012. The Costa company said the cruise ship Allegra, which began drifting in the Indian Ocean after a fire broke out in its generator room on Monday, would arrive in the Seychelles' main port at about 9 a.m. local time Thursday (0500 GMT, midnight EST). Monday's fire came only six weeks after the Costa Concordia hit a reef and capsized off Italy, killing 25 people and leaving seven missing and presumed dead. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

MILAN (AP) ? Costa Crociere SpA, the largest cruise ship brand in Europe, is facing a legal and public relations nightmare after seeing two high-profile disasters on its luxury liners barely six weeks apart.

Costa Crociere bookings already had dipped by an estimated one-third following the Jan. 13 wreck of its Concordia cruise ship off a Tuscan island that killed up to 32 passengers and crew. The company is blaming that shipwreck on its captain, who stands accused of abandoning ship as passengers struggled to escape.

Now, following an engine room fire this week that left its Allegra cruise ship drifting without power in the Indian Ocean, Costa faces an even more difficult future.

Industry exerts said Costa's survival after 60 years in the passenger ship business could depend on the company changing its name or getting a bailout from its parent, U.S.-based Carnival.

Magda Antonioli, the director of the tourism Masters program at Bocconi University in Milan, said Costa must think about rebranding itself after the back-to-back disasters.

"Certainly images of the two accidents have been around the world," Antonioli said.

But many in the cruise business don't think the disasters will prove to be Costa's death knell or even have a long-term impact on the wider cruise industry, which experiencing phenomenal growth as the number of healthy elderly rises and more families choose cruises for intergenerational vacations.

"No, not the end for Costa, which has operating passenger ships for over 60 years," Douglas Ward, author of the 2012 Berlitz Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships, said in an email from a ship off the Australian coast. "But the relentless media spotlight may dilute the brand and perhaps the number of ships in fleet."

Costa has nearly doubled its fleet, from five to 14 ships, since being acquired by Carnival in 2000. Sales in 2010 rose 12 percent to euro2.8 billion ($3.8 billion) while the number of passengers increased 18 percent to 2.15 million.

Based in Genoa, Costa has a 7 percent global market share, the largest of Carnival's subsidiaries. With two ships now disabled by accidents, two more are scheduled for launch before the heavy summer European cruise season opens, and another is expected on the water by 2014.

Ward said the real impact would be the lost jobs among people who work on the ships, many from developing nations whose families depend on those seafaring jobs.

In Italy alone, Costa contributed euro2.2 billion ($3 billion) to the economy in 2010 through tourism, shipbuilding, shipboard suppliers and other related spending, according to a study by Milan Polytechnic.

Bookings on Costa dropped some 30 percent after the Concordia, and are down around 22 to 25 percent in the wake of the Allegra's generator fire on Feb. 27, said Roberto Corbella, president of Italy's tour operator industry group.

But he said the early estimates are not reliable and can pick up at any time. The impact on Costa bookings during the critical first quarter ? when most high-season cruises are booked ? will only be known next week when Carnival releases its results.

"We have seen that longtime cruise-goers are unfazed, they continue to make reservations. It is the first-time cruise-goer who is waiting to reserve until they feel more confident," Corbella said.

Two days after the Allegra fire, the ship's 1,000 passengers and crew were facing a third night without lights, air conditioning or power. Passengers were sleeping outside and eating only cold foods. Canned food was being helicoptered onto the stricken ship, which was being towed and expected to reach the Seychelles' main island on Thursday.

"Certainly it is an ugly thing, and it is better if it hadn't happened, but all of the people of the company are working to reduce the discomfort to the passengers," Corbella said. "In my view, it is a brand that can continue. It has a long history, and this history is also positive and has always been solid and serious."

The financial damage to Costa is still unknown. The company said it can't determine how long the Allegra will be out of service until it surveys the damage. The ship was just a week into a monthlong cruise from Mauritius to Savona in Italy when the engine fire hit. Its next cruise, beginning March 17 in the eastern Mediterranean, has been canceled.

The $450 million Concordia has been partially submerged since Jan. 13 but no decisions have been made yet on whether it can be salvaged. The company faces dozens of lawsuits, besides paying compensation to the 4,200 people who were on board the ship.

Shares of Carnival were up 0.9 percent, or 26 cents, at $30.27 on Wednesday in the U.S. after falling earlier this week on news of the Allegra fire. The shares were trading above $35 prior to the Costa Concordia incident in mid-January, when they dropped to a near five-month low of $29.22.

Costa's real image issue is that the two accidents were so close together.

"I think the problem now for Costa is that it is too close to the Costa Concordia disaster, which is totally different from what happened to the Allegra. Engine room fires can happen. But usually they are more of an annoyance," said Teijo Niemela, the Helsinki-based editor of Cruise Business Review.

The Allegra was retrofitted in 1992 from a cargo ship built in 1969, and underwent a euro12 million ($16 million) restyling in 2006. Newer ships, he said, have two separate engine rooms and a thick firewall to prevent fires from disabling the ship and halting the cruise.

Ironically, if Costa's response to the Allegra fire is sure-footed enough, experts said that could help dispel impressions the company has issues in training its crew. Passenger accounts from the Concordia indicated deep confusion over the seriousness of the accident and a chaotic, deadly evacuation.

"It should restore confidence that the last event was a one-off event and show that the staff is pretty well-versed in how to handle an emergency when it occurs," said Jaime Katz, an analyst at Morning Star.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-02-29-EU-Italy-Costa-Future/id-d31a62a2c48743c89e3d18ff24b3dc04

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Scientists reconstruct long-extinct giant penguin

This undated graphic illustration released by University of Otago on Wednesday, Feb. 29, 2012 shows a giant penguin called a Kairuku. It's taken 26 million years, but scientists say getting the first glimpse at what a long-extinct giant penguin looked like was worth the wait. Experts from New Zealand and the United States have reconstructed the fossil skeleton of one of the giant sea birds for the first time, revealing long wings, a slender build and a spearlike bill that have them describing it as one elegant bird. (AP Photo/University of Otago) MANDATORY CREDIT

In this photo released by New Zealand's University of Otago, Ewan Fordyce, a professor of geology at the university, examines a composite skeleton of a giant penguin called a Kairuku at the university in Otago, New Zealand Wednesday, Feb. 29, 2012. It's taken 26 million years, but scientists say getting the first glimpse at what a long-extinct giant penguin looked like was worth the wait. Experts from New Zealand and the United States have reconstructed the fossil skeleton of one of the giant sea birds for the first time, revealing long wings, a slender build and a spearlike bill that have them describing it as one elegant bird. (AP Photo/University of Otago, Gabriel Aguirre) MANDATORY CREDIT

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) ? It was a slender bird, with long wings and a spear-like bill to catch swift ocean prey. And scientists say the first glimpse of the extinct giant penguin species was worth the 26 million-year wait.

Experts from New Zealand and the United States reconstructed a fossil skeleton of one of the giant sea birds to reveal a body shape unique from known penguin species with features that have them describing it as one elegant bird.

The bird they dubbed Kairuku ? Maori for "diver who returns with food" ? stood about 4 feet 2 inches (1.3 meters) tall and lived in the Oligocene period, about 26 million years ago. The research on Kairuku was published this week in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology.

The first Kairuku bones were discovered 35 years ago in New Zealand by Ewan Fordyce, a professor of geology at New Zealand's University of Otago. He recently teamed with Dan Ksepka, a research assistant professor at North Carolina State University, to reconstruct a skeleton from multiple sets of fossils, using a king penguin as a model.

"It's pretty exciting," Fordyce told The Associated Press. "We've got enough from three key specimens to get a pretty reliable construction of its body size."

Fordyce said the bird's elongated bill may have been useful in catching swift prey and its large body size likely helped it swim farther and dive deeper than modern-day penguins.

The bird is about a foot (30 centimeters) taller than the largest modern penguin, the emperor. It would have weighed about 132 pounds (60 kilograms), 50 percent more than an emperor.

When Kairuku was alive, most of modern New Zealand was submerged beneath the ocean. The scientists believe the remaining isolated, rocky land masses helped keep the penguins safe from potential predators and provided them with plentiful supplies of food.

Fordyce said there are several reasons why the giant penguins might have become extinct: It could have been from climate change, the arrival of new predators, or increased competition for food from seals and other creatures.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/aa9398e6757a46fa93ed5dea7bd3729e/Article_2012-02-29-AS-New-Zealand-Giant-Penguin/id-bbbc13978fb6419391d28ed6dea316ee

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What?s Happenin? Youse East Coast Staaht Ups? We Want To Hear From You!

With all this fuzz and fizzle going down with TC inside politics, departures, and whispered depictions of TC as a sinking ship populated by the shambling walking dead, rats clawing through our brainpans and dropping out onto our laps as our fingers shamble across our filthy, befouled keyboards, low groans of agony and anger gurgling out of our deepest, darkest spaces, I thought it would be a good idea to go over some of the things we're focusing on here on the site and offer a bit of guidance for start-ups looking to make it in Boston, DC, NYC, and Hilton Head, North Carolina. We're a very SF/Valley-centered blog, but what are New York, Washington, Virginia, and/or Florida? Chopped liver? I think not. What about Chicago, Atlanta, and Scranton? They may not have In-And-Out, but by gum they do have hamburgers just as good as those found in Palo Alto.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/UX_z0uvQs7Q/

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Easily Understand Encryption Using... Paint and Clocks? [Video]

Click here to read Easily Understand Encryption Using... Paint and Clocks?

Getting your head around public key encryption isn't easy, even if you're a dab hand at math. Prime factors? Modular arithmetic? Say what? Instead, here's a totally straightforward explanation that starts from the basics, using paint mixing as an example. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/VmQhwqKHIHI/how-to-understand-encryption-using-paint-and-clocks

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Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Hell off Earth: Blustery Exoplanet Charted in 2-D for First Time

News | Space

Astronomers have made a crude two-dimensional thermal map of an extrasolar world they cannot yet see, confirming that violent winds rapidly whip around the planet

By John Matson ?| February 27, 2012

Low-resolution two-dimensional map of an exoplanet HOT STUFF: As exoplanet HD 189733 b is eclipsed by its host star, astronomers can track how much the observed infrared radiation diminishes, and hence how much comes from individual curved bands of the planet. Repeating the process as HD 189733 b reemerges from behind the star produces a rough two-dimensional sketch [bottom] of the planet's thermal emission. A complementary analysis of the eclipse data yields a similar map [top]. Image: COURTESY OF ERIC AGOL

A mere 60 light-years away, orbiting an orangish star called HD 189733, is a world an Earthling would not want to visit. The planet is a gas giant, like Jupiter or Saturn, but unlike those familiar worlds this one hugs tightly to its host star, orbiting at about one thirtieth the distance at which Earth circles the sun. The exoplanet, labeled HD 189733 b by astronomical convention, stays mighty toasty under its astronomical broiler, with temperatures upward of 900 degrees Celsius.

Thanks to a new study, any hypothetical unfortunates forced to visit HD 189733 b will know which part of the planet is the most infernal. A trio of researchers at the University of Washington in Seattle (U.W.), Columbia University and Northwestern University has produced a thermal map of the planet's atmosphere in both latitude and longitude. Their research appears in the March 10 The Astrophysical Journal Letters.

The map is somewhat crude, but that is no surprise given that HD 189733 b cannot even be seen in the conventional sense. As is the case for most of the 750-plus exoplanets that astronomers have identified to date, its presence and properties are inferred from indirect observations?for instance, by monitoring how much starlight the planet blocks when passing in front of its parent star.

Five years ago, astronomers used the Spitzer Space Telescope to chart the longitudinal difference in thermal emission from HD 189733 b?the dayside versus the nightside?by monitoring the infrared radiation coming from both the star and the planet. By tracking changes as the planet moved through its orbit, the researchers were able to extract not only how much infrared radiation the planet emitted, but also how much came from individual longitudinal bands of the body.

HD 189733 b is tidally locked, meaning that the same hemisphere faces the star at all times, much the same way that the same side of the moon always faces Earth. "After watching it for half an orbit, then we've gotten to see all of its sides," says Eric Agol, a U.W. astrophysicist who contributed both to the 2007 mapping effort and the latest study. "But we don't know where the light is coming from as a function of latitude."

To get a two-dimensional picture, Agol and his colleagues used Spitzer to track HD 189733 b as the planet disappeared behind its star, and then as it reemerged. Because those so-called secondary eclipses occur high on the face of the star, the edge of the star blots out the planet at an angle. That allowed Agol and his colleagues to estimate the thermal brightness of various slanted bands of the planet as HD 189733 b passed behind the star, and as the planet reemerged. "As the planet is passing behind the star, you know how much of the planet should have disappeared," Agol says. "You can compare that to how much flux disappears in that time, and we then can combine that to make a two-dimensional picture of the planet."

In the picture gleaned from seven secondary eclipses, the planet was confirmed to have a significant hot spot, as would be expected on the dayside, under the continuous glare of the star. But that hot spot is shifted along the equator just a bit, perhaps because of the fierce winds that are expected to exist there. Climate models of HD 189733 b have predicted that winds of several kilometers per second may race along the equator. "One hallmark of that band of wind is that the hot spot shouldn't be directly at the substellar point, at high noon," says planetary astronomer Heather Knutson of the California Institute of Technology, who did not contribute to the new study. "That hot gas actually gets carried a little bit downwind."

Source: http://rss.sciam.com/click.phdo?i=5be96b7bb6ff78b3bba4fabd6eee9c39

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Breeding Dumbo Rats ? COMPUTERS AND TECHNOLOGY

[unable to retrieve full-text content]COMPUTERS AND TECHNOLOGY Only Directory which has Articles Related to COMPUTERS AND TECHNOLOGY · Home · About Us · Privacy Policy · Contact Us. Welcome to article directory. We have 143588 published ...

Source: http://computersandtechnology.us/2012/02/breeding-dumbo-rats/

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Employers: Bring back vocational training

U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, left, tours a Siemens plant that President Barack Obama touted as a model for public-private partnership.

By Martha C. White

Republican?presidential candidate Rick Santorum hit on a hot-button issue over the weekend when he called President Barack Obama "a snob" for his views on higher education. "He wants everybody in America to go to college," Santorum said.

The?Tea Party may have loved the jab, but Santorum's comment touched on a real issue facing businesses that is rarely discussed in education policy debates: a lack of well-trained high-school graduates ready for the workforce.

Experts say the problem is the result of a trend that dates to the Reagan era:?a?well-intentioned push toward more college-prep?at the expense of?vocational and technical programs in high schools.?

"We began to focus on book learning, and 'vocational' became a dirty word," said?Anthony P. Carnevale, director of the Center of Education and the Workforce at Georgetown University.?

As a result, although Census data show a record 30.4 percent of U.S. adults now have a bachelor's degree or higher, there's a mismatch between the skills many students acquire in those four years and what employers say they need to fill jobs.

Obama responded to Santorum Monday, at least obliquely, saying, "When I speak about higher education we're not just talking about a four-year degree. We're talking about somebody going to a community college and getting trained for that manufacturing job and is now required to handle a million-dollar piece of equipment."?

Drew Greenblatt could use more workers like that. Greenblatt,?president of metal fabrication company Marlin Steel Wire Products in Baltimore,?said machines in his factory sit idle because?even at $30 an hour, he can't find people to operate them.

"This isn't a theoretical thing," he said. "We're in a position where we need more talent, fast." Without workers to operate his equipment, Greenblatt said he'll lose project bids to foreign competitors.

Reams of data show that workers with college degrees earn more than those without, but in the short term, it's grim out there even for many college grads. Popular humanities majors like psychology, marketing and communications just don't deliver in today's job market. Greenblatt said he's currently training an English major to operate equipment.

"You don't need a four-year degree to run our sheet metal fabrication robots,?but you do need to know geometry, how to read a blueprint [and] how to use a tape measure," he said.

"We have a lot of people who are in high school who could be doing a vocational track, who could be learning these technical skills, but they're not," said?Neal McCluskey, an education analyst at the Cato Institute.

As recently as the early 1980s, American high school students had the choice of taking college prep or technical classes. This two-track system still thrives in countries like Germany, a country?considered a role model by experts who study labor and education issues.

But Germany's success can't be replicated here for a couple of reasons.?Reintegrating a technical track into high schools nationwide is culturally unpalatable, Carnevale said.

"Politically, it's tough," he said. "The majority of Americans always say everybody doesn't need to go to college. Then you say, 'Do your kids need to go to college?' and they say, 'Yes.'"?

Two-year technical schools and a growing number of community colleges offer education in hands-on fields like health care technology, mechanics or nursing, where job shortages are rife, but students and parents often overlook this option, said?John Challenger, CEO of outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas.?"There's kind of a cult of the four-year college degree. ? It's not right for everybody," he said.

Germany's two-track educational system also works because it's integrated with apprenticeship programs, a rarity in American industry. "A lot of companies?that had built up great trade apprenticeship programs dismantled them," Challenger said.

"Employers are always looking to get someone else to pay," said Gary Burtless, a senior fellow in economic studies at The Brookings Institution. He said some cities now promise to educate the local workforce, just as they often offer tax breaks as an incentive, to lure companies into building factories or other facilities within their borders.?

In Charlotte, N.C., manufacturer Siemens opened a factory to produce gas turbines. The company worked with local Central Piedmont Community College to design a curriculum teaching would-be workers how to operate the equipment.?Obama touted the partnership last month in his State of the Union address.

Initiatives like this are helping to balance the disconnect between jobs and skills, but experts say kids should get an earlier start? learning the skills they're going to be using for the next four decades or so.?Waiting until college?to learn skills like applied math or equipment operation, puts many American students at a disadvantage, especially when they may have to shoulder the cost of higher education.

"We know in general that people learn better when learning is applied.?For a kid whose prospects going to college are already tough, ... Algebra Two doesn't connect them to the real world," Carnevale said. "[We're] leaving all these kids behind."

Do you think everyone should go to college? Let us know on Facebook.

Source: http://bottomline.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/02/28/10498304-some-employers-want-return-of-vo-ed-training

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Methods to Backup Xbox 360 Games | Alfa

Are one wondering gleam a strategy to copy Nintendo wii game console games? wii game copy software ? you just aren?t alone! We?ve been getting plenty of emails about it so we thought i would write a article with regards to copying Nintendo wii game console games.

Consequently, the first right decision is to check on if you suffer from thee 3 details. I think you?ll want computer when you are looking over this article.

You style be anyone that has learned everything Nintendo Nintendo wii game console, a child or even a housewife are capable of doing this for instance. These programs are in no way free. Thrifty Chief Administrative Officer Diane Weiss predicted, ?The factor that normal CD burning programs can?t duplicate Wii performance discs happens because the discs currently have copyright protection to them.? You never ever ? ever in your life ? have to spend it pay at just about all on choosing or investing in replacement performance.

You should have experienced that you just cannot burn off you Nintendo wii game console games employing your regular burning programs like Roxio as well as Nero. Like other video gaming consoles at the time you buy games almost always there is the chance that games might get damaged throughout overuse, scratches in the disc surface area, or solely plain smashing it by two, Ouch!! That?s where copying games on your Nintendo Wii is critical ensuring that your games that you just spent with the money are guarded. The very first thing that you might want to learn tips on how to copy Nintendo wii game console disks is mostly a DVD-ROM read and even backup Wii games. In approximately thirty minutes you will be given a copy on the video performance that towards can play within your Wii.

How you can Select Wii Game Replicating Software ? Monster Tips. If the software is normally installed, all you should do is add the mandatory files on the game it?s essential to burning it towards the DVD. How you can Backup Your Xbox 370 system Discs.

This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged how to make copies of wii games. Bookmark the permalink.

Source: http://alfarashah.net/methods-to-backup-xbox-360-games/

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Air Conditioner Does Not Cool Enough ? Air Conditioning Repair ...

If your air conditioning system does not seem to be able to keep up with your home cooling needs this season, don?t automatically assume that it?s time for an HVAC system replacement. In some cases, it may be time for a new HVAC system but there be other reasons for the drop in cooling capacity of your air conditioning system.

There can be many different reasons that an air conditioning system does not cool enough. The first thing to check is the air filter. A clogged air filter can significantly reduce the effectiveness of your cooling system. Avoid this problem by changing the air filter regularly.

Next, have the system serviced by a good HVAC contractor who handles residential HVAC service and repair. The technician will check and adjust refrigerant levels and make sure the system is in good working condition.

It the system is still not keeping your home cool, you may need to have your ducts inspected and sealed. According to EPA estimates, improperly sealed ducts leak an average of 20 percent of the air moving through the ducts. Having your ducts sealed by your HVAC professional can provide a significant boost in your system?s cooling capacity.

In connection with duct sealing, ask about a system efficiency analysis. Your HVAC contractor will inspect your home and cooling system and recommend a package of improvements to increase the efficiency of your heating and air conditioning system. These improvements can include duct sealing, duct insulation, additional home insulation, sealing air leaks around windows and doors, and other measures to improve the efficiency of your home cooling system. You will save energy and your home will be cooler and more comfortable.

Source: http://www.hvac-information.org/2012/02/air-conditioner-does-not-cool-enough/

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Monday, February 27, 2012

Drugs Prevent Prostate Cancer Metastasis in Mice

Uncovering the network of genes regulated by a crucial molecule involved in cancer called mTOR, which controls protein production inside cells, researchers at the Univ. of California, San Francisco (UCSF) have discovered how a protein ?master regulator? goes awry, leading to metastasis, the fatal step of cancer.

Their work also pinpoints why past drugs that target mTOR have failed in clinical trials, and suggests that a new class of drugs now in trials may be more effective for the lethal form of prostate cancer for which presently there is no cure.

Described in the journal Nature, the protein mTOR is a ?master regulator? of human protein synthesis. It helps normal cells sense nutrients and control cell growth and metabolism. But in many forms of cancer, this process goes awry, and mTOR reprograms normal cells to aberrantly divide, invade and metastasize.

?Many human cancers show hyperactivation of this pathway,? said Davide Ruggero, an associate professor of urology. ?Until now, we have not known how hyperactive mTOR perturbs the synthesis of certain proteins leading to fatal cancer.?

In the human body, mTOR is a molecular sensor that helps cells respond to favorable or unfavorable environments. Under ordinary conditions, it acts as a master regulator of genes that induce cells to growth and divide. In times of scarcity, when somebody is starving for instance, mTOR shuts down much of the machinery that makes proteins so that an organism can conserve energy.

In cancer, this careful balance is lost. The rogue mTOR protein goes haywire and signals tumor cells to become bigger to divide, undergo metastasis and invade new, healthy tissues. Metastasis is the primary cause of cancer patient death.

?We are now discovering that during tumor formation mTOR leads to metastasis by altering the synthesis of a specific group of proteins that make the cancer cells move and invade normal organs,? Ruggero said.

In their research, Ruggero and his colleagues identified the players that instruct or execute decisions made by mTOR, and they discovered how mTOR deregulates one of the very last stages of gene expression -- just before they are translated into proteins by large molecular machines known as ribosomes.

They used a method called ribosome profiling pioneered by UCSF professor Jonathan Weissman and Nicholas Ingolia at the Carnegie Institution for Science, also authors on the paper. This method basically allows researchers to collect the millions of ribosomes from inside cells and determine which genes they are turning into proteins.

Experiments Focus on Prostate Cancer
Because it plays such a crucial role in cancer biology, mTOR is also an active target for drug development. Several compounds that block this protein, including the drug Rapamycin, have already gone through clinical trials as single agents for treating various forms of cancer such as prostate cancer -- without great success.?

The new research suggests why drugs like Rapamycin have failed. The problem, said Ruggero, is that they block mTOR, but not completely. The newer drugs, however, block mTOR more completely.

The difference is akin to holding a door shut with a piece of tape versus locking it and breaking the key off in the lock so no one can re-open it.

When drugs like Rapamycin fail to completely stop mTOR from working, they allow it to continue pushing a cancer cell toward malignancy. Some newer compounds that block mTOR do so more completely, and the team led by Ruggero showed in preclinical experiments that this effectively hobbles the cancer cells.

Specifically they tested an experimental drug called INK128, derived from a compound discovered in the UCSF laboratory of Kevan Shokat, Howard Hughes Medical Investigator, professor and chair of cellular and molecular pharmacology and another author on the paper. This compound is now in clinical trials for different types of cancers and is being developed by a team led by Christian Rommel in the La Jolla, Calif. company, Intellikine, Inc., the home of some of the co-authors in the Nature manuscript.

In their research, Ruggero and his colleagues showed that a mouse model of human prostate cancer treated with INK128 did not metastasize. They also showed that the new drug has a strong therapeutic effect on human prostate cancer cells.

?While the experiments were primarily focused in prostate cancer, we believe this work is widely applicable in many tumor types because mTOR is a critical regulator of so many cancers,? said first author Andrew Hsieh, a clinical oncologist in the UCSF Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology and a senior member of the Ruggero laboratory. ?For example, clinicians Jeff Wolf and Tom Martin are now testing INK128 here at UCSF, in multiple myeloma patients,? Ruggero said.

The research also found that INK128 works better by also restraining abnormal protein synthesis when mTOR is hyperactive. ?Deregulations in protein synthesis is now becoming a hallmark of cancer, and we are very excited by the opportunity to target the aberrant protein synthesis apparatus in many cancers,? Ruggero said.

Andrew Hsieh, Yi Liu, Merritt Edlind, Nicholas Ingolia, Matthew Janes, Annie Sher, Evan Shi, Craig Stumpf, Carly Christensen, Michael Bonham, Shunyou Wang, Pingda Ren, Michael Martin, Katti Jessen, Morris Feldman, Jonathan Weissman, Kevan Shokat, Christian Rommel and Davide Ruggero is being published by the journal Nature as an Advance Online Publication.

Source: The Univ. of California, SF, Jason Bardi

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AnimalLabNews/~3/vbIugPzoO8o/drugs-prevent-prostate-cancer-metastasis-mice

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A Taste of Home for Troops

GLENVILLE, MN - A pile of boxes are packed, sealed and ready for delivery.

They'll soon begin the long trip across the ocean to Kuwait. But their journey really began in September, at the Operation Vintage Pride snowmobile swap meet.

"We didn't know what to do with the extra money. And someone mentioned, lets send care packages out to the troops, so that's what we ended up with and this is our third year doing it," said Jake Weaver.

Weaver is the Race Director for Operation Vintage Pride.?Weaver and the other folks from Operation Vintage Pride teamed up with a local girl scout troop and began putting together the care packages, one item at a time.

"Snacks, treats, Little Debbies, beef jerky, toothpaste," said Weaver.

From popcorn to Girl Scout cookies, everything going into the boxes will give the troops a little taste of home.

"Getting a care package or anything from back here, even a letter is like a kid at Christmas," said Sgt. Amber Steele of the Minnesota Army National Guard.

Sgt. Steele?said this simple gesture speaks volumes to soldiers overseas.

"Just knowing that the community is supporting you, things like that. iI's of huge importance to the troops, it means a lot," said?Sgt. Steele.

Weaver hopes these care packages will remind troops that?they have support from half way across the world.

"The reason why we do it is to let the troops know that even though they're away from home, there are still people that care about them. They get a little package from us and hopefully it brightens their day," said Weaver.

Source: http://www.kimt.com:80/content/localnews/story/A-Taste-of-Home-for-Troops/ctCk4HCqVU-KpdqofNi1oA.cspx?rss=1689

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Healthy Body ? Healthy Lifestyle - Foot Care

Healthy Body ? Healthy Lifestyle

With the growing demand of the medical industry to produce treatments, medications, and prescriptions to make mankind live longer, the easiest thing for them to do is promote a healthy lifestyle.

Fast food diets, low calorie diets, and low cholesterol diets are just a few of the popular diet and exercise programs for people to achieve a healthy lifestyle. A healthy lifestyle does not come from a book or plan that some ?health genius? composes and sells, all of the essential resources needed to attain a healthy body through any fast food diet, low cholesterol diet, low calorie diet, or any other diet is available to you if you look hard enough. The body is a complex machine that works in a simple mechanism: it needs a certain ratio of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats based on the activities you do throughout the day.

It becomes more difficult in trying to achieve a healthy body with the highly processed and preservative food industry making healthy foods harder to find for the fast food diet plan or other system you decide to pursue.

Each weight loss or diet program can provide you with the essential information needed to understand what you must do for reaching your goals, but where lots of them stop is in guiding you to the top nutritional food sources that you need. Diets and weight loss programs that deliver food to your door are becoming more and more popular because of the ease of access, the well rationed food portions and quality of food you receive.

You must understand that having a healthy body is not possible unless you make it, in fact, a lifestyle. It sounds ironic, but unfortunately most people believe you can have a life of junk food, high fat/cholesterol food (or binge eat) and still attain the body, look, or figure you want if you dedicate MOST of your time to reaching your goals.

This is the main misunderstanding of any low calorie diet plan or any other system, there are no breaks when reaching your goals. Even though you might luck out and achieve a body that you are satisfied with, your still missing out in a healthy lifestyle because your not reaching your full potential. A healthy body involves the way you look, but also the way you act, feel, and portray yourself. It is something you must buy into and commit to, 24/7!

Ethan prides himself in being in peak physical condition. As well as helping others attain goals dealing with Fitness and Exercise. His website, has the latest fitness buzz, advice, and tips -

Source: http://feet.healthlook4you.com/healthy-body-healthy-lifestyle/

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Sunday, February 26, 2012

Holcomb wins 4-man gold at bobsled worlds

United State's pilot Steven Holcomb, with pushers Justin Olsen, Steven Langton and brakeman Curtis Tomaseviz, compete in the third heat in the men's four-man Bobsled World Championships in Lake Placid, N.Y., on Sunday, Feb. 26, 2012. (AP Photo/Mike Groll)

United States' pilot Steven Holcomb, right, with pushers Justin Olsen, Steven Langton and brakeman Curtis Tomasevicz, react after winning the men's four-man Bobsled World Championships in Lake Placid, N.Y., on Sunday, Feb. 26, 2012. (AP Photo/Mike Groll)

Germany 1 pilot Maximilian Arndt, right, with pushers Alexander Roediger, Kevin Kuske and brakeman Martin Putze, react after their second-place finish in the men's four-man Bobsled World Championships in Lake Placid, N.Y., on Sunday, Feb. 26, 2012. (AP Photo/Mike Groll)

LAKE PLACID, N.Y. (AP) ? Steven Holcomb slid to a halt in USA-1, the hometown crowd at Mount Van Hoevenberg roaring its approval as he thrust his helmet skyward in celebration. Another chapter written in what is becoming a remarkable bobsled career.

A week after winning the two-man gold at the world championships, Holcomb again was the class of the field in four-man, easily besting the top two German sleds.

"I'm a little overwhelmed," said Holcomb, of Park City, Utah. "It's just like it is in any other big race you win. It's going to take a little bit to sink in. You're so focused on trying to get to this moment that when you get there it's hard to really fathom that you're actually here."

Holcomb and his crew of Justin Olsen, Steve Langton and Curt Tomasevicz had a four-run total of 3 minutes, 36.83 seconds ? a full half-second in front of silver medalist Maximilian Arndt. Defending world champion Manuel Machata of Germany took the bronze, trailing Holcomb by 0.80.

This was the second gold in four-man at worlds for Holcomb, following his victory at Lake Placid in 2009, and his triumph last week in two-man was a first for the United States at worlds since two-man began in 1931.

Holcomb, who turns 32 in April, also joined German greats Andre Lange and Christoph Langen as the most recent pilots to complete a sweep at worlds. Langen won the two-man and four-man in 2001 and Lange in 2003 and 2008.

"It's been interesting," said Holcomb, who's been driving for a decade. "This has always been my goal since I started this sport. It's something you shoot for, but realistically most people are never going to achieve it. You just go out there and give it your best, do what you can, and hope everything comes together at the right time. It has in the last few years. We've really started to click."

Three years ago Holcomb broke a 50-year gold-medal drought for America in four-man competition at world championships and took home the bronze in two-man. Two years ago, he won the first four-man Olympic gold for his country since 1948, and he has 15 individual World Cup medals.

Two-time Olympic champion Billy Fiske, former world champion Stan Benham, and Art Tyler ? all of them deceased ? are the names that first come to mind as the biggest stars of the sport in the United States.

Holcomb is poised to move to the top of that list, if he isn't there already.

"He's arguably the best U.S. bobsledder ever," said Darrin Steele, chief executive officer of the United States Bobsled and Skeleton Federation. "He will end the argument when he wins in Sochi. Then, there will be no doubt."

The U.S. finished with a nice haul at these worlds, an encouraging sign midway to the next Winter Olympics in Sochi: Holcomb's two golds, a gold in the team event, Katie Uhlaender's gold in women's skeleton, and a bronze won by Elana Meyers in women's bobsled.

"It's always what you shoot for," Holcomb said. "It's the first time we've won all three (bobsled) events. That's pretty incredible."

Rookie Nick Cunningham and his team of Jesse Beckom, Johnny Quinn and brakeman Dallas Robinson finished 13th in USA-3, nearly 3 seconds behind their teammates. John Napier was disqualified Saturday after push athlete Adam Clark slipped and fell out of USA-2 at the start.

On Saturday, Holcomb trailed Arndt by 0.15 seconds after a mistake-filled first run, but he made up the deficit with the help of his second straight 4.97-second start, the best starts of the day. That put USA-1 just 0.01 ahead heading to Sunday's final two heats.

It was below zero at dawn Sunday with the sun shining brightly over the Adirondack Mountains, perfect weather to decide the title.

Holcomb slid first and took his sled dubbed "Night Train" for a near-flawless ride after a push of 4.94 seconds, the best time of all four heats. The crowd at the start roared as Holcomb zoomed through a tricky turn near the bottom of the 20-curve layout. He finished in 53.92 seconds, giving a thumbs-up as he climbed from the sled after what would be the fastest run of the four-heat race.

That put the pressure on the Germans, and they were unable to match it.

Arndt, who won bronze last week in two-man, and his crew of Alexander Roediger, Kevin Kuske and Martin Putze slid second. They brushed a wall at the top, nearly flipping, and trailed by 0.05 as they were just getting started. The momentum that was lost at the top began to show on the clock, and the sled finished in 54.12 to fall 0.21 behind.

Machata fared even worse. Trailing Holcomb by 0.28 to start the day, he lost 0.11 at the top on a sloppy third run, was nearly a half-second behind midway down, and finished in 54.25 to fall 0.61 behind.

Even World Cup champion Alexsandr Zubkov of Russia was no match. He was fourth entering Sunday's heats, 0.43 behind, dropped a third of a second on the third run and finished 1.28 seconds behind in fifth, passed on the final run by Edwin Van Calker of the Netherlands.

"This is an intimidating track to start with, even for the Americans," Holcomb said. "There was a 20-degree (temperature) difference and that makes it harder, which makes it slippier, and then you get less control on a track that's already kind of out of control and crazy. Less control is even more intimidating. It's kind of where the home track advantage came in. I've been down this track a million times."

Between heats on Sunday, Holcomb did what he always does, letting the world know what was on his mind: "Solid first run. Need to relax, stay focused and do it one more time. Let's bring it home!" he tweeted.

He did just that with a 4.95-second push and a run of 53.99 seconds. USA-1 was the only sled to go under 54 seconds in the two days of competition.

"Not enough to win the gold medal," Arndt said. "He (Holcomb) did a good job today. His brakemen push him so hard at the top of the track. Good drives, so he's the best today."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2012-02-26-BOB-Bobsled-World-Championships/id-c001654ba3464638a0b5d34dbf55bed8

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'The Artist' aims to bring silence back to Oscars

Max Muehlen hangs a microphone on a light stand overlooking the red carpet arrivals area outside the Kodak Theatre in preparation for the 84th Academy Awards in Los Angeles on Friday, Feb. 24, 2012. ?The Oscars will be held on Sunday. (AP Photo/Amy Sancetta)

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? Meryl Streep might join the acting three-peat club with a third Academy Award. Jean Dujardin could become the first Frenchman to win best actor. Christopher Plummer is in line to become the oldest acting winner ever at 82.

And "The Artist" is favored to become the only silent movie to take the best-picture prize since the first Oscar ceremony 83 years ago.

Along with Streep, Hollywood's big night on Sunday has plenty of returning stars, too, with past Oscar winners and nominees such as George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Glenn Close, Michelle Williams and Nick Nolte in the running again.

The show also has a returning favorite as ringmaster: After an eight-year absence, Billy Crystal is back for his ninth time as host.

Because of a change in voting rules, the Oscars feature nine best-picture nominees for the first time, instead of the 10 they had the last two years.

Competing against "The Artist" for the top honor are Clooney's family drama "The Descendants"; the Deep South tale "The Help," featuring best-actress nominee Viola Davis and supporting-actress favorite Octavia Spencer; and the Paris adventure "Hugo," from director Martin Scorsese.

Also in the lineup: the romantic fantasy "Midnight in Paris," from writer-director Woody Allen; Pitt's baseball tale "Moneyball" and his family saga "The Tree of Life"; the World War I epic "War Horse," directed by Steven Spielberg; and Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock's Sept. 11 story "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close."

"Hugo" leads with 11 nominations, with "The Artist" right behind with 10.

Spencer's a virtual lock for supporting actress, having dominated earlier film honors for her breakout role in "The Help" as a brash maid in 1960s Mississippi. The same holds true for Plummer, the front-runner for supporting actor for his role as an elderly widower who comes out as gay in "Beginners."

The lead-acting categories are where the drama lies. Best actress shapes up as a two-woman race between Davis as a courageous maid leading an effort to reveal the hardships of black housekeepers' lives in "The Help" and Streep as British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in "The Iron Lady."

The record-holder with 17 acting nominations, Streep has won twice and would become only the fifth performer to receive three Oscars. Jack Nicholson, Ingrid Bergman and Walter Brennan all earned three, while Katharine Hepburn won four.

It's been almost three decades since Streep last received an Oscar, for 1982's "Sophie's Choice." Though she has the most acting nominations, she also has the most losses ? 14. Another loss would be her 13th in a row.

Best actor also looks like a two-person contest between Clooney as the distressed patriarch of a Hawaiian clan in "The Descendants" and Dujardin as a silent-era superstar whose career tanks as talking pictures take over in "The Artist."

It would be the second Oscar for Clooney, who won the supporting-actor prize for 2005's "Syriana." While French actresses have won before, among them Marion Cotillard and Juliette Binoche, Dujardin would be the first actor from France to receive an Oscar.

Dujardin was picked as best actor Saturday at the Spirit Awards honoring independent film, where "The Artist" ruled with four prizes, including best picture and director for Michel Hazanavicius, who is favored for the same trophy at the Oscars.

"The Artist" has dominated Hollywood honors this season, winning key prizes at the Golden Globes and awards shows held by the Directors, Producers and Screen Actors guilds.

"This means a lot, because it's a small movie. It's not expensive. We did it with small money," Hazanavicius said backstage at the Spirit Awards. "And it's black and white and silent."

If "The Artist" comes away with the best-picture trophy, it would be the first win for a silent film since the war story "Wings" was named outstanding picture at the inaugural Oscars in 1929.

The 84th Academy Awards show begins at 8:30 p.m. EST, broadcast live on ABC from the Hollywood & Highland Center in Los Angeles.

___

Online:

http://www.oscars.org

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2012-02-26-Oscars/id-a4c97f3e431d48c284596eff3ef535f1

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The Importance Of A Home Healthcare Software | New Health and ...

New Health And Fitness.Org - Health Information You Can Use

Many people today have resorted to getting the assistance of health professionals to attend to their aged family members, especially those that are left in their residences during the day. To make the functions of these providers even more efficient, they often use home healthcare software.

One of the most pressing concerns that health professionals encounter when attending to the needs of their patients is the difficulty in being able to access their records and their medical history. Thus, they need to find a way to be able to get these information in the most efficient manner.

With more and more people using computers and the internet even inside their residences, experts have found a good way of taking advantage of these gadgets. They have a found a way to make things easier for care professionals when performing their tasks.

This home healthcare software mainly functions in ensuring that the records of every patient are uploaded into the system. Hence, you will not have a hard time checking out medical information of a patient since it will be found in the system.

Another advantage of using this equipment is how it is able to contain the same comprehensive information as those medical records that are being kept by the hospitals. Hence, he gets to see detailed information just like the doctors and medical professionals do.

Getting the necessary prescriptions for your patients will become very easy too, using this equipment. The system will allow you to place orders for medicines on the web and the items will just be automatically delivered to you. Thus, removing the necessity for visiting a pharmacy.

When getting a home healthcare software, it is important that you get one that will be most appropriate for the kind of assistance that your patient will need. This way, it can be easier for the health professional to attend to his every need.

Stop by our site to find out more home healthcare software

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Source: http://newhealthandfitness.org/2012/02/24/the-importance-of-a-home-healthcare-software/

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Pakistan halfway done razing bin Laden's compound (AP)

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AP - Pakistan was more than halfway done Sunday demolishing the three-story compound where Osama bin Laden was killed by U.S. commandos last May, erasing a concrete reminder of a painful and embarrassing chapter in the country's history.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/asia/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120226/ap_on_re_as/as_pakistan

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Saturday, February 25, 2012

Navy launches new communications satellite (AP)

[unable to retrieve full-text content]AP - The Navy has launched a new communications satellite after two weather-related scrubs last week.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/space/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120224/ap_on_sc/us_navy_rocket_launch

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Get pleasure from the freedom of choice with free of charge on-line ...

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Sunday, 19 February 2012

The Popularity Of A Joe Rodeo Diamond Watch | The Xtreme ?

Posted by pseudopourquoi on February 18, 2012 , No comment

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The entry ?tadd guadalupe: The Popularity Of A Joe Rodeo Diamond Watch ?? was posted on February 19th, 2012 at 1:15 am and is filed under simple. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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A Home Improvement Loan for the Home You Love | Finance And ...

The world is a very dynamic place. Nothing is constant here and everything keeps on changing. So why your house should remain the same? Bringing changes to your house by repairing or remodeling is known as home improvement. Plumbing and electrical work are the most common repair work. House renovation includes a number of things. You may go for painting or wall papering to give a new look to your house. You may want to change the interiors of your house. New furniture can give a new life to your house. Build separate rooms for grown up children. That?s not all. Kitchen redesigning can make your wife happy.

Before carrying out home improvement, the first question that comes into your mind is how to finance it. You do not have to bother about it anymore. Banks, building societies and private lenders offer home improvement loans . The loans are tailor made according to the specific requirements of borrowers. The repayment terms can be adjusted as per your affordability. If you cannot afford to pay a hefty sum every month, then you can spread the loan repayment over a longer time frame so that your monthly installments become small in amount.

The rate of interest on home improvement loans depends upon a number of factors. The type of loan influences the rate of interest. Secured loans carry lower rate of interest than unsecured loans. Since secured loans are less risky for lenders, they charge low rates of interest on such loans. Another factor that influences the rate of interest is the credit score of the borrower. Borrowers having a good credit rating are charged lower interest rates than those with a poor credit history.

You can take out a personal loan to undertake home improvement. Personal loans are usually unsecured. It is very easy to obtain a personal loan. The rise in demand for personal loans has given a good business opportunity to lenders. Therefore, lenders are always ready to offer personal loans . If you are a homeowner, you may use your house to get a homeowner loan. A homeowner loan can also be used for home improvement

Source: http://www.5pointsartfest.com/a-home-improvement-loan-for-the-home-you-love/

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Friday, February 24, 2012

Int'l court expands Ivory Coast investigation (AP)

[unable to retrieve full-text content]AP - International Criminal Court judges have expanded an investigation in Ivory Coast to cover atrocities dating back to 2002 and committed against a backdrop of political turmoil in the West African nation, the court announced Thursday.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/africa/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120223/ap_on_re_eu/eu_international_court_ivory_coast

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Fujitsu ScanSnap S1300

The Fujitsu ScanSnap S1300 ($295 direct) isn't unique in offering what are usually desktop conveniences in a portable scanner. However it's one of the of the few, along with the similarly priced Editors' Choice Canon imageFormula P-150 Scan-tini ($295, 4 stars), that includes both an automatic document feeder (ADF) and the ability to scan both sides of a page as quickly as it can scan one side. In truth, the P-150 outshines the S1300 in many ways, from its faster speed to its smaller size and weight. But the S1300 offers some strengths of its own, including much better business card scanning, to keep it very much in the running.

At 3 by 11.2 by 3.9 inches (HWD), the S1300 is on the large side for a portable, and at 3.1 pounds, it's about a pound heavier than that the P-150. Even so, it's small enough to be reasonably portable or to serve as a particularly small desktop scanner for light duty scanning. The ADF is limited to 10 sheets, which is only half of the P-150's capacity, but it's infinitely better than the one-page at a time manual feed that you'll find on most other portables.

Setup and Software
For my tests, I connected the S1300 to a system running Windows Vista. Set up is reasonably typical. One unusual touch is that, unlike most portables, you can't connect just one USB cable to get it to work. Instead, you have the choice of plugging in a power adaptor also, or plugging in a second USB cable, which means tying up two USB ports.

The software that comes with the S1300 includes a scan utility, a document management program called ScanSnap Organizer, and a business card management program. In addition, an optical character recognition (OCR) module, ABBYY FineReader for ScanSnap 4.1, works with both the scan utility and document management program to let you turn scanned documents into editable text or searchable PDF files.

In another unusual touch for scanners in general, the S1300 doesn't come with a driver that would let you scan directly from most Windows programs that have their own scan commands. As I've pointed out in other ScanSnap reviews, most recently my review of the ScanSnap S1100 ($199, 3.5 stars), this is standard for Fujitsu's ScanSnap models. Fujitsu insists on locking you into its own idiosyncratic approach to scanning, which you may or may not consider a problem, depending on your own tastes and work habits.

Scanning
In most cases, instead of letting you scan from within a given program, the S1300 makes you scan first and then send the scanned file to the program. However, if you first define the target application in the scan utility, you can scan and send with one command. As an alternative, you can scan and send the file to ScanSnap Organizer, and then use the commands in Organizer to send the file to a program in a separate step.

With either choice, if you send the file to a word processor, the OCR module will convert it to editable text, if you haven't OCRed it already. You can also set the program to save text files as searchable PDFs, or save them as image PDF files and recognize the text later, either automatically when the computer is otherwise idle, or immediately on command.

Ironically, Fujitsu's own business card program, CardMinder, is the one case that breaks the rule of not letting you scan from within a program. With CardMinder you can either scan first and send the scan to the program, or you can open the program first, and give a scan command.

Test Results
The best that can be said of the S1300's speed is that it's acceptable for a portable scanner. In my tests, using a 10 page document, I timed scanning without recognizing the text, at 5.9 pages per minute (ppm) for simplex (one sided) scans and 11.7 images per minute (ipm) for duplex scans (with one image on each side of the page).

That makes the S1300 a lot faster than any manual feed scanner. On the other hand, the P-150 came in at 10.3 ppm and 19.2 ipm, leaving the S1300 in the dust. The P-150 also took almost no additional time to recognize the text, adding only 4 seconds to OCR 50 pages of text. The S1300 took almost a minute extra to OCR 20 pages.

The S1300's 600 ppi maximum optical resolution is more than enough for high quality document scanning, as indicated by it's scores on our OCR accuracy test. The scanner and software combination read both our Times New Roman and Arial test pages at sizes as small as 8 points without a mistake. As I've already mentioned, the scanner also did a reasonably good job with business cards, reading about half the cards in our test suite without a mistake.

Although the S1300 can't match the P-150 for size, weight, or speed, and it loses points for lacking a standard driver, it's actually a little easier to setup than the P-150, and I suspect that anyone who isn't already familiar with scanning will find the software easier to use than most typical scan software. The S1300 certainly has the edge over the P-150 for business cards, and it's just as certainly a reasonable choice as a highly capable portable scanner. Unless you absolutely can't live without a standard scan driver, the S1300 is, at the very, least worth a serious look.

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