Skin transformed into brain cells

30 January 2012 Last updated at 19:13 ET By James Gallagher Health and science reporter, BBC News

Skin cells have been converted directly into cells which develop into the main components of the brain, by researchers studying mice in California.

The experiment, reported in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, skipped the middle "stem cell" stage in the process.

The researchers said they were "thrilled" at the potential medical uses.

Far more tests are needed before the technique could be used on human skin.

Stem cells, which can become any other specialist type of cell from brain to bone, are thought to have huge promise in a range of treatments. Many trials are taking place, such as in stroke patients or specific forms of blindness.

One of the big questions for the field is where to get the cells from. There are ethical concerns around embryonic stem cells and patients would need to take immunosuppressant drugs as any stem cell tissue would not match their own.

An alternative method has been to take skin cells and reprogram them into "induced" stem cells. These could be made from a patient's own cells and then turned into the cell type required, however, the process results in cancer-causing genes being activated.

Continue reading the main story

?Start Quote

We are thrilled about the prospects for potential medical use of these cells?

End Quote Prof Marius Wernig Stanford University School of Medicine Direct approach

The research group, at the Stanford University School of Medicine in California, is looking at another option - converting a person's own skin cells into specialist cells, without creating "induced" stem cells. It has already transformed skin cells directly into neurons.

This study created "neural precursor" cells, which can develop into three types of brain cell: neurons, astrocytes and oligodendrocytes.

These precursor cells have the advantage that, once created, they can be grown in a laboratory into very large numbers. This could be critical if the cells were to be used in any therapy.

Brain cells and skin cells contain the same genetic information, however, the genetic code is interpreted differently in each. This is controlled by "transcription factors".

The scientists used a virus to infect skin cells with three transcription factors known to be at high levels in neural precursor cells.

After three weeks about one in 10 of the cells became neural precursor cells.

Lead researcher Prof Marius Wernig said: "We are thrilled about the prospects for potential medical use of these cells.

"We've shown the cells can integrate into a mouse brain and produce a missing protein important for the conduction of electrical signal by the neurons.

"More work needs to be done to generate similar cells from human skin cells and assess their safety and efficacy."

Dr Deepak Srivastava, who has researched converting cells into heart muscle, said the study: "Opens the door to consider new ways to regenerate damaged neurons using cells surrounding the area of injury."

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/health-16788809

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Quantum speed limits within reach, present moves ever closer to future

Got your wire-rimmed spectacles on? Had a full night's rest? Eager to get those synapses firing? Here's hoping, because Marc Cheneau and co. are doing everything they can to stretch the sheer meaning of quantum understanding. The aforesaid scientists recently published an article that details a method for measuring quantum particle interaction in a way that has previously been considered impossible. Put simply (or, as simply as possible), the famed Lieb-Robinson bound was "quantified experimentally for the first time, using a real quantum gas." The techobabble rolls on quite severely from there, but the key here is realize just how much of an impact this has on the study of quantum entanglement, and in turn, quantum computing. For those interested in seeing what lives in a world beyond silicon, dig into the links below. You may never escape, though -- just sayin'.

Quantum speed limits within reach, present moves ever closer to future originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 29 Jan 2012 17:28:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Gizmodo  |  ArsTechnica, Nature  | Email this | Comments

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/29/quantum-speed-limits-research-computing/

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Hazanavicius wins at Directors Guild for 'Artist' (AP)

LOS ANGELES ? Michel Hazanavicius has won the top film honor at the Directors Guild of America Awards for his silent movie "The Artist," giving him the inside track for the best-director prize at the Academy Awards.

French filmmaker Hazanavicius, whose credits include the "OSS 117" spy spoofs, had been a virtual unknown in Hollywood until "The Artist," his black-and-white throwback to early cinema that has been a favorite at earlier film honors.

The Directors Guild honors are one of the most-accurate forecasts for who might go on to take home an Oscar. Only six times in the 63-year history of the guild awards has the winner failed to win the Oscar for best director. And more often than not, whichever film earns the directing Oscar also wins best picture.

___

Online:

http://www.dga.org

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/tv/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120129/ap_en_tv/us_directors_awards

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Legal Theory Blog: Legal Theory Bookworm

The Legal Theory Bookworm recommends Well-Being and Fair Distribution: Beyond Cost-Benefit Analysis by Matthew Adler. Here is a description:

In Well-Being and Fair Distribution: Beyond Cost-Benefit Analysis, author Matthew D. Adler provides readers with a comprehensive, philosophically grounded argument for the use of social welfare functions as a framework for governmental policy analysis--a framework that is welfarist but not utilitarian, and sensitive to the distribution of human well-being.

Well-Being and Fair Distribution addresses a range of relevant theoretical issues, including the nature of well-being and the possibility of interpersonal welfare comparisons; the moral value of equality, and how that bears on the form of the social welfare function; social choice under uncertainty; and the integration of individual responsibility into the social-welfare function approach. Adler also explores issues of implementation by looking at how survey data and other sources of evidence might be used to calibrate both a well-being metric and a social welfare function, and discussing whether distributive goals are ever best pursued through regulation rather than the tax system. In working through this range of theoretical and practical issues, Well-Being and Fair Distribution draws from a wide variety of literatures, including philosophical scholarship on equality, "prioritarianism," responsibility, well-being, and personal identity over time; the social choice literature within economics; applied economic literatures concerning the measurement of inequality and poverty; legal and policy-analytic scholarship on cost-benefit analysis, environmental justice, and the choice between regulation and taxation; and the burgeoning field of "happiness studies."

Adler consistently provides sophisticated and cogent analysis of normative legal theory. A must for anyone interested in cost-benefit analysis or the fairness-versus-welfare debate.

Source: http://lsolum.typepad.com/legaltheory/2012/01/legal-theory-bookworm-3.html

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Newt Gingrich was Lost in Space at Florida Debate (ContributorNetwork)

COMMENTARY | Newt Gingrich's spokesman said Thursday night's GOP debate in Jacksonville, Fla., was a "push." Who is he trying to kid? Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney won the night in a harrowing display of debate splendor that had the well-spoken, factually armed former speaker tied in a knot.

The Ticket reported Gingrich spokesman R.C. Hammond tried to sell the idea of a debate draw to reporters traveling with the campaign, but it seemed to fall flat. Rightfully so. Gingrich did not have a strong appearance, failing to counter damaging attacks from Romney and Rick Santorum, who straddled him on the stage. Ron Paul provided nothing more than comic relief and proven -- beyond a shadow of a doubt -- that he is unfit to be president and merely riding a 15 minutes of fame tour through these debates.

One of the former House speaker's weakest moments was the defense of his plan to build a permanent moon colony by the end of his second term as president. He is right in one respect: America needs another grand idea. Gingrich cited President John F. Kennedy's call to space in the early 1960s as an example, but that was Kennedy's moment for Kennedy's time. America needs another grand idea, but not something as outlandish as a multitrillion-dollar expense of building moon colony. After all, we just finished building the international space station and the U.S. doesn't even possess a working orbiter at the moment.

The Washington Post reported Gingrich talked Wednesday to more than 500 residents of Cocoa Beach, Fla., about his plans to develop the next great space exploration program. His idea met with resounding approval from a community largely dependent on America's space program for their jobs. During the debate, Romney accused him of pandering local issues as he campaigns. Romney got that part wrong. Candidates always talk to local crowds about very local issues to win their votes (and their wallet).

Regardless of the space discussion, Gingrich did not have a good night. My heart says Romney won the debate, but I cannot dismiss the powerful performance of Santorum. Romney will carry Florida next week, but the three-way race will continue as they all move to Nevada for the next votes. That is unless Santorum runs out of money in the meantime.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/gop/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ac/20120128/pl_ac/10893553_newt_gingrich_was_lost_in_space_at_florida_debate

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American Idol to President Obama & Al Green: Sing For Us!

If you haven't seen the video of President Obama singing Al Green at a fundraiser at New York City's legendary Apollo Theater last week, you need to.

No matter what you think of his views, the Prez proved with his riff on "Let's Stay Together" that he's got pipes! And we weren't the only ones impressed.

Friday, American Idol executive producer Nigel Lythgoe Tweeted an official offer to the Commander in Chief that he can't refuse. Or at least he shouldn't:

Obama Sings Al Green

"@BarackObama we loved your vocal performance so much we'd love to invite you on to #AmericanIdol this Season for a duet with Al Green."

Now that would be the DVR moment of the decade.

We're gonna guess that Obama will cite scheduling conflicts and pass, but if you think about it, what better way to win over voters in an election year?

Okay, perhaps a robust economy would be a bigger ballot box boost, but you get the idea. The guy's vocal chops are legit and deserve a wider audience.

President Obama in 2012?

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2012/01/american-idol-to-president-obama-and-al-green-sing-for-us/

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Personal Finance Software - Which One is Optimal? | Free Videos ...

People who start using personal finance software are often surprised at how easy to use it is, and how it helps them keep track of their household budget. However, there are some programs that are better than other ones so be careful as you choose the one that does everything you need it to do. You can track an investment portfolio, download a financial software from the web or even use one that is entirely web based if you are comfortable enough to do this, the choice is yours. In this article we?ll be taking a look at some personal finance software programs and ways to choose the best one for you.

It doesn?t matter what you are explicit financial aims are, it is evident you desire personal finance software that will make your life easier. On the other hand, if you use it in the approved manner, it can do more than just automate duties that you?d otherwise have to figure out on your own. It can benefit you in enhancing your financial circumstances by letting you see up close what is happening. You can have on the spot access to all the pertinent numbers, for example your expenses, income, bills, bank accounts and investments. So if you buy a personal finance program, make sure you make full use of it so you can enjoy the real advantages it offers.

The Mvelopes Personal Budgeting System is designed for users who wish to be able to access their software on the Internet This personal finance system helps you reduce your expenses by aiding in you in setting up and sticking to a budget. Mvelopes is designed to analyze and identify your different financial transactions and thereby helps you save money. This web based tool is recommended if you mainly want software that helps you manage your budget. For those who wish to also track investments though, a better investment for you would be Quicken or Microsoft Money

If you are looking for a robust budgeting and money marketing software then a simple choice is Quicken Starter Edition 2011. If you are looking to gain control over your personal finances then this software, designed by Quicken one of the best known names in financial software, then this is the edition for you. Track you bank accounts and credit cards easily along with maintaining your household budget. Never have a late fee again, with the convenient bill reminder. It?s even set up to work with Turbo Tax, so you can just export your data to this service to file your taxes. Quicken Starter Edition 2011 was created to be simple to use, and there?s a guided setup feature to get you started quickly. Quicken Deluxe is available, though for those who need something more advanced Personal finance software are available in a plethora of forms, from software you download, to online services to phone apps. Bunches of these programs are rather authoritative and valuable if you spend the time acquiring knowledge of all their elements. The programs we?ve talked about in this article are the ones you might discover are valuable, although you should check out many of them to discover which one has everything you require. Personal finance software can help you understand your finances better, and this can put you at ease.

There is more content available on repair your credit there?s plenty of points not covered in this article, take a look at Author?s web blog to uncover supplementary details.

Source: http://www.freevideosinfos.com/2012/01/personal-finance-software-which-one-is-optimal/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=personal-finance-software-which-one-is-optimal

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Liam Hemsworth Joins Phillip Noyce's Timeless

We haven?t heard anything about director Phillip Noyce?s time-travel romance, Timeless, since it was announced (back in Fall 2011) that increasingly-popular actor Liam Hemsworth was in negotiations to headline the film.

Jump to the present and we finally have confirmation that not only has Hemsworth officially committed to the project, but that shooting is now slated to begin by July of 2012 ? just a couple of months after the 22-year-old Aussie actor is supposed to begin working alongside Dwayne Johnson on the crime thriller Empire State.

Hemsworth will show up in two hotly-anticipated 2012 movies ? namely, as Gale Hawthorne in The Hunger Games and as Bill ?The Kid? Timmons in The Expendables 2. In addition to both Empire State and Timeless, Thor/Chris Hemsworth?s younger sibling also remains loosely attached to appear in Arabian Nights, which could still feasibly begin production before the year is done. Suffice it to say, young Liam won?t be in short supply on the big screen, in the foreseeable future.

Timeless will mark a change-in-pace for Hemsworth, seeing how Moviehole (in its scoop on the actor signing on) describes it as a romantic drama that tells the tale of a young widower ? one who is so tormented by ?unresolved issues??between himself and his deceased wife, he actually uses his inheritance to construct a time machine, in order to contact her one more time. Similarly, the film also marks a departure for director Phillips, who likewise specializes in action-thrillers (see: Patriot Games, Clear and Present Danger, Salt).

Phillip Noyce directs Angelina Jolie on the set of 'Salt'

Bill Kelly is responsible for penning Timeless, which seems to sample elements from his previous scripts ? including, the fish-out-of-water (or, rather, time period) plot aspect from Blast from the Past, the fantasy/sci-fi angle from Premonition, and the ?tweaked? fairy tale romance from Enchanted. ?That?s an intriguing mixture of components which could result in a genuinely-passionate fantastical tale of lost love like The Fountain ? or, conversely, something more on the schlocky side, such as? well, Premonition.

Phillips has most recently been directing more character-oriented TV material, including episodes of ABC?s Revenge and HBO?s Luck ? while passing on films that cover (for him) overdone territory, like Hunter Killer. So, in that sense, it sounds like he?s all the more prepped to handle a personal melodrama such as Timeless. Here?s hoping that he can manage to make something worthwhile out of Kelly?s screenplay ? questions about its quality, aside.

-

We will continue to keep you posted on any noteworthy developments concerning Timeless ? including, when it lands an official theatrical release date.

Source: Moviehole

Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1924366/news/1924366/

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[OOC] Group 4 intro: Tasha and Rowan

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Forum for completely Out of Character (OOC) discussion, based around whatever is happening In Character (IC). Discuss plans, storylines, and events; Recruit for your roleplaying game, or find a GM for your playergroup.
This group will be starting in Estes Park, Colorado -- Southwest of Fort Collins along 36.

Places of Interest:
- Estes Park Medical Center
- Lake Estes
- Rocky Mountain Pharmacy
- Safeway
- Estes Park Pharmacy
- Rexall Drug
- Timberline Medical
- Family Medical Clinic
- Estes Park Specialty Clinic
- Country Market
- Buckwheat Organic Market
- Famous Eastside Food Store
- Numerous hunting and sporting outlets (Big Red of the Rockies, The Hiking Hut, Outdoor World)

Environment:
The population of Estes Park is approximately 5,858.
It is largely mountainous, with a few heavily populated "settlements".
The mountains grow steeper the further west you travel and grow less steep the further east you travel.
To the north and south, it is largely similar.

~*Do not frown, you never know who is falling in love with your smile*~

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Mitt Romney's Tax Filings Mean Nothing to the 2012 Presidential Campaign (ContributorNetwork)

COMMENTARY | As reported by Reuters, Mitt Romney has bowed to pressure by Newt Gingrich and released his 2010-2011 tax filings. The filings reveal that the former Massachusetts governor had income of $45 million and paid taxes on that totaling $6.7 million.

Gingrich made the claims that Mitt was hiding his income and attempted to paint him as someone out of touch with main street America. Yet the governor's forced release of his tax information showed none of this. His largest source of income is held in blind trust which he has no control over, and he is about as in touch with the everyday American as any other politician. Can Gingrich name a presidential candidate in history that went from working at McDonald's to the White House? All candidates are millionaires whose typical employment is either as a lawyer, CEO, or a career politician.

Since Gingrich brought the issues of tax filings into the campaign, let us take a look at his 2010 filing as shown on his website and see how it compares to Romney's return. Gingrich made $3,162,424 in income for the year yet only had $127,290 withheld for Federal Taxes and a total tax liability of $996,251 for the year putting his taxes at about 32 percent. This is offset some by a carry-forward of a tax credit from last year of $485,860. Where did this tax credit come from? To ask the same thing that Gingrich is asking Mitt, is Gingrich trying to hide something from last year that gave him a tax refund of at least $485,860? The filing goes on to say that Gingrich gave only a little over $81,000 to charity. That's only a meager 4 percent as compared an estimated 15 percent that Romney gave in donations. I say these things with a touch of sarcasm to illustrate the point that this tit-for-tat is pointless.

Overall, this really should not be an issue for the Republicans. As the well known writer, Napoleon Hill said, "Great achievement is usually born of great sacrifice, and is never the result of selfishness."

We are the party of achievement. We celebrate success. We praise those that provide for their family and their descendants. Yet here Gingrich is, waving the Democrats' banner for them. He is trying to make people hate Romney for no other reason than he has money. We as the voter need to demand that Gingrich and the rest of the GOP candidates focus the campaign on one thing and one thing only, beating Obama and the Democrats. Nitpicking each other over how much money that person has or if that person has a Swiss bank account or not is only making it easier for the Democrats.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/gop/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ac/20120124/pl_ac/10877591_mitt_romneys_tax_filings_mean_nothing_to_the_2012_presidential_campaign

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Unprecedented, man-made trends in ocean's acidity

Monday, January 23, 2012

Nearly one-third of CO2 emissions due to human activities enters the world's oceans. By reacting with seawater, CO2 increases the water's acidity, which may significantly reduce the calcification rate of such marine organisms as corals and mollusks. The extent to which human activities have raised the surface level of acidity, however, has been difficult to detect on regional scales because it varies naturally from one season and one year to the next, and between regions, and direct observations go back only 30 years.

Combining computer modeling with observations, an international team of scientists concluded that anthropogenic CO2 emissions over the last 100 to 200 years have already raised ocean acidity far beyond the range of natural variations. The study is published in the January 22 online issue of Nature Climate Change.

The team of climate modelers, marine conservationists, ocean chemists, biologists and ecologists, led by Tobias Friedrich and Axel Timmermann at the International Pacific Research Center, University of Hawaii at Manoa, came to their conclusions by using Earth system models that simulate climate and ocean conditions 21,000 years back in time, to the Last Glacial Maximum, and forward in time to the end of the 21st century. They studied in their models changes in the saturation level of aragonite (a form of calcium carbonate) typically used to measure of ocean acidification. As acidity of seawater rises, the saturation level of aragonite drops. Their models captured well the current observed seasonal and annual variations in this quantity in several key coral reef regions.

Today's levels of aragonite saturation in these locations have already dropped five times below the pre-industrial range of natural variability. For example, if the yearly cycle in aragonite saturation varied between 4.7 and 4.8, it varies now between 4.2 and 4.3, which ? based on another recent study ? may translate into a decrease in overall calcification rates of corals and other aragonite shell-forming organisms by 15%. Given the continued human use of fossil fuels, the saturation levels will drop further, potentially reducing calcification rates of some marine organisms by more than 40% of their pre-industrial values within the next 90 years.

"Any significant drop below the minimum level of aragonite to which the organisms have been exposed to for thousands of years and have successfully adapted will very likely stress them and their associated ecosystems," says lead author Postdoctoral Fellow Tobias Friedrich.

"In some regions, the man-made rate of change in ocean acidity since the Industrial Revolution is hundred times greater than the natural rate of change between the Last Glacial Maximum and pre-industrial times," emphasizes Friedrich. "When Earth started to warm 17,000 years ago, terminating the last glacial period, atmospheric CO2 levels rose from 190 parts per million (ppm) to 280 ppm over 6,000 years. Marine ecosystems had ample time to adjust. Now, for a similar rise in CO2 concentration to the present level of 392 ppm, the adjustment time is reduced to only 100 ? 200 years."

On a global scale, coral reefs are currently found in places where open-ocean aragonite saturation reaches levels of 3.5 or higher. Such conditions exist today in about 50% of the ocean ? mostly in the tropics. By end of the 21st century this fraction is projected to be less than 5%. The Hawaiian Islands, which sit just on the northern edge of the tropics, will be one of the first to feel the impact.

The study suggests that some regions, such as the eastern tropical Pacific, will be less stressed than others because greater underlying natural variability of seawater acidity helps to buffer anthropogenic changes. The aragonite saturation in the Caribbean and the western Equatorial Pacific, both biodiversity hotspots, shows very little natural variability, making these regions particularly vulnerable to human-induced ocean acidification.

"Our results suggest that severe reductions are likely to occur in coral reef diversity, structural complexity and resilience by the middle of this century," says co-author Professor Axel Timmermann."

###

University of Hawaii ? SOEST:

Thanks to University of Hawaii ? SOEST for this article.

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Source: http://www.labspaces.net/116927/Unprecedented__man_made_trends_in_ocean_s_acidity

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Euro zone ministers reject private bondholders' Greece offer (Reuters)

BRUSSELS/BERLIN (Reuters) ? Euro zone finance ministers Monday rejected as insufficient an offer made by private bondholders to help restructure Greece's debts, sending negotiators back to the drawing board and raising the threat of Greek default.

At a meeting in Brussels, ministers said they could not accept bondholders' demands for a coupon of four percent on new, longer-dated bonds that are expected be issued in exchange for their existing Greek holdings.

Banks and other private institutions represented by the Institute of International Finance (IIF) say a 4.0 percent coupon is the least they can accept if they are going to write down the nominal value of the debt they hold by 50 percent.

Greece says it is not prepared to pay a coupon of more than 3.5 percent, and euro zone finance ministers effectively backed the Greek government's position at Monday's meeting, a position that the International Monetary Fund also supports.

Jean-Claude Juncker, the chairman of the Eurogroup countries, said Greece needed to pursue a deal with private bondholders where the interest rate on the replacement bonds was "clearly" below 4.0 percent, stating:

"Ministers asked their Greek colleagues to pursue negotiations to bring the interest rates on the new bonds to below 4 percent for the total period, which implies the interest comes down to well below 3.5 percent before 2020."

The aim of the restructuring is to reduce Greece's debts by around 100 billion euros ($129 billion), cutting them from 160 percent of GDP to 120 percent by 2020, a level EU and IMF officials think will be more manageable for the growth-less Greek economy.

But with Greece off-track in its efforts to get its budget deficit in shape, the 2020 goal looks a long shot at best.

The disagreement increases the risk that it will prove impossible to strike a voluntary restructuring deal between Greece's creditors and the Greek government - an outcome that would have severe repercussions for financial markets.

Negotiations over what's called 'private sector involvement' (PSI) have been going on for nearly seven months without a concrete breakthrough. Failure to reach a deal by March, when Athens must repay 14.5 billion euros of maturing debt, could result in a disorderly default.

Despite the disagreement, Olli Rehn, the European commissioner in charge of economic and monetary affairs, said he expected a deal on PSI to be struck "within days."

PERMANENT BAILOUT FUND

As well as assessing Greece's debt restructuring, euro zone ministers discussed efforts to enforce stricter budget rules for EU states via a "fiscal compact," and steps to finalize the structure of a permanent euro zone bailout fund, the European Stability Mechanism (ESM), which is due to operate from July.

The ESM will have an effective lending capacity of 500 billion euros and replace the European Financial Stability Facility, a temporary fund that has so far been used to bail out Ireland and Portugal and which will be used to provide part of a second, 130 billion euro package for Greece.

Germany has insisted that once the ESM is up and running, the combined potential outlay of the EFSF and ESM should not exceed 500 billion euros.

Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti and IMF chief Christine Lagarde have said the ceiling should be raised, possibly up to 1 trillion euros, so it has more than enough capacity to handle any problems in major economies such as Spain or Italy.

The Financial Times reported Monday that German Chancellor Angela Merkel was ready to see the ceiling of the combined firewall raised to 750 billion euros in exchange for agreement on tighter euro zone budget rules, but the report was immediately denied by her chief spokesman.

"It is not true. There is no such decision," Steffen Seibert told Reuters.

Monti told reporters after Monday's meeting that no conclusions had been reached on the ESM, which all 17 euro zone countries must back in a new treaty. Officials said the details would have to be finalized by an EU summit on January 30.

It was a similar situation for the "fiscal compact," which also involves a new treaty and which EU leaders are expected to agree at the summit next week.

"We have had an extremely constructive meeting on the fiscal compact and this text is a good basis for the discussions for the heads of government at the end of the month," said Juncker, sidestepping concerns about the text raised by the European Central Bank.

DEBT SUSTAINABILITY

Despite the continued deep differences, Greece and its private creditors do appear to be slowly converging on a deal in which private bondholders would take a real loss of 65 to 70 percent on their Greek bonds - giving a nominal reduction of 50 percent - officials close to the negotiations say.

Sources close to the talks told Reuters Monday that the impasse centered on questions of whether the deal would return Greece's debt mountain, currently over 350 billion euros, to levels that European governments believe are sustainable.

"There will likely be an updated debt sustainability analysis that will be discussed at the Eurogroup," a banking source in Athens said, requesting anonymity. "Talks will continue this week. The aim is to have an agreement by late next Monday."

Speaking in Berlin, Lagarde called on European leaders to complement the "fiscal compact" they agreed last month with some form of financial risk-sharing, mentioning euro zone bonds or bills, or a debt redemption fund as possible options.

Merkel told a news conference it was not the time to debate an increase in the euro zone's bailout funds.

"I don't think it is right to do one new thing then do another, let's get the ESM working," Merkel said, reiterating that Germany was prepared to accelerate the flow of capital into the ESM ahead of its planned introduction in mid-2012.

Euro zone leaders agreed in October that the second bailout would total 130 billion euros, if private bondholders forgave half of what Greece owes them in nominal terms.

But Greek economic prospects have deteriorated since then, which means either euro zone governments or investors will have to contribute more than thought.

(Additional reporting by Stephen Brown and Alexandra Hudson in Berlin, Leigh Thomas in Paris, Lefteris Papadimas and Ingrid Melander in Athens; Writing by Noah Barkin and Luke Baker, editing by Mike Peacock/Jeremy Gaunt/Rex Merrifield.)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/business/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120124/bs_nm/us_eurozone_ministers

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PFT: Steelers ready for big changes on defense

Getty Images

Our brethren at CFT have been covering the Joe Paterno situation thoroughly and appropriately, but we can?t overlook the passing of one of the most significant figures in football history, even though Paterno never played or coached pro football.

Fewer than five months ago, Paterno reacted to the death of Raiders owner Al Davis by disclosing that Davis had tried to hire Paterno to be the team?s offensive coordinator when Davis was working as the head coach.? (Yes, Davis actually coached the Raiders from 1963 through 1965, giving up the reins at roughly the same time Paterno became head coach at Penn State.)

?When Al got the job [in Oakland], he called me to be his offensive coordinator,? Paterno said in October 2011.? ?I told Al, ?You and I would have trouble getting along, because I am smarter than you are.??

In 1969, the Steelers offered Paterno a job that eventually went to Chuck Noll.? At the time, Paterno was making $20,000 per year; the Steelers offered him $70,000.? And Paterno passed.

?It was an awful lot of money, a fantastic offer,? Paterno had said. ?I?d never dreamed of making that much money. Then I started thinking about what I wanted to do.? I had put some things out of whack.? I haven?t done the job I set out to do at Penn State.?

Paterno did the job, and in hindsight some will say he stayed too long.? But as Brent Musburger told Dan Patrick more than three years ago, Paterno feared that, if he retired, he?d soon die ? like Bear Bryant did less than a month after retiring from the University of Alabama.

In the end, that?s what happened.? Officially caused by a form of lung cancer that when disclosed was described as not life threatening, Paterno?s life ended fewer than three months after he coached his final game.

The circumstances surrounding the conclusion of his tenure should never be forgotten, primarily to ensure that the events won?t be repeated at Penn State, or elsewhere.? But few figures from any sport had the kind of impact, success, and longevity that came from the coaching career of Joe Paterno.

We extend our condolences to his family, friends, assistant coaches, players, and the entire Penn State community.

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/01/22/steelers-ready-for-big-changes-on-defense/related/

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Justice's 'On'n'On' Video Takes A Naked Trip Through Space (NSFW)

Justice's new video for "On'n'On" is right in line with the 70s vibe running throughout their latest album, Audio, Video, Disco. Psychedelic trip through space, naked women, big hair, check check check. Compared to director Alexandre Courtes' other work though -- which has been known to make the ladies faint -- this is lightweight NSFW fare.

WATCH:

Justice - On'n'on by justice

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/22/justices-on-n-on-video_n_1222054.html

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Stock Talk: Why Apple?s textbook announcement matters

Yesterday Apple made one of those cool little announcements that probably won?t affect too many of us in the short term. But I think their initiative with iBooks 2 and

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/pwZ7xJtFMBY/story01.htm

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Springer permits commercial use for its hybrid open access program

Public release date: 18-Jan-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Renate Bayaz
renate.bayaz@springer.com
49-171-866-8118
Springer

Springer Open Choice adopts the Creative Commons Attribution License

Springer is bringing Open Choice, its hybrid open access option, into line with the fully open access journals published by BioMed Central and SpringerOpen. As a result, all open access content at Springer will be published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) license.

In 2004, the hybrid open access option Open Choice was launched at Springer with the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial license. Springer's Open Choice option allows authors to publish their articles with open access for the majority of its subscription-based journals. The articles are immediately freely available for anyone worldwide in exchange of paying an article processing charge. The copyright remains with the author.

Bettina Goerner, Manager Open Access at Springer, says: "The positive experience with publish-ing fully open access journals under the CC-BY license at BioMed Central and SpringerOpen, lead us to believe that permitting commercial use has benefits to our authors, editors, society partners and open access in general. We are pleased that our Open Choice option to publish open access meets the growing demand for liberal re-use rights."

###

In addition to Open Choice, Springer offers fully open access journals under the SpringerOpen brand. The portfolio of more than 60 journals was recently joined by SpringerPlus, an interdiscip-linary open access journal, publishing research in all STM disciplines.

More information about:

Springer Open Choice (http://www.springer.com/openchoice)

Springer and Open Access (http://www.springer.com/openaccess)

Springer Science+Business Media (http://www.springer.com) is a leading global scientific publisher, delivering quality content through innovative information products and services. The company is also a trusted provider of local-language professional publications in Europe, especially in Ger-many and the Netherlands. In the science, technology and medicine (STM) sector, the group publishes around 2,000 journals and more than 7,000 new books a year, as well as the largest STM eBook Collection worldwide. Springer has operations in about 20 countries in Europe, the USA, and Asia, and more than 5,500 employees. In 2010, it generated annual sales of around EUR 866 million.

---

[ | 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: 18-Jan-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Renate Bayaz
renate.bayaz@springer.com
49-171-866-8118
Springer

Springer Open Choice adopts the Creative Commons Attribution License

Springer is bringing Open Choice, its hybrid open access option, into line with the fully open access journals published by BioMed Central and SpringerOpen. As a result, all open access content at Springer will be published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) license.

In 2004, the hybrid open access option Open Choice was launched at Springer with the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial license. Springer's Open Choice option allows authors to publish their articles with open access for the majority of its subscription-based journals. The articles are immediately freely available for anyone worldwide in exchange of paying an article processing charge. The copyright remains with the author.

Bettina Goerner, Manager Open Access at Springer, says: "The positive experience with publish-ing fully open access journals under the CC-BY license at BioMed Central and SpringerOpen, lead us to believe that permitting commercial use has benefits to our authors, editors, society partners and open access in general. We are pleased that our Open Choice option to publish open access meets the growing demand for liberal re-use rights."

###

In addition to Open Choice, Springer offers fully open access journals under the SpringerOpen brand. The portfolio of more than 60 journals was recently joined by SpringerPlus, an interdiscip-linary open access journal, publishing research in all STM disciplines.

More information about:

Springer Open Choice (http://www.springer.com/openchoice)

Springer and Open Access (http://www.springer.com/openaccess)

Springer Science+Business Media (http://www.springer.com) is a leading global scientific publisher, delivering quality content through innovative information products and services. The company is also a trusted provider of local-language professional publications in Europe, especially in Ger-many and the Netherlands. In the science, technology and medicine (STM) sector, the group publishes around 2,000 journals and more than 7,000 new books a year, as well as the largest STM eBook Collection worldwide. Springer has operations in about 20 countries in Europe, the USA, and Asia, and more than 5,500 employees. In 2010, it generated annual sales of around EUR 866 million.

---

[ | 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.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-01/s-spc011812.php

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Scientific American Presents the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) [Slide Show]

Features | Technology

Justin Bieber traded dance moves with a robot, there were "cloud-connected" concept cars, not to mention a 3-D printer that spit out toys, jewelry and more. They were some choice highlights among the thousands of tech novelties that lit up Las Vegas at the annual exhibition

By Larry Greenemeier ?| January 17, 2012

2012 CES IN PICTURES: Clockwise from the top: Audi's Urban Concept, Liquipel, Solowheel and Alljack speakers. Image: Courtesy of Larry Greenemeier

Ultrabooks, smart phones and gadget-friendly automobiles were the stars of last week's International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. But they were hardly the expo's only bright spots. Spread out on a show floor more than 37 football fields in area were plenty of robots, 3-D printers and a variety of new gadgets.

I prowled the floor and came away with photos sampling some of the sleekest, most interesting?not to mention bizarre?technology I could find. Some of the most striking were prototype concept cars that will probably never be used for passenger drives, such as an electric-powered re-imagining of Doc Brown's DeLorean DMC-12 from Back to the Future as well as gorgeous gadgets like Alljack's $68,000 gem-laden wireless speakers.

Click here for a slide show of this year's CES.

Articles You Might Also Like

Source: http://rss.sciam.com/click.phdo?i=2ae9b64f3832776886bcf50817442ef4

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Martin Luther King Jr. is remembered across the nation (Reuters)

CHICAGO/NEW YORK (Reuters) ? Americans honored Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on Monday with a traditional day of service as well as a new wave of economic injustice protests by Occupy Wall Street.

On the first King holiday since the now-global Occupy movement launched in New York City in September, the reignited debate over inequality drew hundreds of protestors to march in wintry temperatures in Manhattan, stopping at a Bank of America branch to shout, "The banks got bailed out, we got sold out."

At least two protesters were loaded into a police van at the march, held "because Dr. King dedicated the last months of his life to planning a campaign for the right of all to a decent-paying job," leaders said in a statement.

King was organizing a Poor People's Campaign, the next phase in the civil rights movement, before he was murdered in 1968.

"I came here on the one hand to honor (King's) birthday, but also for the things that he stood for," said Jim Glaser, a retired teacher from suburban Nyack, New York, at the march.

"We have to have a government that's responsive to people, ... a government that people can have some influence on," he said.

At New York's African Burial Grounds, schoolchildren played "We Shall Overcome" on violins before protesters marched to the Federal Reserve in downtown Manhattan.

"What Occupy Wall Street is trying to do is exactly what (King) was trying to -- focus on economic injustice and to inform and educate the American public," said Norman Siegel, former director of the New York Civil Liberties Union.

"I think (King) would be very pleased because Occupy Wall Street is the children of Dr King's dream," Siegel said at the 18th century burial ground, part of the National Park Service.

Protesters in the Occupy movement complain that billions of dollars in bailouts were given to banks while many Americans still suffer with joblessness and housing foreclosures. They say minorities were disproportionately affected by predatory lending practices.

The movement has influenced the national political conversation, with President Barack Obama echoing some of its themes in calling for a "fair shot" and "fair share" for all.

Community and civil rights leaders urged Americans to honor King's crusade for nonviolence and racial brotherhood by doing volunteer work.

The president, first lady Michelle Obama and their daughter Malia marked the day by helping spruce up the library at a school in a predominantly African-American community in northeast Washington.

"At a time when the country has been going through some difficult economic times, for us to be able to come together as a community, people from all different walks of life, and make sure that we're giving back, that's ultimately what makes us the strongest, most extraordinary country on earth," Obama said.

This year's King holiday came as officials in more than a dozen states implement new laws requiring voters to present photo identification at the polls. Critics say the restriction violates the Voting Rights Act of 1965 -- one of the key accomplishments of the movement King led.

Across the nation, formal events such as prayer services, performances and parades were staged for King's birthday, which became a federal holiday in 1986. Post offices, government buildings and most public schools were closed.

King, a Baptist pastor who advocated for nonviolence, racial brotherhood and equal rights and won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964, was assassinated in 1968 as he stood outside his motel room in Memphis, where he had gone to support striking sanitation workers.

The convicted assassin, a segregationist and drifter named James Earl Ray, confessed to the killing but later recanted. He died in prison in 1998.

(Additional reporting by Lily Kuo, Ellen Wulfhorst and Karen Brooks, editing by Ellen Wulfhorst and Barbara Goldberg)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/economy/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120117/us_nm/us_mlk_holiday

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Giants at 49ers, Ravens at Patriots

Green Bay Packers' Aaron Rodgers is sacked by New York Giants' Michael Boley, center, and Corey Webster, right, during the second half of an NFL divisional playoff football game Sunday, Jan. 15, 2012, in Green Bay, Wis. The Giants won 37-20. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps)

Green Bay Packers' Aaron Rodgers is sacked by New York Giants' Michael Boley, center, and Corey Webster, right, during the second half of an NFL divisional playoff football game Sunday, Jan. 15, 2012, in Green Bay, Wis. The Giants won 37-20. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps)

New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning reacts during the second half of an NFL divisional playoff football game against the Green Bay Packers Sunday, Jan. 15, 2012, in Green Bay, Wis. The Giants won 37-20. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

San Francisco 49ers tight end Vernon Davis (85) celebrates after an NFL divisional playoff football game against the New Orleans Saints on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2012, in San Francisco. The 49ers won 36-32. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)

Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh hugs cornerback Cary Williams during the first half of an NFL divisional playoff football game against Houston Texans in Baltimore, Sunday, Jan. 15, 2012. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady signals to his bench during the second half of an NFL divisional playoff football game against the Denver Broncos Saturday, Jan. 14, 2012, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

That road warrior mentality the New York Giants have embraced is paving their path nicely.

They will need it for one more game when they head to San Francisco next Sunday to play for the NFC championship.

Since making the playoffs as a wild card in 2007, Tom Coughlin's team has emphasized the need to be comfortable on the road. The Giants felt downright at home at Lambeau Field in the postseason for the second straight time, humbling the defending Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers 37-20 Sunday.

Four years ago, they eliminated the Packers 23-20 in overtime on the Lambeau tundra.

"I think we're a dangerous team," Coughlin said. "I like where we are and how we're playing."

Why not? Eli Manning threw for three touchdowns for the second consecutive week, Hakeem Nicks caught two of his scoring throws ? one a 37-yard desperation pass at the end of the first half ? and the Giants (11-7) forced four turnovers from the usually precise Packers and had four sacks.

So it's on to San Francisco, where they lost 27-20 in November. But the Giants also lost to the Packers (15-2) during the regular season.

The 49ers (14-3) won a classic on Saturday, rallying to beat New Orleans 36-32 with a 14-yard touchdown pass from Alex Smith to Vernon Davis with 9 seconds remaining.

The AFC title game will match the Baltimore Ravens (13-4) and Patriots (14-3) in New England. Two years ago, Baltimore romped at Foxboro 33-14 in the wild-card round.

Baltimore finished off a 9-0 home record with a 20-13 victory Sunday over first-time playoff qualifier Houston.

Ed Reed's interception late in the fourth quarter sealed it, and the Ravens didn't commit a penalty or have a turnover. Lardarius Webb had two picks and Joe Flacco threw for two TDs.

"We have won in New England," Flacco said. "They are one of the teams, like us, that's tough to beat at home. We know how tough it is to go into a place like that, a place like here, and win a football game. So we're going to have to make sure we prepare well all week and bring our 'A' game up there."

New England routed Denver 45-10, silencing Tebowmania as Tom Brady tied an NFL mark with six touchdown passes and set another with five in the first half.

___

NFC

In their last meeting, 49ers All-Pro defensive tackle Justin Smith batted down Manning's pass in the closing seconds to preserve a win. That started New York on a downward spiral of four consecutive losses.

But the Giants have found a pass rush and a running game, Manning has maintained his sizzling pace in his best season, and they have gotten healthy. They've won five of six, including two playoff games.

"We went down there earlier this year and we didn't get it done, we fell short," receiver Mario Manningham said. "But I think we're going to go back and watch what we did wrong and just come back and do the right things."

San Francisco has done nearly everything right in a turnaround season under first-year coach Jim Harbaugh. They are extremely efficient with perhaps the best tackling defense in the league led by four All-Pros ? linebackers Patrick Willis and NaVorro Bowman, cornerback Carlos Rogers and Smith ? and ball-hawking skills that allowed them to lead the NFL with 38 takeaways.

Same thing on offense, with a league-low 10 turnovers.

"It's a lot better than traveling to Wisconsin. More importantly, we're playing a team we've already faced," Rogers said. "It's not as hard as preparing for another team we haven't faced yet."

The difference in pedigree for the quarterbacks is so large, though, that it could swing the edge to the Giants.

"Guys understand the way to win football games against good teams," Manning said. "Our defense is playing great with pressure and turnovers. Our offense for the most part is protecting the ball and playing smart football. When we have a chance to make a big play we are making them."

___

AFC

There's also a seeming mismatch at quarterback in this game. Brady's sensational season, with the second-most yards passing in NFL history behind only what Drew Brees managed in 2011, was somewhat overshadowed by Brees and Aaron Rodgers ? even by Tebow. But he sure took center stage against overmatched Denver.

"We know we have a big test next week," Ravens star linebacker Ray Lewis said. "Tom is playing excellent up there, and what they did to the Broncos ... I think they sent a message to whoever was coming up there. So, we've got our hands full and we've got to go up and get ready to play in the AFC championship."

New England rarely has faced a defense as strong as Baltimore's this season, however. Indeed, the Patriots lost to the best defense it opposed, Pittsburgh's.

If the Ravens can keep the game tight behind Lewis, Reed, Terrell Suggs and the staunch D, they'll hope their QB, Joe Flacco, can come up with enough big plays to get them to their first Super Bowl since January 2001. The Patriots have been vulnerable in pass defense, but their prolific offense has offset most problems.

"I always say there is a right way to do things, there is a wrong way to do things and there is just the Ravens' way of doing things," Suggs said. "It wasn't pretty but we're not really a pretty team. We got the W and now it's on to the AFC championship."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2012-01-16-Conference%20Championships/id-a6d23e4f7f2447faa95c0b1aa9d38a47

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Who Is Anti-Science? (Powerlineblog)

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

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Obama recess appointments face legal challenge (AP)

WASHINGTON ? Two pro-business advocacy groups on Friday filed the first legal challenge to President Barack Obama's recent recess appointments, asking a federal judge to find them unconstitutional.

The National Federation of Independent Business and the National Right to Work Foundation argue Obama cannot legally bypass the Senate to appoint three new members of the National Labor Relations Board, an agency that referees labor-management disputes.

The groups made the argument in a motion in federal district court in Washington, D.C., as part of an ongoing lawsuit against the labor board for requiring businesses to put up posters telling workers about their right to form a union.

The challenge came a day after the Justice Department issued a legal opinion defending the appointments of the labor board members, and the appointment of a national consumer watchdog, against Republican criticism.

Obama stoked controversy when he made the appointments Jan. 4 during the Senate's current 20-day recess. Republicans leaders have called it an unusual and unconstitutional power grab, saying the Senate was not technically in recess when Obama acted.

Neither the White House nor the NLRB had any immediate comment on the motion. But in the legal opinion released Thursday, the Justice Department argued the president has authority to make such appointments because the Senate is on a 20-day recess, even though it has held periodic pro forma sessions in which no business is conducted.

The department said the pro forma sessions ? some with as few as one member present ? have not been sufficient for the chamber to exercise its constitutional authority to advise and consent to normal presidential nominations.

Administration officials have said Obama made the appointments because Senate Republicans have been unfairly blocking Senate confirmation of nominees as a way to limit the power of agencies they oppose.

The NLRB is supposed to have five members, but it was down to only two until Obama acted. The agency is not allowed to conduct regular business with only two members.

On Jan. 4, Obama appointed Deputy Labor Secretary Sharon Block, union lawyer Richard Griffin and NLRB counsel Terence Flynn to fill vacancies on the five-member NLRB, giving it a full contingent for the first time in more than a year. Block and Griffin are Democrats, while Flynn is a Republican. Obama also appointed Richard Cordray, a former attorney general of Ohio, to be the first director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

In legal documents filed Friday, the pro-business groups argue the three new NLRB members are not legitimate because the U.S. Senate was still in session when they were appointed. The arguments come just days after NLRB lawyers officially notified the court that Obama's recess appointees were now parties in the ongoing legal dispute.

In their lawsuit, the groups question the legality of an NLRB rule approved last year. The board wants most businesses to display posters explaining the right to bargain collectively, distribute union literature and engage in other union activities without reprisal.

The rule has met with stiff resistance from business groups who call the language too one-sided in favor of unions.

"The rule can't be implemented and enforced without a functioning board," said Mark Mix, president of the National Right to Work Foundation. "We believe the validity of these appointments is in question."

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/us/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20120113/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_recess_appointments_legal_challenge

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