Omega-3 fatty acids may help heal a broken heart

May 30, 2013 ? Procedures like angioplasty, stenting and bypass surgery may save lives, but they also cause excessive inflammation and scarring, which ultimately can lead to permanent disability and even death. A new research report appearing in The FASEB Journal, shows that naturally derived compounds from polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-3s) may reduce the inflammation associated with these procedures to help arteries more fully and completely heal.

"Our study suggests that biologically active, naturally occurring compounds derived from omega-3 PUFAs reduce inflammation and improve the healing of blood vessels after injury," said Michael S. Conte, M.D., a researcher involved in the work from Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery and the Heart and Vascular Center at the University of California, in San Francisco, CA. "They suggest a new opportunity to improve the long-term results of cardiovascular procedures such as bypass surgery and angioplasty by the therapeutic application of this class of agents or their dietary precursors."

To make this discovery, Conte and colleagues studied the effects of the compounds (resolvin or RvD) first in cultured vascular cells taken from patients who had undergone bypass operations, and then in rabbits who were treated with a balloon angioplasty procedure in the arteries of the hind limb. In the human cells, treatment with RvD dramatically reduced features that are associated with the typical vascular injury response -- inflammation, cell migration, and cell growth in vascular smooth muscle cells. The potency of these compounds corresponds to concentrations that have been measured in the blood of human subjects taking high dose fish oil supplements for short periods of time. In rabbits, researchers treated the artery with RvD at the time of the balloon angioplasty procedure by infusing the drug directly into the vessel, and found that this one-time treatment reduced inflammation and subsequent scarring of the vessel after one month.

"If successful in further studies, this finding could be a huge benefit to patients undergoing these procedures," said Gerald Weissmann, M.D., Editor-in-Chief of The FASEB Journal. "What's even better, is that these potentially lifesaving compounds are already available in any fish market or grocery store."

Share this story on Facebook, Twitter, and Google:

Other social bookmarking and sharing tools:

---

Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

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

---

Journal Reference:

1. T. Miyahara, S. Runge, A. Chatterjee, M. Chen, G. Mottola, J. M. Fitzgerald, C. N. Serhan, M. S. Conte. D-series resolvin attenuates vascular smooth muscle cell activation and neointimal hyperplasia following vascular injury. The FASEB Journal, 2013; 27 (6): 2220 DOI: 10.1096/fj.12-225615

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

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_health/~3/PGZa9EYaQKE/130530111155.htm

uk vs louisville university of kansas buckeye west side story final four 2012 bridesmaids winning lottery numbers

Letter possibly laced with ricin sent to Obama

President Barack Obama (Jason Reed/Reuters)A letter addressed to President Barack Obama that might have been contaminated with ricin was intercepted by authorities on Thursday, the Secret Service confirmed. The letter holds similarities to mail sent to New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg that tested positive for the deadly toxin.

"U.S. Secret Service can confirm that the White House mail screening facility intercepted a letter addressed to the White House that [was] similar to letters previously addressed to Mayor Bloomberg in New York. This letter has been turned over to the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force for testing and investigation," Ed Donovan, Secret Service deputy assistant director, confirmed in an email on Thursday.

White House mail is processed off-site and, therefore, it never came into contact with the president nor was it at the White House.

The two letters to Bloomberg were sent to his advocacy group, Mayors Against Illegal Guns, and also did not come into contact with Bloomberg. That mail contained threats against Bloomberg and referenced the nation?s gun-control debate, New York Police Department spokesman Paul Browne said in a statement on Wednesday.

Though the individuals who opened the Bloomberg letters were uninjured, the NYPD said members of its Emergency Service Unit responding to the letter exhibited symptoms of ricin exposure on Saturday and were treated.

The letters to Obama and Bloomberg follow an incident last month in which Obama and Republican Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi received ricin-laced letters.

Suspect J. Everett Dutschke of Mississippi was arrested in that case.

Holly Bailey contributed to this story.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/authorities-intercept-potential-ricin-letter-obama-similar-bloomberg-165128390.html

Pumpkin Pie Jack Taylor Apple Pie Recipe black friday How long to cook a turkey green bean casserole green bean casserole recipe

Apple unveils new iPod touch: 16GB storage, no back-facing camera, $229

Well, this is a little out of the blue. Apple has just outed a new iPod touch that falls in behind its existing 2012 models. We're hesitant to call this the sixth generation, as it's more of a stripped down variant of what's already available. Not many of the specs have changed: the dimensions are identical, you're still getting a 4-inch Retina display, and the same dual-core A5 processor hums away inside. While the new model still has the front-facing FaceTime HD camera, it's lost the 5-megapixel main shooter, and a little bit of weight, to boot (0.06 ounces). Storage capacity has taken a hit, however. The other iPod touch comes in 32GB and 64GB varieties and a number of colors, but this new model sports just 16GB of storage and only comes in silver. Those lesser specs come at a lesser price, and you can snag one from Apple's online store now for $229, with retail locations getting it tomorrow. We reckon this won't be the only Apple product people'll be talking about today. Prepare for the cheaper iPhone rumor to make the rounds again.

Update: Reader Brandon wrote in to point out that Apple dropped the wrist strap and loop from the refreshed iPod touch. Will it be missed?

Filed under: Portable Audio/Video, Apple

Comments

Via: The Verge

Source: Apple

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/05/30/apple-unveils-new-ipod-touch/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget

Melissa Nelson foot locker champs champs calvin johnson calvin johnson sound of music

Obama expected to pick James Comey as next FBI chief: source

By Steve Holland

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama is expected to nominate former Justice Department official James Comey as his next head of the FBI, a source said on Wednesday.

If confirmed by the Senate, Comey, a Republican, would replace FBI Director Robert Mueller, who has led the agency since just before the September 11, 2001, attacks. Mueller is expected to step down this fall.

The White House would not comment on Obama's decision but the source said Obama had been leaning toward Comey in recent days. It was unclear when an announcement would be made.

White House homeland security adviser Lisa Monaco, who emerged as an instrumental aide to Obama during the Boston Marathon bombings last month, also had been under consideration.

Comey, 52, served as deputy U.S. attorney general for President George W. Bush. He had previously been the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York.

In an earlier post as assistant U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Comey handled the Khobar Towers bombing case that arose out of an attack on a U.S. military facility in Saudi Arabia in 1996. Seventeen U.S. military members died in the attack.

Comey gained notoriety for refusing in 2004 to certify the legal aspects of National Security Agency domestic surveillance during a stint as acting attorney general while John Ashcroft was hospitalized with pancreatitis.

That refusal prompted senior White House officials, counsel Alberto Gonzales and chief of staff Andrew Card, to try to persuade Ashcroft to sign the certification. Comey, who was in the room, said Ashcroft refused.

Comey later told the Senate Judiciary Committee at a 2007 hearing that the situation was "probably the most difficult night of my professional life." His actions endeared him to many Democrats opposed to the Bush's domestic surveillance program.

After leaving the Justice Department in 2005, Comey was general counsel to aerospace giant Lockheed Martin until 2010.

Comey most recently joined Columbia University's law school as a senior research scholar after working for Bridgewater Associates, an investment fund, from 2010 to 2013. He was general counsel for aerospace giant Lockheed Martin from 2005 to 2010.

(Additional reporting by Mark Felsenthal and David Ingram; Editing by Stacey Joyce and Bill Trott)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/obama-expected-pick-james-comey-next-fbi-chief-225117346.html

stock act new york auto show khalid sheikh mohammed masters par 3 gwen stefani overeem laron landry

Israeli museum finds owners of looted art

This image provided by the Israel Museum, shows the reproduction of the "Garden in Wannsee" painting by the German-Jewish artist Max Liebermann which was confiscated by the Nazis during the World War II, in Jerusalem, Wednesday, May 29, 2013. Israel Museum spokeswoman Dena Scher said Wednesday the museum repurchased the "Garden in Wannsee" painting by the German-Jewish artist Max Liebermann from the owner's heir at an undisclosed price. (AP Photo/Israel Museum)

This image provided by the Israel Museum, shows the reproduction of the "Garden in Wannsee" painting by the German-Jewish artist Max Liebermann which was confiscated by the Nazis during the World War II, in Jerusalem, Wednesday, May 29, 2013. Israel Museum spokeswoman Dena Scher said Wednesday the museum repurchased the "Garden in Wannsee" painting by the German-Jewish artist Max Liebermann from the owner's heir at an undisclosed price. (AP Photo/Israel Museum)

JERUSALEM (AP) ? Israel's national museum says it has located the owners of an impressionist painting that was stolen by the Nazis after a photo was discovered showing the work in the original owner's home.

Israel Museum spokeswoman Dena Scher said Wednesday the museum repurchased the "Garden in Wannsee" painting by German-Jewish artist Max Liebermann from the owner's heir at an undisclosed price.

The Israel Museum holds some 1,200 pieces of art identified as having been seized from Jews by the Nazis and has found the owners of more than two dozen.

The painting's original owner, Max Cassirer, was a wealthy Berlin businessman. The black and white picture of his music room shows walls covered in paintings, including Liebermann's.

Experts believe hundreds of thousands of pieces of looted art remain unclaimed.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-05-29-Israel-Looted%20Art/id-53111631f689441cbe63ba172e7b637f

Hulk Hogan sex tape orioles Sarah Jones chicago marathon Johnny Depp Dead college football rankings Steel Magnolias

You can?t handle the physics! (Unqualified Offerings)

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

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/308879259?client_source=feed&format=rss

davey jones dead boston weather dr seuss birthday derrick williams romney michigan railgun jk rowling new book

Turn The Raspberry Pi Microcomputer Into A Low-Cost Laptop With This Atrix Dock Hack

The $35/$25 Raspberry Pi microcomputer is being used by hardware hackers to power all sorts of creative projects. Including this Raspberry Pi powered laptop, which ties in the Motorola Atrix laptop dock to turn the microcomputer into a portable computer. Which surely must be the coolest use of that piece of kit to date.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/sp81wWb1xvg/

gia utah jazz lawrence of arabia denver nuggets new jersey devils torn acl derrick rose injury

Japan's Abe ends Myanmar visit with aid, debt write-off

YANGON (Reuters) - Japan on Sunday endorsed Myanmar's reform program by writing off nearly $2 billion in debt and extending new aid, some of which will help support an industrial zone being developed by Japanese firms near the commercial capital, Yangon.

As foreign businesses move into Myanmar after years of economic sanctions, Tokyo wants to ensure Japanese firms gain privileged access. Analysts also say Japan wants to counterbalance the growing economic and military might of China, Myanmar's neighbor.

Japan agreed a year ago to forgive 176.1 billion yen ($1.74 billion) in arrears owed to it by Myanmar's government and, at the end of a three-day visit by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, it said Myanmar had met the necessary conditions, including a series of political and economic reforms.

"Since both governments acknowledged the continuation of Myanmar's reform efforts, the government of Japan has decided to clear the said overdue charges," the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

Abe was the first Japanese leader to visit the Southeast Asian country in 36 years.

Unlike many countries Japan did not impose trade and financial sanctions on Myanmar during five decades of military rule, but it has dramatically scaled up its engagement since the poor but resource-rich country embarked on reforms two years ago under the quasi-civilian government of President Thein Sein.

The debt forgiveness was contingent upon Myanmar pushing ahead with reforms over the past year that included lifting media censorship, enacting a new foreign investment law and allowing more freedom for political activists and parties such as the National League for Democracy (NLD).

Abe met with NLD leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi during his trip.

On Saturday he visited the port of Thilawa, the site of the future industrial zone, 25 km (15 miles) south of Yangon.

As part of 51.05 billion yen in new aid announced on Sunday, Japan will provide up to 20 billion yen for the Thilawa project, repayable over 40 years at 0.01 percent interest. The money will help with electricity infrastructure in the area and an expansion of the port.

Other projects will help increase the power supply elsewhere in the country and develop infrastructure in rural areas.

There was no reference in the various statements to another industrial project in Dawei, by the border with Thailand, being developed by Italian-Thai Development Pcl.

Initial funding of $8.5 billion has proved elusive and the Thai government has sought Japanese help.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra was in Japan this week and she said in a weekly televised broadcast on Saturday that investors there had shown strong interest. Thai officials had hoped for signs of progress during Abe's visit to Myanmar. ($1 = 101.1850 Japanese yen)

(Reporting by Jared Ferrie; Additional reporting by Khettiya Jittapong in Bangkok; Editing by Alan Raybould and Jeremy Laurence)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/japans-abe-ends-myanmar-visit-aid-debt-write-102446149.html

illinois primary 2012 michael bay zsa zsa gabor illinois primary trayvon martin 911 call kiribati vernal equinox

School Bus Driver Fired For Venting on Facebook About Kids Being Refused Free Lunch (VIDEO)

You know the old saying "There's no such thing as a free lunch"? Apparently this adage is all too true in one metro Atlanta school district, at least according to Johnny Cook, a bus driver for Haralson County Middle School. A former bus driver, that is. When Cook shared his frustrations on Facebook over a child in need being denied a free lunch, he lost his job.

According to Cook, his superintendent gave him one chance to avoid being fired -- but it would have involved deleting the Facebook post and issuing a public apology. Cook refused, and if you ask me, it sounds like he had good reason for doing so.

Cook says that last Tuesday, one of the students on his bus route told him he'd had to go without a meal that day when he couldn't afford his reduced lunch fee -- even though the school has a policy of providing any student in need with a free sandwich.

I said, 'So you didn't get to eat at all? And he said, 'No sir, I didn't get to eat anything. I had to put my tray back.'

That night, Cook posted the following on Facebook:

A lil flustered this evening.

A middle schooler got on my bus this evening and said mr johnny im hungry. I said why are you hungry buddy? Didn't you eat lunch ? He said no sir I didn't have any money on my account. I said they would let you charge it? No sir.

Huh! What! This child is already on reduced lunch and we can't let him eat. Are you kidding me? I'm certain there was leftover food thrown away today. But kids were turned away because they didn't have .40 on there account .

As a tax payer, I would much rather feed a child than throw it away. I would rather feed a child than to give food stamps to a crack head. My number is (?) the next time we can't feed a kid for forty cent, please call me . We will scrape up the money.

This is what the world has come to.

Superintendent Brett Stanton says that not only should Cook have gone to the school about the problem, the district found no evidence the incident occurred. Stanton also says that he's never received a complaint about a student being denied food in the five years he's been with the schools, despite the fact that multiple Haralson County parents posted on Cook's Facebook account that their children had also gone hungry when they didn't have money for their lunch.

I guess the bottom line here is that no matter how righteous you may believe your cause to be, complaining about your workplace on Facebook is never a good idea if you want to keep your job. Cook should have gone through the proper channels first before venting on social media.

However, if the school's stated policy is to provide a free meal for students who can't pay and they're not doing so -- well, good for Cook for stirring up this much attention over the topic. For those who support what he did, there's a Change.org petition for the Haralson School District of Tallapoosa, GA to give Mr. Cook his job back.

Here's a video on Johnny Cook's story thus far:

Do you think this bus driver was in the wrong by posting his feelings on Facebook? Should he get his job back?

Image via Change.org

Source: http://thestir.cafemom.com/in_the_news/156040/school_bus_driver_fired_for?utm_medium=sm&utm_source=rss&utm_content=in_the_news_rssfeed

Ledecky Nadia Comaneci Rebecca Soni Snoop Lion London 2012 Table Tennis badminton Dominique Dawes

Senator: New Statue of Liberty security risky

NEW YORK (AP) ? New security plans for the Statue of Liberty could leave visitors vulnerable when it reopens July Fourth, New York officials said Monday.

Sen. Charles Schumer and New York Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly called for the National Park Service to reverse its plan, which calls for visitors to board boats either lower Manhattan or New Jersey and stop at nearby Ellis Island for security.

"The NYPD and the Park Service have differences over how to best protect visitors from a potential terrorist attack," said Kelly, adding that he has written to the secretary of the interior about the issue.

"I know the NPS cares deeply about the monument and its visitors," said Schumer, "but in this case I think they've made a mistake and should rethink this policy change."

Park service representatives did not immediately respond to comment requests.

The statue was closed after Superstorm Sandy. Storm surges flooded Liberty Island, destroying boilers and electrical systems, but the statue, which is on higher ground on the island, remained intact.

Previously, passengers were screened with airport-style metal detectors before they boarded boats for Liberty Island from Battery Park in Lower Manhattan and Liberty State Park in New Jersey.

"This screening was put in just after the horrific events of Sept. 11. And I can tell you, in our judgment, the threat has not abated," Kelly said.

Terrorist groups, he added, "have an interest in targeting locations that represent America."

Both officials said any additional costs could be covered with a small increase in the fee charged to visit the island. They also advocated scheduled ticketing to help reduce lines.

The Ellis Island Immigration Museum, which suffered severe damage to its infrastructure during the storm, will remain closed for repairs, except for the proposed screening area.

Schumer praised the park service for its "quick cleanup and repair efforts" on Liberty Island after the storm, but said that "it is particularly important that the unique threats to this site are taken into consideration for every step of this journey."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ny-senator-statue-liberty-security-risky-194117841.html

jerel worthy alshon jeffery stephen hill draft tracker california earthquake california earthquake tyson chandler

Mouthwash as an acne treatment | Health | The Seattle Times

Q: I thought I?d share my experience using Listerine as an acne treatment after reading about it in your column. I have tried all types of antibiotics and topical prescriptions on the market. Nothing has worked as well as applying Listerine morning and night. Who knew it could be that simple?

A: Listerine was first brought out as a surgical antiseptic sold to doctors starting in 1879. By the early 20th century, it was being promoted to consumers as a mouthwash. It also was touted for dandruff and ?bad skin.?

The herbal oils and alcohol in Listerine have antimicrobial properties, and many readers have reported success using it for fungal infections such as jock itch, dandruff and nail fungus. Other readers also have found, as you did, that it helps clear blemishes.

Q: I am a 16-year-old girl who has had bladder problems since I was 8. I was taken to the hospital for pain in my left hip, and the doctor prescribed two pills (500 mg each) of naproxen to be taken twice daily.

I had pain in my stomach and back, and I couldn?t sleep. Then my urinary system shut down completely. I had taken the drug for almost three weeks before another doctor took me off. I was in the hospital for seven weeks and was just released with no improvement.

I know the drug did this to me. Has anyone else had this severe reaction?

A: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as naproxen can harm the kidneys (Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety, October 2009). A recent study of marathon runners found that those who took ibuprofen before the race to ward off muscle soreness were more likely to develop temporary kidney failure as a result (BMJ Open online, April 19). Your story is a reminder that pain relievers may have serious side effects.

Q: How important is it to lower cholesterol levels to reduce the overall risk of death from heart disease? I worry about the possible unintended consequences of lowering cholesterol if you don?t need to. Will it increase the risk of cancer?

I read a study suggesting a shift in focus and would welcome any information you can offer.

A: Although cholesterol is a risk factor for heart disease, its importance has become increasingly controversial (Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases, September 2006). Some researchers believe that inflammation may be a better predictor of heart problems. Others suggest that hostility is a key risk factor (American Journal of Cardiology online, May 2).

A new Japanese study shows a link between low LDL cholesterol and an increased risk of liver cancer (Tohoku Journal of Experimental Medicine, March). The authors suggest that low LDL cholesterol may be a marker for preclinical cancer.

For three decades, researchers have been debating whether low cholesterol increases the risk of cancer or whether early cancer causes cholesterol levels to drop. This issue has not been resolved.

In their column, Joe and Teresa Graedon answer letters from readers. Write to them c/o King Features Syndicate, 300 W. 57th St., 15th floor, New York, NY 10019, or via their website:www.peoplespharmacy.org

Source: http://seattletimes.com/html/health/2021037276_pharmacy26xml.html

brown recluse spider wiz khalifa taylor allderdice eddie royal iditarod nfl free agents 2012 encyclopedia brittanica nfl free agency

San Antonio flooding kills 2; 200-plus rescued

A kayaker pulls a raft with children around a flooded baseball park in San Antonio, Saturday, May 25, 2013, in San Antonio. San Antonio International Airport recorded more than nine inches of rain since midnight. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

A kayaker pulls a raft with children around a flooded baseball park in San Antonio, Saturday, May 25, 2013, in San Antonio. San Antonio International Airport recorded more than nine inches of rain since midnight. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Flood waters cover eight lanes of Highway 281, Saturday, May 25, 2013, in San Antonio. The San Antonio International Airport by Saturday afternoon had recorded nearly 10 inches of rain since midnight. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

A flood gage shows waters just under 10 feet at an intersection, Saturday, May 25, 2013, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

A San Antonio metro bus sits in floodwaters after it was swept off the road during heavy rains, Saturday, May 25, 2013, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

A man photographs flood waters caused by heavy rains, Saturday, May 25, 2013, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

SAN ANTONIO (AP) ? Torrential rains swamped San Antonio with flash floods on Saturday, leaving at least two people dead as emergency workers rushed to rescue more than 200 residents stranded in cars and homes.

"It was pretty crazy," said Gera Hinojosa, a valet parking cars downtown after the storm. "It was pretty unexpected. We hardly got any warning about it."

For two women, the storm turned fatal.

One became trapped in her car and climbed to the roof before being swept away in floodwaters, said San Antonio Fire Department spokesman Christian Bove. Her body was later found against a fence, he said. Her name was not immediately released.

Emergency officials also found the body of a woman who was swept away in her car while firefighters were trying to rescue her. Her name also was not released, but Bove said she was in her 60s.

In suburban Schertz, a teenage boy who was swept away while trying to cross the swollen Cibolo Creek was still missing Saturday night.

The Fire Department conducted more than 235 rescues across the city, some by inflatable boats, authorities said. They continued their search into the evening.

"We'll be out there as long as daylight permits and again in the morning if the water recedes," San Antonio Fire Chief Charles Hood said, adding that going into floodwaters was more dangerous for firefighters than entering a burning building.

By nightfall, water still pooled in ditches and underpasses. Several roadways were closed, including a major highway that links the suburbs and the city.

But even in low-lying neighborhoods along Commerce Street east of downtown ? a faded stretch of clapboard houses and beauty parlors ? yards were clear. In the tourist district around the River Walk, the streets were thick with weekend revelers.

While the water in some homes rose 4 feet high, according to Bove, most residents experienced the floods primarily as a major traffic hassle. Karen Herring, 50, who spent the day volunteering at a fitness contest at the AT&T Center, said participants complained of three-hour drives across town.

Brent Rose, 39, a law enforcement officer who drove in for the contest from the semi-rural northern suburbs, said the damage extended beyond the city.

"We had some fences rolled over by the water," Rose said. "Some farm animals went astray. But not a big deal."

In the city, even a municipal bus was swept away, but firefighters on a boat were able to rescue the three passengers and driver, public transit spokeswoman Priscilla Ingle said. Nobody was injured.

The San Antonio International Airport by Saturday afternoon had recorded 9.87 inches of rain since midnight, causing nearly all streams and rivers to experience extraordinary flooding. The highest amount of rainfall recorded since midnight was 15.5 inches at Olmos Creek at Dresden Drive.

Mayor Julian Castro urged residents not to drive.

"We have had too many folks who continue to ignore low-water warnings," Castro said at a Saturday afternoon news conference.

A flash flood warning was issued for nearly two dozen counties, with up to 4 inches of rainfall forecast overnight.

A flood warning remained for Leon Creek at Interstate 35, where the level was 27.1 feet and was expected to peak at 29 feet Saturday night ? nearly twice the flood stage of 15 feet, according to the National Weather Service. The San Antonio River about 20 miles southeast of the city, near Elmendorf, was expected to peak at 62 feet by Sunday morning, well above the flood stage of 35 feet.

The National Weather Service compared the flooding to the storm of October 1998, when 30 inches of rain fell in a two-day period. In that flood, the Guadalupe and San Antonio River basins overflowed, leaving more than 30 people dead, according to the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority.

Due to that history, Hinojosa said, residents were prepared, despite the storm's pace.

"We've been through floods before," he said.

___

Associated Press writers Angela K. Brown in Fort Worth and Danny Robbins in Dallas contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2013-05-25-Texas%20Flooding/id-831727cb750c48549a25ea43b5cd8785

Ray Harryhausen elizabeth smart

Khabib Nurmagomedov and Abel Trujilo scuffled at the UFC 160 weigh-ins, and Mike Tyson loved it

During the UFC 160 weigh-ins, Khabib Nurmagomedov blew weight, wore a wig, started a fight and made Mike Tyson laugh. He had a full day.

Nurmagomedov weighed in at 158.5 for his lightweight bout with Abel Trujilo. He will forfeit 20 percent of his purse, so maybe that's why he was angry when he faced off with Trujilo. He got in his opponent's face, first bumping Trujilo's head and then pushing him back. He was quickly escorted off stage by the UFC's Burt Watson.

The best part of the scuffle? Mike Tyson was on stage and loved every minute of it. Look in the upper right-hand corner of the video to see his reaction.

Related coverage on Yahoo! Sports:
? Antonio Silva eager to prove he's a cut above in UFC 160 rematch with Cain Velasquez
? Yahoo! writers, readers make their UFC 160 picks
? Four questions that will be answered by UFC 160

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/khabib-nurmagomedov-abel-trujilo-scuffled-ufc-160-weigh-135604938.html

lamar odom perfect game jon jones vs rashad evans results rashad evans jon jones chuck colson death meteor showers 2012

When Israel hits Syria, it hones military edge for wider war

By Dan Williams

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - When Israeli jets bomb Syria to deny it or its allies "game-changer" weapons, they play according to one core rule: ensuring the Jewish state maintains the military superiority to swiftly prevail in any war.

On Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's target list are four types of advanced arms, Russian- or Iranian-supplied, whose transfer from Syria to Lebanese Hezbollah guerrillas next door would hinder Israel's strategic options.

Although they outgun Syria, Hezbollah and Iran, the Israelis assume all three allied adversaries may have to be fought at once - an unprecedented scenario complicated by the probable launch of thousands of missiles into the Jewish state.

That, air force chief Major-General Amir Eshel cautioned in an unusually forthright speech last week, meant the Israeli military had to be ready to lash out "with the full spectrum of its might" almost anywhere and at a few hours' notice.

But Eshel said this capability was challenged by Syria's acquisition, at a time when President Bashar al-Assad is fighting a two-year-old rebellion, of "the best Russian air defense systems available".

One such system, the SA-17, was on a convoy bound for Hezbollah when it was hit by Israel warplanes in late January, intelligence sources said. Two other air strikes near Damascus this month destroyed formidable Fateh-110 ground-to-ground missiles flown in from Iran and awaiting transit to Hezbollah.

The other two types of arms Israel says it is monitoring for any sign of handover to Hezbollah are Syria's chemical warheads and Russian-supplied Yakhount anti-ship missiles, which could repel Israel's navy and threaten its Mediterranean gas rigs.

Short on land, the Israelis have long relied on their hi-tech warplanes, helicopters and drones to keep any war mainly on enemy turf. But while the air force could best any Middle East adversary one-on-one, it might struggle to keep up far-flung sorties - especially if more-distant Iran were involved.

"Sustaining massive air operations far from home has not been an objective within the Israeli mission set," said Philip Handleman, an American aviation expert and author.

"MASSIVE FIREPOWER"

The most potent Russian air defense system, the long-range S-300, is "on its way" to Syria, Eshel said. He did not say where he got his information but it could indicate that appeals by Netanyahu to Russia to scrap such a deal had not succeeded.

Russia's foreign minister said on May 13 that it had no new plans to sell an advanced air defense system to Syria but left open the possibility of delivering such systems under an existing contract.

One senior Israeli official quoted Netanyahu as saying privately that the S-300 could "turn Israel into a no-fly zone" as well as curb its currently unrestrained Lebanese overflights.

Amos Gilad, an Israeli defense official, said in a radio interview that the S-300, if delivered to Syria, could end up in Iranian hands and thus "threaten the Gulf" - hamstringing any plan for a pre-emptive attack on Iranian nuclear sites.

Sounding similar warnings about the limits of Israel's conventional arsenal, Eshel said it would not achieve any "knock-outs" but would have to "prevail in the war within a few days - and that will require massive firepower".

"The homefront will be hit no matter how much we defend it," Eshel said. He was referring to some 200,000 missiles and rockets Israel believes are aimed at its interior from Hezbollah, Syria, Iran and Palestinian guerrillas in Gaza.

The Fateh-110 would significantly increase the potency of Hezbollah's stockpile. Accurate to a few dozen yards (meters) at ranges of 300 km (190 miles), carrying half-ton warheads and designed to be fuelled up and fired at short notice, they could disrupt the military command and commercial centers of Tel Aviv.

Israel suffered thousands of shorter-range missile strikes during its wars with Hezbollah and in Gaza in 2006 and 2008-2009. Its firepower also exacted a vastly greater casualty toll in Lebanon and Gaza than it suffered, drawing unfriendly media coverage and diplomatic pressure to relent.

With their regional isolation deepening, the Israelis predict they will have "days" in which to wage another offensive before foreign remonstrations become impossible to resist.

"In modern times, because war is all the time on television, people see this and can't take it. There are limits. There is a price you pay," then-deputy prime minister Dan Meridor said in 2011, remarks echoed recently by Israeli officials and officers.

That the Assad family has never brandished chemical weapons against Israel during its 43 years of rule suggests a parity with the Jewish state's reputed nuclear arsenal. But such deterrence may not apply, some Israeli experts argue, for non-state actors like Hezbollah or the Islamist militants among the Syrian insurgents fighting to overthrow Assad.

Yet Amos Yadlin, the former chief of Israeli military intelligence who now runs the INSS think-tank at Tel Aviv University, parted with the government's chemical arms fears.

With their lack of a comprehensive military structure, Hezbollah guerrillas are even less likely than Syria to use such weapons, were they to obtain them, he told Reuters.

"I am not at all worried by the chemical weaponry. On the operational level, it is not efficient or easy to operate. It is more dangerous for those launching it."

(Additional reporting by Crispian Balmer; Editing by Mark Heinrich)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/israel-hits-syria-hones-military-edge-wider-war-113422659.html

Chad Johnson Twitter Helen Gurley Brown Kathi Goertzen Johnny Pesky spice girls justin theroux Bumbo recall

92% Jurassic Park: An IMAX 3D Experience

All Critics (100) | Top Critics (24) | Fresh (101) | Rotten (8) | DVD (39)

The enthralling man-vs.-nature parable based on the late Michael Crichton's best-selling novel hasn't aged one bit.

The 3-D process adds not just dimension but depth - a technological extension of cinematographer Gregg Toland's deep-focus innovations in The Grapes of Wrath and Citizen Kane. The change in perspective creates greater intensity.

I'm a fan of this movie. It is thrilling, and the 3-D treatment is a nice enhancement.

This movie doesn't just stand the test of time, it transcends it.

"Jurassic Park" remains an absolute thrill from a Spielberg in top form: Funny, scary, fast-moving and full of just-right details.

"Jurassic Park" was impressive in 1993. Twenty years later, it's flawless.

Some things have dated - Sam Jackson wouldn't be allowed to smoke in the office; everyone would have mobiles; Google Earth would have kept the island from being kept a secret - but the power of the film's pioneering CGI remain strangely undiminished.

Steven Spielberg's summer adventure is still one of the ultimate movie roller coaster rides.

Jurassic Park is a how-to guide for structuring a multi-character disaster film.

Still proves as thrilling as ever.

A classic gets even better.

Steven Spielbeg's 1993 tale of an island plagued dinosaurs running amok holds up surprisingly well in the special effects category.

The film is a classic and the chance to see it on the big screen again (or for the first time) should not be missed

Sentiment is explained by science as the family impulse that motivates so many Steven Spielberg stories is revealed to be an evolutionary imperative in this near-perfect action-adventure.

[Looks] better not only than effects-driven movies of the same period, but better, frankly, than half of what gets released nowadays.

Kids who love dinosaurs will love it. And who doesn't?

confirms both Spielberg's mastery of cinematic thrills and the comparatively empty bombast of today's summer tentpole movies, even the better ones.

Jurassic Park shows us a director in transition, and the film captures his transformation in its own kind of cinematic amber.

[The] 3D [conversion] provides the definitive version of this classic film. Jurassic Park has been transformed with with artistry, nuance and sophistication, and it's an absolute must-see during this brief run.

The 3D effects had me nearly jumping out of my seat. Some say Hollywood is converting too many old films to 3D. But, "Jurassic Park" was the perfect choice. There's nothing more fun than sharing a seat with a snapping dinosaur.

Spielberg treats us as he does his characters, leading us into a strange land and expecting us to make it out with all our faculties intact; it's a tall order, given the heart-stopping, bloodcurdling, limbs-numbing excitement packed into the second hour.

It is as if time has passed the movie by. "Jurassic Park" remains solid entertainment, but the awe and wonder have faded.

The thrill of seeing live dinosaurs on screen is not as acute today as it was 20 years ago admittedly, but there is still some 3D awe left in the creations that roared 65 billion years ago...

The 3D isn't pushed on the audience, but it does reveal the amount of depth that Spielberg actually put into the film 20 years ago.

While it's not the most profound of Spielberg's works or the most entertaining from a popcorn perspective, it's one of the most technically flawless movies he's ever produced.

Jurassic Park 3D is like being reunited with an old friend; an old friend that wants to eat you and maul you to death, but still. A classic is reborn in glorious IMAX with a vibrantly stunning use of 3D.

Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/jurassic_park_an_imax_3d_experience_1993/

alex jones Google Docs Huell Howser Justin Bieber Smoking Weed Katherine Webb Cut for Bieber AJ McCarron

Infographic: Student Loan Debt & Number of Student Loan Accounts ...

May 25th, 2013

| | |

?

In this week?s infographic, we are comparing generations again. This time, we focus on student loan debt and the number of open accounts each age group has. Scroll down to see the results.

?

Share some of your tips for paying down your student loans!

Amy Leone is the Public Relations Coordinator at Credit Karma. Before joining the team in June 2012 she spent most of her career as a TV news producer. When she?s not helping promote Credit Karma on a variety of media outlets, she?s probably out running or exploring her new state of California.

Follow Credit Karma!

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/CreditKarma

Twitter: http://twitter.com/creditkarma

Google Plus: https://plus.google.com/+creditkarma

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/creditkarma

Subscribe to the Credit Karma Blog

Source: http://blog.creditkarma.com/blog-series/infographic-student-loan-debt-number-of-student-loan-accounts-by-generation/

aubrey plaza boston marathon turbotax Catching Fire trailer Marfa Texas leonhard euler venezuela

Huge Erections: What?s Driving The Rise Of Super Towers?

Is it just us or are towers getting taller and taller these days? Broad Group, a Chinese developer, recently announced plans to scale up its prefabricated building technology to unparalleled proportions. The proposed Sky City outside Changsha will be the tallest on earth at 838 m or 2,749 ft, just barely inching past the Burj Khalifa in the UAE. And, as if this weren?t astounding enough, the tower will purportedly be assembled on site 90 days.

Read more...

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/NXthtDv23Mg/huge-erections-what-s-driving-the-rise-of-super-towers-509709636

stephen hill draft tracker california earthquake california earthquake tyson chandler tyson chandler the pirates band of misfits

The Inevitable Decline of Great Britain (Cont.) (Powerlineblog)

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

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/308185586?client_source=feed&format=rss

Kwame Kilpatrick New pope 2013 good morning america earthquake california earthquake california douglas adams brandon knight

Katherine Webb Calorie Intake Shocks Internet

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/05/katherine-webb-calorie-intake-shocks-internet/

Aurora Colorado Rajesh Khanna friday the 13th toy story 4 toy story 4 steam kristin chenoweth

Lea Michele Looks Sexy In A Plunging Lingerie Dress ? Flaunts ...

Getty

The star showed off the lingerie look on the red carpet, where she wowed in a dress that allowed her to flaunt a lot of skin.

Lea Michele might have recently shown off a slew of flirty frocks but she unleashed the sexy diva we all know and love when she stepped out on the red carpet for the LA Screenings Lot Party at Twentieth Century Fox Studio Lot in LA on May 23 in a black Roberto Cavalli dress from the Spring 2013 collection. Although her sexy number looked more like a slip she still managed to totally rock it, oozing sex appeal and confidence. We love seeing Lea flaunt her sexy side!

Lea Michele Lingerie Dress:

The 26-year-old put her assets on full display thanks to the severe plunging neckline of her lingerie-inspired ensemble. Thin spaghetti straps held the dress together while her back was rather bare. The dress, outlined in Chantilly lace, struck the perfect balance between stylish and sexy and featured glistening beaded embroidery. Brain Atwood peep-toes with a thin ankle strap finished off the seriously sultry look.

Lea paired the ensemble with a deep berry lip and a tousled updo and she sported a bronze glow. I like the way she wore her hair back to keep the focus on the interesting detailing of the dress.

Ever since the Glee gal first burst on the scene I?ve always been so impressed by the way she dressed. While she often opts for sexy styles like this plunging get-up, she also pulls off sweet and chic looks so flawlessly.

What do you think of Lea?s latest look?
Katrina Mitzeliotis

More Lea Michele Style News:

1. Lea Michele Stuns In Plunging Slit Dress
2. Lea Michele V. Nina Dobrev: SAG Awards Fuschia Face-Off
3. Lea Michele Flaunts Her Curves In Sexy Cutout Dress

Source: http://hollywoodlife.com/2013/05/24/lea-michele-lingerie-dress-la-screenings-lot-party-picture/

49ers Vs Falcons Mama Movie flyers epo suits PlayStation Network chip kelly

DNA damage: The dark side of respiration

Thursday, May 23, 2013

Adventitious changes in cellular DNA can endanger the whole organism, as they may lead to life-threatening illnesses like cancer. Researchers at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet (LMU) in Munich now report how byproducts of respiration cause mispairing of subunits in the double helix.

The DNA in our cells controls the form and function of every cell type in our bodies. The instructions for this are encoded in the linear sequence of the four subunits found in DNA, the bases adenine (A), cytosine (C), guanine (G) and thymine (T). Random changes in the sequence can lead to cell dysfunction, and may result in unrestricted cell proliferation and malignancies. Mutations can be induced by a variety of agents. For example, cellular respiration, i.e. the reduction of inspired oxygen to water, which powers cell function, also generates highly reactive oxygen species that can damage DNA, with the purine bases G and A being particularly susceptible to this kind of attack.

"Reactive oxygen species are responsible for two different sorts of DNA damage, as they induce formation of both 8-oxo-G and FaPy-G," says Professor Thomas Carell of the Department of Chemistry at LMU. In 2004, work done by Carell and his team defined how 8-oxo-G generates mutations. However, the basis for the mutagenic effect of FaPy-G has remained obscure ? until now. In their latest publication, Carell and his colleagues describe how FaPY-G leads to mispairing of bases in the double helix.

Pernicious partner swapping

One G in one strand of the double helix normally matches up with a C on the other, forming a G:C pair. But as a consequence of damage by reactive oxygen species, the guanine base may be transformed into FaPy-G, so that we get a FaPy-G:C base pair. "We have now shown that, in the course of DNA replication prior to cell division, FaPy-G interacts with adenine, leading to the formation of FaPy-G:A base pairs. This partner swap is unusual, since unmodified guanine normally does not team up with adenine," Carell notes.

FaPy-G is subsequently recognized as abnormal and is removed by DNA repair enzymes. The missing base is replaced by a T ? which is the usual partner for A. The net result is that the original G:C base pair has been converted into an A:T pair, and the base sequence has undergone a potentially dangerous mutation.

This outcome is made possible by the fact that the cell's damage-control systems find it surprisingly difficult to distinguish the normal guanine base from its aberrant derivative FaPy-G during DNA replication. "That this defect then leads to mispairing with adenine is one of the main reasons for the spontaneous development of tumors," says Carell. "So with every breath we take, our risk of getting cancer goes up by a teeny-weeny bit." Further insights into the reasons why FaPy-G often eludes the cell's detection and correction systems could help to improve the treatment of cancer, as the inhibition of DNA repair processes in tumor cells increases their sensitivity to chemotherapeutic drugs.

###

Article: http://www.nature.com/nchembio/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nchembio.1254.html

Ludwig-Maximilians-Universit?t M?nchen: http://www.uni-muenchen.de

Thanks to Ludwig-Maximilians-Universit?t M?nchen for this article.

This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.

This press release has been viewed 52 time(s).

Source: http://www.labspaces.net/128372/DNA_damage__The_dark_side_of_respiration

google maps 8 bit mirror mirror texas relays meniscus robyn the colony ncaa final four 2012

Microsoft: next-gen Kinect sensor for Windows to launch in 2014

Microsoft already gave us a look at its next-gen Kinect alongside the Xbox One, but today the company circled back to announce an update to the Windows version of its sensor. Don't get too excited yet, though: the update won't debut until 2014. Still, Redmond has shared details about some of the enhancements it says will "revolutionize computing experiences," such as a higher-definition camera, expanded field of view and improved motion tracking -- essentially the same improvements we'll see on the new Kinect for the Xbox One. Microsoft says developers will learn more at the Build 2013 conference in June, so stay tuned.

Filed under: Gaming, Peripherals, Microsoft

Comments

Source: Kinect for Windows Blog

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/05/23/microsoft-next-gen-kinect-sensor-for-windows-launch-in-2014/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget

weather radio indiana autoimmune disease news channel 9 insanity workout mass effect 3 launch trailer yelp

Disney Yanks Jessie Episode Due to Complaints Over Gluten-Free Mockery

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/05/disney-yanks-jessie-episode-due-to-complaints-over-gluten-free-m/

patti smith lottery winners lottery winners april fools day pranks ohio state vs kansas daniel von bargen 8 bit google maps

Dietary advice on added sugar is damaging our health, warns heart expert

May 21, 2013 ? Dietary advice on added sugar is damaging our health, warns a cardiologist. Dr Aseem Malhotra believes that "not only has this advice been manipulated by the food industry for profit but it is actually a risk factor for obesity and diet related disease."

He calls on the UK's Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition and the Department of Health "to act swiftly" to tackle the rising obesity crisis and increasing prevalence of type 2 diabetes.

In 2003 the World Health Organization stated that "added sugars" should contribute no more than 10% of total energy intake. This was in line with the UK government's Committee on Medical Aspects of Food and Nutrition Policy (COMA) recommendations.

This nutritional advice has formed the basis of UK food labelling since 2003 and subsequently influenced European legislation, but Dr Malhotra argues that it "is in desperate need of emergency surgery."

In 2009 the American Heart Association published a paper suggesting that excessive consumption of sugar had been linked to several metabolic abnormalities and adverse health conditions. It stressed an upper limit of 100 calories a day from added sugar for a woman (six teaspoons) and 150 calories a day for a man (nine teaspoons). The United States Department of Agriculture Food Guide stipulates a maximum of three teaspoons a day for a 4-8 year old child.

Since the AHA publication, several studies have implicated sugar consumption with increasing rates of obesity and type 2 diabetes, yet Dr Malhotra says that, like Big Tobacco, the food industry "continues to adopt strategies to deny sugar's role as a major causative factor in what now represents the greatest threat to our health worldwide: diet related disease."

He points to corporate partnerships with organisations like Diabetes UK and the British Dietetic Association -- and to industry's involvement with sport "allowing the major food corporations to peddle pathology with impunity." The recent London Olympics was dominated by advertising for junk food and sugary drinks.

Just as in the UK and Europe, US food labels contain information on total sugars per serving, but do not differentiate between sugars intrinsically present and added sugar, he explains. "It is therefore almost impossible for consumers to determine the amount of added sugars in foods and beverages."

Supporting this call to action is Terence Stephenson, chair of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, who says: "The Academy of Medical Royal Colleges 2013 report on obesity "Measuring Up" draws attention to the urgent need to combat sugary drinks in our schools and for all schools and hospitals to have food standards. Following heart surgery in 2004, Bill Clinton formed the Alliance for a Healthier Generation with the American Heart Association. US children were getting many of their daily calories just from the drinks they consumed at schools. Clinton claims there has been an 88 percent reduction in the total calories in drinks shipped to state schools since."

Other experts are also backing these views. Professor Simon Capewell, Professor of Clinical Epidemiology at the University of Liverpool, says: "The scientific evidence is increasingly clear. Refined sugars added to junk food and sugary drinks represent a major risk to our families' current and future health. Tobacco has now been successfully controlled by targeting the '3As': Affordability, Acceptability and Accessibility. Surely our kids deserve a similar level of protection from refined sugars."

Professor Tim Noakes, Director at the Research Unit for Exercise Science and Sports Medicine at the University of Cape Town adds: "Sugary sports drinks are promoted as essential for athletic performance, but are used predominantly by those without real athletic aspirations. Users need to understand that exercise may not protect them from the negative consequences of an excessive sugar intake."

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/health_medicine/nutrition/~3/IPRzWrdKNdw/130521194147.htm

ncaa hockey role models

Tripshare wants to remove travel planning pain via real and ... - Tnooz

Like so many trip planning sites, Tripshare?grew out of a desire to apply some modern technology to offline itinerary planning and sharing.

The company was founded in 2011 but only emerged from beta last week with the launch of an enhanced application for iPad.

Founder and CEO Bob Dana, who formerly headed up finance at Virgin America, is joined by Eric Kapke as vice president of engineering and acting chief technology officer. Kapke replaces the original CTO Ken Goto.

To date the company has received $1.47m in funding from three external rounds and it plans to raise additional funding in the third quarter of this year.

Here?s Tripshare?s take on the size of its potential market:

OTA commissions are roughly $15-20 billion, dominated by hotel bookings. If just 10% of such bookings are for trips that would benefit from the use of draft itinerary creation and sharing, then Tripshare?s total addressable market is $1.5-2.0 billion. As an affiliate, our share of this market opportunity is 40-50%. The market opportunity is further reduced because Tripshare?s booking capability is presently limited to the iPad, though the company expects to add booking from the web in Q3 2013.

Competition is just about everyone from OTAs, meta-search engines and flash deal sites to travel supplier direct websites and applications although they don?t tend to offer itinerary creation and sharing tools.

Further competition lies in social travel sites and applications including Igougo, Gogobot (TLabs here), Wanderfly (acquired by Tripadvisor in October), Trippy (TLabs here)and the list goes on although Tripshare sees these as more focused on the inspiration phase with heavy emphasis on sharing.

A third category of rivals is the companies focused on creating real, multi-category itineraries with dates and times such as Tripomatic (TLabs here), Triporama, Yahoo?s Goplanit, Utrip (TLabs here), Plnnr?(TLabs here)and Traverik (TLabs here) although Tripshare says none have the ability to store and update price and availability.

When it comes to making money, Tripshare gets a share of revenue from affiliate distribution agreements in place with content partners including Expedia Affiliate Network, Fly.com, Viator and HomeAway. The hope is to attract users and become profitable via features and functionality.

Describe what your start-up does, what problem it solves (differently to what is already out there) and for whom?

Tripshare is the first travel planning app to let users create bookable itineraries with actual dates, prices and availability for flights, hotels, vacation rentals and tours. Tripshare trips are more than wish lists. They are real and actionable.

It is ideal for complex trips or for people who plan travel meticulously. Tripshare is also a good fit for small groups traveling together to attend weddings, family reunions, or sports events. The team also sees interest from professionals including travel agents, tour guides and B&B and vacation rental owners who seek a better form of communicating itinerary information to, and getting feedback from, customers.

Why should people or companies use your startup?

Online travel offers many services for inspiration and for booking, but between them is a gap ? the need to collect, organize, and share specific information before committing. For complex trips or to collaborate with others, travel planners create draft itineraries. Tripshare?s research shows that 55% of US adults have made itineraries, overwhelmingly for leisure travel. Yet modern tools are lacking; over half of these itineraries are still created with pencil and paper.

Tripshare aims to bring the draft itinerary into the 21st century with multi-category map-based search, a drag-n-drop trip editor, and trip ?meta data? (photos, descriptions, reviews and pricing) that is not only stored with the itinerary but update-able in real time and available to anyone with whom the trip is shared.

Other than going viral and receiving mountains of positive PR, what is the strategy for raising awareness and getting customers/users?

As an iPad app, initially we will benefit from positioning within Apple?s iTunes App Store, eg on May 16th their editorial staff designated us as a ?New & Noteworthy? app in the travel category. Tripshare also hopes to gain traction by focusing on early adopters who actively create and share trips for other people to use. Consumers may see Tripshare as a ?tool for self expression?, creating and sharing trips much the same way they create and share music playlists.

With the introduction of trip creation on our website, Tripshare expects to broaden its appeal to professionals including travel agents, tour guides and B&B and vacation rental owners. We hope professionals will use our product for ?B2C trip sharing? as a way to convert leads into customers. In the second half of 2013 we expect to introduce features that address this market specifically via a Pro account. Each trip shared exposes us to a new potential user.

How did your initial idea evolve? Were there changes/any pivots along the way? What other options have you considered for the business if the original vision fails?

We have remained true to the concept of trip creation, sharing and booking in a single experience. What we learned through our soft launch and feedback from our first 20,000 downloads is that users wanted (i) more browse-able featured content prior to the exercise of creating a new trip, and (ii) a simpler, more intuitive interface. Our new release, Tripshare v2.0 for the iPad, addresses these issues.

If retail consumer adoption proves more difficult than expected, then we will focus more of our resources on the professional community, especially traditional travel agents. Tripshare can replace existing back-end supplier sources with content that is commission-able to travel agents, optimizing our product for that market. If consumers like our product but we find it too time consuming or expensive to build the Tripshare brand, we can pursue white label opportunities as well.

Where do you see yourselves in 3 years time, what specific challenges do you hope to have overcome?

Tripshare?s product strategy is based on making continual advances in four core areas:

• Content
• Features
• Platforms
• Community

2013 will be about bringing Tripshare to the web and adding one or two new content partners that add new categories of content, e.g. car rentals. With incremental funding we will also bring Tripshare to the iPhone. 2014 will be all about creating a community.

In three years, we hope to have at least a million active users and to be profitable. We will be delighted if we are seen as ?Tripit for before you book.?

What is wrong with the travel, tourism and hospitality industry that requires another startup to help it out?

We are first and foremost a technology company and we are tackling one of online travel?s hardest problems ? the draft itinerary. People already create draft itineraries for complex trips, to gain consensus on travel decisions, or to persuade others to join them. Our research shows that over half of such trips are still made with pencil/pen and paper.

Our challenge lies in combining multi-category search, cloud-based itinerary storage, real-time synchronization and price/availability updating, and booking into a simple, intuitive interface that consumers can use without a 50-page operating manual. Others have tried and come up short. We hope our winning combination will be based on deep experience, strong technical capability, focus on our core mission, and above all the courage of our convictions.

Tnooz view:

When Tnooz and its team of nodes set out predictions for 2013, mobile apps and B2B startups were tipped by many. Tripshare has both these elements and perhaps it will be those that see it through these first difficult years. And, so far, it?s funded.

However, with just about everyone, old and new as your competitor, you?ve got to wonder how another trip planning service will gain traction. Only last week social travel app Twigmore decided to call it a day, in November Gtrot pivoted to become a gift service while a year ago travel inspiration startup Joobili closed.

All of that said, Tripshare has lots going for it, established affiliate distribution partnerships, an improved user interface after months of feedback and a nifty trip editor tool to name just a few.

Up next will be a bookable website and more funding and if B2C and building a community proves too difficult, time-consuming and expensive the startup will explore further B2B and white-label options.

Tripshare seems to be setting out its store based on the ability to store and update itineraries with the latest pricing and availability and only time will tell if the technology is good enough to alleviate the pain of trip planning (and booking) once and for all.

Just another startup with ?trip? in its name or something more?

Video:

?

NB: TLabs Showcase is part of the wider TLabs project from Tnooz.

Related posts:

1. Fortnighter aims to bring travel writer trip itineraries to the masses
2. TouristPath wants to be the world?s largest tourism database with social travel planning thrown in
3. Tripomatic enters busy planning and personal travel itinerary market

Source: http://www.tnooz.com/2013/05/21/tlabs/tripshare-wants-to-remove-travel-planning-pain-via-real-and-actionable-itineraries/

gsa scandal kelis dick clark dies ibogaine jamie moyer bone cancer hossa