RoadFish.com men?s lifestyle and finance magazine today dished out its top picks for mobile financial apps after a PCMag article highlighted some of its personal favorite applications. RoadFish.com also offered some advice to readers about how to pick the right app for them, since there are so many available on the market these days.
Jill Duffy and Sara Yin together wrote a recent article that was published in PCMag highlighting the top financial apps. The authors pointed out that many of the popular personal finance apps operate on the idea that streamlined financing and easy visibility can greatly help one?s money management. In this regard, many of the top apps have software that centralize a consumer?s bank accounts, utilities, bills, and miscellaneous spending so that everything is visible in one place-and sometimes in the form of a neat and easy to read pie chart. Some of Duffy and Yin?s top picks for financial apps include Mint.com, Pageonce, Doxo, and Adaptu Wallet iPhone App. These applications do everything from streamline all loans, checking, credit, and savings accounts to allow the user to set up custom budgets and goals, like saving up for a house or to go on vacation.
RoadFish.com loves the idea of having mobile and accessible personal finance management software, and advises readers to try them each on for size before picking one that fits. RoadFish.com?s Senior staff writer is quoted as saying, ?I think the reason there are so many successful personal finance apps out there is because each person comes with different visual preferences, financial situations, and tastes. There are lots of different financial apps on the market but users have to go with the one that they?re going to stick with. Otherwise it?ll be like the Coupon Saver app I downloaded onto my phone a year ago-I think about it every so often, but never actually use it, which does me absolutely no good. Each financial app offers different ways of charting, displaying and categorizing your spending, setting goals, and reminding you to pay bills. So I?d encourage readers to play around with a few of them, to see which one feels the best, and then make a personal commitment to keep up on it.?
RoadFish.com dished out some of its favorite picks, a few of which weren?t listed in the above-mentioned articles. A shared favorite is Mint.com, which RoadFish.com recommended to anybody who wanted a convenient way to manage finances all in one place, with the ease of having all account activity available from one screen. One of RoadFish.com?s top picks that wasn?t listed in the PCMag article is called Debt Minder, available for $1.99 in the app marketplace. The tagline on this application is that it will help users on the way to becoming free from debt, which can in turn amp up the user?s credit score. The app works by analyzing how much a consumer owes and to how many different financial institutions, then it maps out a proposal for a payment schedule which will allow the consumer to pay off the debts faster. Another RoadFish.com favorite is BillTracker, also available for $1.99. BillTracker organizes all bills into one simple calendar, essentially streamlining and simplifying somebody?s monthly payments. The app also keeps a complete history for each account, such as gas, electric, cable, and phone, where it holds all payment confirmations and when each bill was paid.
In the above-mentioned PCMag article, authors Duffy and Yin bring up the question of how secure financial mobile apps are. They concur that most of the brand-name apps are ?probably as secure as carrying a credit card in your wallet,? meaning that there is always the danger of losing your phone and having it hacked, but then again the same thing can happen if you lose a credit or debit card. The article points out that most personal finance websites use bank or military level encryption and are backed by well-known and reliable companies like TRUSTe and MacAfee. The article recommends setting a strong password to get into the personal finance apps, as most of them allow users to build an additional PIN in order to open the app. Users also have the option of remotely deactivating many of the mobile accounts from a computer, in the event that a phone does get lost.
About RoadFish.com
RoadFish.com is a well-read online men?s magazine whose articles include topics of lifestyle, money management and personal finance. RoadFish.com?s audience is comprised of men in their 30?s and 40?s, most of who are successful in life and are striving towards bigger personal and financial goals. RoadFish.com men?s lifestyle and finance magazine features topics such as men?s luxury items, current events, hot chicks, divorce tips, food and hotel reviews, and mortgage tips. It is owned and operated by Purpose Inc.
Detecting cancer with lasers has limited use say MU researchersPublic release date: 30-Jul-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Timothy Wall walltj@missouri.edu 573-882-3346 University of Missouri-Columbia
One person dies every hour from melanoma skin cancer in the United States, according to the American Cancer Society. A technique, known as photoacoustics, can find some forms of melanoma even if only a few cancerous cells exist, but a recent study by MU researchers found that the technique was limited in its ability to identify other types of cancer. Attaching markers, called enhancers, to cancer cells could improve the ability of photoacoustics to find other types of cancer and could save lives thanks to faster diagnosis, but the technique is in its early stages.
"Eventually, a photoacoustic scan could become a routine part of a medical exam," said Luis Polo-Parada, assistant professor of pharmacology & physiology and resident investigator at the Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center at the University of Missouri. "The technique doesn't use X-rays, like current methods of looking for cancer. It could also allow for much earlier detection of cancer. Now, a cancerous growth is undetectable until it reaches approximately one cubic centimeter in size. Photoacoustics could potentially find cancerous growths of only a few cells. Unfortunately, our research shows that, besides some cases of melanoma, the diagnostic use of photoacoustics still has major limitations. To overcome this problem, the use of photoacoustic enhancers like gold, carbon nanotubes or dyed nanoparticles, is needed."
Photoacoustics uses pulses of laser light to heat cells for a fraction of a second. When the cells become hot they emit a tiny sound. Extremely sensitive microphones can hear those sounds. The strength of the sound depends on how much laser light is absorbed. Since darker objects absorb more light they also emit more sound and can be found using photoacoustics.
"Some Melanoma can be found by photoacoustics because the cells contain large quantities of melanin, a dark pigment," Polo-Parada said. "Other cancers don't have that much pigmentation; hence, they don't stand out as much in photoacoustic scans. This is where enhancers may be able to help by labeling cancer cells and making them stand-out in a scan."
Polo-Parada in collaboration with Gerardo Gutierrez-Juarez, researcher from the University of Guanajuato, Mexico, found that out of seven types of cancer cells, only one type of melanoma was dark enough to produce a sound strong enough to be distinguishable from the rest.
The photoacoustic technique holds promise in the fight against cancer, said Polo-Parada, but it is too soon to say exactly when the public will benefit. Eventually, other diseases that cause changes in the coloration of cellular tissue, such as malaria, could be found by photoacoustics.
###
Luis Polo-Parada is an assistant professor in medical pharmacology & physiology and resident investigator at MU's Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center. The study, "An experimental and theoretical approach to the study of the photoacoustic signal produced by cancer cells," was published in the journal AIP Advances.
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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.
Detecting cancer with lasers has limited use say MU researchersPublic release date: 30-Jul-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Timothy Wall walltj@missouri.edu 573-882-3346 University of Missouri-Columbia
One person dies every hour from melanoma skin cancer in the United States, according to the American Cancer Society. A technique, known as photoacoustics, can find some forms of melanoma even if only a few cancerous cells exist, but a recent study by MU researchers found that the technique was limited in its ability to identify other types of cancer. Attaching markers, called enhancers, to cancer cells could improve the ability of photoacoustics to find other types of cancer and could save lives thanks to faster diagnosis, but the technique is in its early stages.
"Eventually, a photoacoustic scan could become a routine part of a medical exam," said Luis Polo-Parada, assistant professor of pharmacology & physiology and resident investigator at the Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center at the University of Missouri. "The technique doesn't use X-rays, like current methods of looking for cancer. It could also allow for much earlier detection of cancer. Now, a cancerous growth is undetectable until it reaches approximately one cubic centimeter in size. Photoacoustics could potentially find cancerous growths of only a few cells. Unfortunately, our research shows that, besides some cases of melanoma, the diagnostic use of photoacoustics still has major limitations. To overcome this problem, the use of photoacoustic enhancers like gold, carbon nanotubes or dyed nanoparticles, is needed."
Photoacoustics uses pulses of laser light to heat cells for a fraction of a second. When the cells become hot they emit a tiny sound. Extremely sensitive microphones can hear those sounds. The strength of the sound depends on how much laser light is absorbed. Since darker objects absorb more light they also emit more sound and can be found using photoacoustics.
"Some Melanoma can be found by photoacoustics because the cells contain large quantities of melanin, a dark pigment," Polo-Parada said. "Other cancers don't have that much pigmentation; hence, they don't stand out as much in photoacoustic scans. This is where enhancers may be able to help by labeling cancer cells and making them stand-out in a scan."
Polo-Parada in collaboration with Gerardo Gutierrez-Juarez, researcher from the University of Guanajuato, Mexico, found that out of seven types of cancer cells, only one type of melanoma was dark enough to produce a sound strong enough to be distinguishable from the rest.
The photoacoustic technique holds promise in the fight against cancer, said Polo-Parada, but it is too soon to say exactly when the public will benefit. Eventually, other diseases that cause changes in the coloration of cellular tissue, such as malaria, could be found by photoacoustics.
###
Luis Polo-Parada is an assistant professor in medical pharmacology & physiology and resident investigator at MU's Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center. The study, "An experimental and theoretical approach to the study of the photoacoustic signal produced by cancer cells," was published in the journal AIP Advances.
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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.
Colorado federal District Court Judge and Carter appointee John L. Kane granted a preliminary injunction Friday on behalf of Hercules Industries in Newland v. Sebelius. The injunction secured by Newland?s attorneys at the Alliance Defending Freedom is the first to be ordered by a federal court judge in litigation surrounding the Health and Human Services (HHS) mandate under Obamacare.
At issue in this case is whether family business owners like the Newlands remain free to operate the businesses they built in accordance with their religious convictions or whether they can be forced by the government to violate their faith in order to keep afloat.
The HHS mandate requires nearly all employers to offer contraception, sterilization, and abortion-inducing drug coverage free of charge to their employees, regardless of their religious or moral opposition to doing so. The court order prevents the Obama Administration from forcing Hercules to comply with the conscience-crushing mandate while the lawsuit continues.
While the court order is limited to Hercules and does not relieve other family businesses or the many religious non-profits with moral objections from having to comply with the mandate?s burden, Judge Kane?s analysis offers hope that their pleas for the restoration of their religious liberty will get a fair hearing.
In granting the injunction, Judge Kane weighed the burden imposed by the mandate on the Newlands? religious freedom against the government?s stated interest in enforcing it, opining that the harm to the government from non-enforcement ?pales in comparison to the possible infringement upon [the Newlands?] constitutional and statutory rights.?
If Hercules had not prevailed, it would have been required to begin offering its 265 employees abortion-inducing drugs, sterilization, and contraception coverage and related counseling as of November 1, the date its self-insured health care plan renewed. Because it is a private, for-profit family business, it is excluded from the mandate?s narrow religious exemption and, like all non-religious employers, is ineligible for a year-long ?safe harbor? that simply delays the religious freedom violations caused by the mandate. Alternatively, it could have chosen not to comply with the mandate or to drop insurance coverage altogether for its employees, facing steep monetary penalties under Obamacare either way.
What would this fine on faith look like? If it chose to buck compliance with the mandate, starting on November 1, Hercules would be fined $100 per employee per day of non-compliance. With 265 employees, Hercules? fine would have amounted to $800,000 per month?almost $10 million per year. If Hercules were to take the more likely action of dropping health care coverage to avoid facilitating the mandate, thereby forcing its employees into government-run exchanges, it would face a fine on faith of approximately $2,000 per employee per year, for a total of $530,000 per year.
But dismay over the mandate is not limited to the monetary impact of government-imposed fines for the free exercise of faith. In its court filings and arguments in the case, the Obama Administration has consistently pressed a view of religious liberty so narrow as to render this fundamental freedom meaningless. It has attempted to read into constitutional and statutory protections for religious freedom a condition that would suspend its application in the business context, forcing business owners to abandon their religious and moral convictions as a condition of participating in commerce. For example, the Administration?s brief opposing the preliminary injunction argued that the ?Plaintiffs? free exercise claim fails at the outset because for-profit, secular employers generally do not engage in any exercise of religion protected by the First Amendment.?
Accepting the Administration?s logic would limit the application of religious freedom to individuals alone, acting within their houses of worship on weekends. It would effectively push religion out of every sphere of public life and restrict the free exercise rights of adherents to live out their faiths in their day-to-day lives. The Administration does not appear to perceive religion as something that people of faith strive to live out daily in every aspect of their lives, however imperfectly.
Many Americans would beg to differ, and numerous plaintiffs?for-profit and non-profit alike?have gone to court against the HHS mandate to do just that. In winning an injunction that prevents the mandate?s enforcement on its business while the case goes to trial, Hercules has demonstrated the strength of the religious liberty challenge to Obamacare.
LIVINGSTON, N.J., July 26, 2012 ? /PRNewswire/ ? Mark Scott?s Commercial Mortgage Capital (CMC), a leader in real estate finance that arranges permanent, construction and mezzanine loans for a wide range of commercial properties including multi-family, office, retail, industrial and healthcare facilities primarily in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, announced that it has closed $88.9 million worth of loans during the first six months of 2012.
?We are pleased to announce our latest Commercial Mortgage Capital transactions, which support our strategy of arranging financing for multi-family real estate projects in the Tri-State region,? said Mr. Scott, Founder and Principal of CMC. ?These loans speak to our ability to facilitate the proper financing structure for a range of borrowers in an expedited manner. We understand the competitive marketplace and offer quick turnaround as well as responsive and professional guidance throughout the entire loan process.?
These geographically diverse deals throughout the region showcase Mr. Scott?s intimate knowledge and command of the local markets. Given today?s financial climate, where deal closings can take months, Mark Scott?s Commercial Mortgage Capital has been able to bring these transactions to market quickly and with an unparalleled attention to detail. The six most recent transactions that closed were:
Edgewater Harbor ? Building F ? Multi-family, Retail ? Edgewater, NJ
Mark Scott?s Commercial Mortgage Capital arranged a $14-million construction loan for a specialty real estate development and investment firm that focuses on the redevelopment of corporate and industrial sites. The loan will finance the construction of Building F at Edgewater Harbor, a 24-acre, luxury mixed-use project on New Jersey?s Gold Coast. The five-story mixed-use building anchoring Edgewater?s Main Street contains approximately 9,647 square feet of ground-floor retail and four stories of 52 residential units. Eighty-seven percent of the 9,647 square feet of retail space has an agreed upon letter of intent or one that is in progress.
Andrew?s Corner ? Multi-family ? Lakewood, NJ
Mark Scott?s Commercial Mortgage Capital arranged a $14.2-million permanent loan for a partnership consisting of New Jersey developers who own thousands of multi-family units across the state as well as several million square feet of industrial and office space in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The loan is for Andrew?s Corner, a six-building, 148-unit luxury apartment community located at 1 Lisa Robyn Circle in Lakewood, NJ. The property is well-suited for commuters, with easy access to Routes 9 and 70 as well as the Garden State Parkway and I-95.
Dartmouth Village Apartments ? Multi-family ? Parsippany, NJ
Mark Scott?s Commercial Mortgage Capital arranged a $9.5-million self-liquidating first mortgage loan for Dartmouth Village, LLC?s Dartmouth Village Apartments in Parsippany, NJ. The borrowing entity is largely comprised of family-led owners of single and multi-family homes in New Jersey. The Dartmouth Village garden apartment complex consists of 222 units housed in eight buildings, including 38 one-bedroom apartments, 130 one-bedroom units with dining rooms and 54 two-bedroom spaces. Parsippany, which is located in the northeastern portion of Morris County, is a densely populated and affluent bedroom community of Manhattan. The town?s close proximity to New York City and other major employment centers in New Jersey has resulted in its excellent reputation among residences and businesses. Parsippany is now home to more than 70 major firms, including Novartis Corporation and Prudential.
River Bend at Wappingers Falls (Phase 2) ? Multi-family ? Wappingers, NY
Mark Scott?s Commercial Mortgage Capital arranged an $8-million LIBOR-based construction loan for Riverbend at Wappingers, LLC, which was formed specifically to build, own and manage the luxury apartment complex, River Bend Wappingers Falls. The principals are New Jersey developers who have constructed thousands of several residential for sale and rental units in large multi-family apartment complexes, many of which they continue to manage. The loan will finance the second phase, named Wappingers II, of this highly successful project; phase one was completed in early 2009. The fully leased property consists of 10 apartment buildings containing 124 units that are divided into 35 one-bedroom and 89 two-bedroom spaces. Located on Marshall Road in Wappingers Falls, NY, the property is situated in the heart of the Hudson Valley.
Columbia Court ? Multi-family ? Springfield, NJ
Mark Scott?s Commercial Mortgage Capital arranged a $7.8-million permanent first mortgage loan for Columbia Court, which is owned and managed by a prominent New Jersey family partnership. The financing is for luxury apartment complex Columbia Court, which is located on 50 Maple Avenue in the affluent suburban community of Springfield, NJ, part of Union County. The property consists of two adjoining three-story buildings containing 74 units ? three studios and three-bedroom apartments, 17 one-bedroom units and 55 two-bedroom spaces.
Multi-family Property ? Camden County, NJ
Mark Scott?s Commercial Mortgage Capital arranged a $5.5-million permanent first mortgage loan for a 148-unit apartment complex in Camden County, NJ, which is home to some of the most developed communities in Southern New Jersey and 12 miles southeast of Center City Philadelphia.
Mr. Scott brings principal attention to each deal, which enables the firm to deliver loan solutions that meet the unique financial goals of all the parties involved. Since launching the firm in 1996, he has arranged over $3.7 billion of debt and equity financing. He has deep roots in the financial and banking sectors, which includes time spent as Senior Vice President and Managing Director at NorthMarq Capital as well as Director of Product Origination and Marketing for the Commercial Mortgage Backed Securities (CMBS) and Finance Group at Barclays Capital. Mr. Scott also established a new division for Weichert Commercial, known as Weichert Commercial Mortgage, and was a top producer at CBRE in 1994. He began his real estate finance career at Chase Manhattan Bank in the 1980s.
Mark Scott?s Commercial Mortgage Capital
Since its inception in 1996, Mark Scott?s Commercial Mortgage Capital (CMC) has been a leader in real estate financing ? arranging permanent, construction and mezzanine loans for a wide range of commercial properties including multi-family, office, retail, industrial and healthcare facilities primarily in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. During this time, Mr. Scott has personally arranged over $3.7 billion of debt and equity financing. He understands the competitive marketplace and offers quick turnaround as well as responsive and professional guidance through the entire loan transaction. Mr. Scott can be reached at 973.716.0006 or mscott@newcommercialmortgage.com. www.newcommercialmortgage.com ?
Photo of Mark Scott: www.ereleases.com/pic/Mark-Scott.jpg
Contact:
Great Ink ? 212-741-2977 Roxanne Donovan (Roxanne@greatink.com) Alyson Grala (Alyson@greatink.com) Eric Waters (Eric.Waters@greatink.com)
This press release was issued through eReleases? Press Release Distribution. For more information, visit http://www.ereleases.com.??
Home ? Cars News, General, Jaguar, Land Rover ? J.D. Power and Associates ranks Jaguar second while Range Rover Evoque is most appealing Entry Premium Crossover SUV
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According to an APEAL Survey conducted by J D Power and Associates Jaguar is ranked second in the auto sector among nameplates in vehicle appeal is concerned. Likewise, Range Rover Evoque came forth as the most appealing brand in the Entry Premium Crossover SUV segment. Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout ? APEAL Survey is conducted by J D Power and Associates wherein automobiles are classified according to customer satisfaction, product quality and buyer behavior.
This is eighth year running that the company has been conducting these surveys and it is for second year in a row that Jaguar has ranked second out of a total of 34 brands assessed. Jaguar XJ scored second highest ranking while Land Rover was in sixth position. New Range Rover Evoque was ranked as most appealing in SUV segment.
Range Rover Evoque has come up a trump in more ways than one. It has been most valued due to its design and fuel economy. This is the 102nd global award for the vehicle which offers best in its class where performance, handling and dependability where both on road and off road conditions are concerned. APEAL Survey was conducted during February 2012 and May 2012 with inputs gathered from over 74000 users of all 2012 model year vehicles and trucks over a 90 day user period.
News release: JAGUAR RANKS SECOND AMONG INDUSTRY NAMEPLATES AND RANGE ROVER EVOQUE IS MOST APPEALING IN J.D. POWER AND ASSOCIATES APEAL STUDY
Range Rover Evoque ranked Highest Entry Premium Crossover SUV
Jaguar 2nd highest scoring brand in industry-wide survey
Jaguar XJ is second in the large premium car segment
Study Measures automotive performance, execution and layout
According to J.D. Power and Associates 2012 Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study released today, Jaguar ranks second industry wide among nameplates in vehicle appeal and the Range Rover Evoque is most appealing in the Entry Premium Crossover SUV segment. For the second year in a row, Jaguar ranks second out of 34 brands measured in the industry - with the Jaguar XJ scoring as second highest large premium car. Land Rover placed sixth (in a tie) among 34 brands, and the new Range Rover Evoque receives the award for Most Appealing Entry Premium Crossover SUV.
"The J.D. Power and Associates APEAL study simply indicates how much your customers like their vehicles' design, performance and features, and clearly our customers are quite smitten," says Andy Goss, President of Jaguar Land Rover North America, LLC. "Jaguar Land Rover is dedicated, as a premium automotive company, to providing the customers of both our brands with quality vehicles that deliver extraordinary performance, innovative technology, and desirable styling."
Jaguar is the second most improved nameplate. The gain is primarily driven by the Jaguar XJ with 901 points - one of only three models in the industry to score above 900. The Jaguar brand was also the most improved, and tied for 2nd highest in the industry, in the J.D. Power and Associates 2012 Initial Quality Study (IQS).
Land Rover placed sixth overall in the industry in a tie, showing that its line up of luxury SUVs is well regarded by its customers. Leading the Land Rover lineup is the new Range Rover Evoque, which in its first year in the survey scored higher than all other Entry Premium Crossover SUVs. According to the survey, customers of the award-receiving Range Rover Evoque most appreciate its design and fuel economy, compared to its segment. The Range Rover Evoque combines class-leading performance with dynamic and agile handling across all terrains. This is the 102nd global award for the Range Rover Evoque.
The J.D. Power and Associates APEAL study examines how gratifying a new vehicle is to own and drive based on owner evaluations of more than 80 vehicle attributes. The study's unique approach to measuring owner satisfaction and how much a customer likes or dislikes virtually every aspect of their new vehicle provides a powerful tool to manufacturers to influence future product development.
The 2012 APEAL study is based on responses gathered between February 2012 and May 2012 from more than 74,000 purchasers and lessees of new 2012 model-year cars and trucks who were surveyed after the first 90 days of ownership.
'Basarab' surname may not indicate direct relation to Vlad the ImpalerPublic release date: 26-Jul-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Colby Bishop cbishop@ngs.org 202-828-8075 National Geographic Society
Genographic project study gives insight into Romanian royal dynasty
WASHINGTONA study by the Genographic Project has shown that not all individuals carrying the Romanian "Basarab" surname, the first dynasty of Wallachian kings that included the real-life Dracula, can be direct biological descendants of the Basarab dynasty.
The Basarab dynasty ruled Wallachia, the historical and geographical southern region of present-day Romania, for almost three centuries (1330-1601) and had among its members Vlad III the Impaler, commonly known as Dracula. The ethnic origin of the Basarab family has long been a dispute among historians, with both an Indo-European/Romanian and an Asian Cuman/Turkic origin being suggested. Published today in the journal PLOS ONE, the research was led by Genographic Project Principal Investigator David Comas of the Genographic Project's Western/Central Europe regional center.
The study analyzed the Y-chromosome diversity of 29 Romanian individuals carrying the Basarab surname and compared it with the diversity found in about 150 Romanians from different regions of the country and some 330 individuals from surrounding populations of Ukraine, Hungary and Bulgaria. Different Y-chromosome lineages were found among the individuals that currently carry the name Basarab, which indicates that not all of them could be direct descendants of the Basarab dynasty. Extra-pair paternity could explain the existence of different male lineages, but the high genetic diversity found in the Basarab individuals indicates that Basarab is most likely a polyphyletic name, with multiple unrelated male founders.
"Patrilineal surnames are common in most European countries and are useful markers for male ancestry to answer questions related to the history and structure of human populations. The study of the Y chromosome in males with the Basarab surname is the first genetic analysis on the surname of a royal dynasty," said Comas.
All Y-chromosome lineages identified in modern-day Romanians bearing the Basarab name have typical Eastern-European haplotypes that were earlier found in both Romanians and Cumans, a population of Asian origin, rather than carrying eastern Asian haplogroups more specific for Cumans. "The present study shows that genetic haplogroup composition of the Basarab is very similar to that of the general Romanian population, and none of the haplogroups they carry is of Central or East Asia. However, these results cannot definitively distinguish between a Cuman or a Romanian origin for the Basarab dynasty, and only genetic analysis of ancient DNA from the actual remains of the Wallachian kings will be able to give a definitive answer," said Genographic Romanian collaborator Mihai Netea.
One certain conclusion, however, based on the relative heterogeneity of Y-chromosome lineages in modern Basarab from Romania, is that the Basarab dynasty was successful in spreading its name beyond the spread of their genes.
Genographic Project Director and National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Dr. Spencer Wells noted that while the current study failed to find a recent common origin for all of the Basarab men, "There were telltale signs of related lineages among some of the men that suggested a close relationship that probably predated the establishment of the Basarab dynasty. It would certainly be interesting to extend the study of present-day populations to known Basarab remains to see if they belong to these lineages. Although we didn't identify Vlad the Impaler's Y-chromosome signature in this study, it might still be lurking in the dataset, waiting to be teased out with additional analyses."
###
For more information on the study, visit http://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0041803.
Background: The Genographic Project seeks to chart new knowledge about the migratory history of the human species and answer age-old questions surrounding the genetic diversity of humanity. The project is a nonprofit, multi-year, global research partnership of National Geographic and IBM with field support by the Waitt Family Foundation. At the core of the project is a global consortium of 11 regional scientific teams following an ethical and scientific framework and responsible for sample collection and analysis in their respective regions. Members of the public can participate in the Genographic Project by purchasing a public participation kit from the Genographic website (www.genographic.com), where they can also choose to donate their genetic results to the expanding database. Sales of the kits help fund research and support a Legacy Fund for indigenous and traditional peoples' community-led language revitalization and cultural projects.
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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.
'Basarab' surname may not indicate direct relation to Vlad the ImpalerPublic release date: 26-Jul-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Colby Bishop cbishop@ngs.org 202-828-8075 National Geographic Society
Genographic project study gives insight into Romanian royal dynasty
WASHINGTONA study by the Genographic Project has shown that not all individuals carrying the Romanian "Basarab" surname, the first dynasty of Wallachian kings that included the real-life Dracula, can be direct biological descendants of the Basarab dynasty.
The Basarab dynasty ruled Wallachia, the historical and geographical southern region of present-day Romania, for almost three centuries (1330-1601) and had among its members Vlad III the Impaler, commonly known as Dracula. The ethnic origin of the Basarab family has long been a dispute among historians, with both an Indo-European/Romanian and an Asian Cuman/Turkic origin being suggested. Published today in the journal PLOS ONE, the research was led by Genographic Project Principal Investigator David Comas of the Genographic Project's Western/Central Europe regional center.
The study analyzed the Y-chromosome diversity of 29 Romanian individuals carrying the Basarab surname and compared it with the diversity found in about 150 Romanians from different regions of the country and some 330 individuals from surrounding populations of Ukraine, Hungary and Bulgaria. Different Y-chromosome lineages were found among the individuals that currently carry the name Basarab, which indicates that not all of them could be direct descendants of the Basarab dynasty. Extra-pair paternity could explain the existence of different male lineages, but the high genetic diversity found in the Basarab individuals indicates that Basarab is most likely a polyphyletic name, with multiple unrelated male founders.
"Patrilineal surnames are common in most European countries and are useful markers for male ancestry to answer questions related to the history and structure of human populations. The study of the Y chromosome in males with the Basarab surname is the first genetic analysis on the surname of a royal dynasty," said Comas.
All Y-chromosome lineages identified in modern-day Romanians bearing the Basarab name have typical Eastern-European haplotypes that were earlier found in both Romanians and Cumans, a population of Asian origin, rather than carrying eastern Asian haplogroups more specific for Cumans. "The present study shows that genetic haplogroup composition of the Basarab is very similar to that of the general Romanian population, and none of the haplogroups they carry is of Central or East Asia. However, these results cannot definitively distinguish between a Cuman or a Romanian origin for the Basarab dynasty, and only genetic analysis of ancient DNA from the actual remains of the Wallachian kings will be able to give a definitive answer," said Genographic Romanian collaborator Mihai Netea.
One certain conclusion, however, based on the relative heterogeneity of Y-chromosome lineages in modern Basarab from Romania, is that the Basarab dynasty was successful in spreading its name beyond the spread of their genes.
Genographic Project Director and National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Dr. Spencer Wells noted that while the current study failed to find a recent common origin for all of the Basarab men, "There were telltale signs of related lineages among some of the men that suggested a close relationship that probably predated the establishment of the Basarab dynasty. It would certainly be interesting to extend the study of present-day populations to known Basarab remains to see if they belong to these lineages. Although we didn't identify Vlad the Impaler's Y-chromosome signature in this study, it might still be lurking in the dataset, waiting to be teased out with additional analyses."
###
For more information on the study, visit http://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0041803.
Background: The Genographic Project seeks to chart new knowledge about the migratory history of the human species and answer age-old questions surrounding the genetic diversity of humanity. The project is a nonprofit, multi-year, global research partnership of National Geographic and IBM with field support by the Waitt Family Foundation. At the core of the project is a global consortium of 11 regional scientific teams following an ethical and scientific framework and responsible for sample collection and analysis in their respective regions. Members of the public can participate in the Genographic Project by purchasing a public participation kit from the Genographic website (www.genographic.com), where they can also choose to donate their genetic results to the expanding database. Sales of the kits help fund research and support a Legacy Fund for indigenous and traditional peoples' community-led language revitalization and cultural projects.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
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WE ARE not alone - in one sense at least. A trio of planets orbiting a sun-like star has the most similar layout to our solar system yet seen.
The discovery supports the idea that planets emerge from relatively flat discs of material encircling stars and, at first, orbit neatly in the same plane, just as our eight planets circle the sun. This long-held notion has recently been called into question by a haul of planetary systems with wildly skewed orbits.
Most of these chaotic systems contain hot Jupiters, massive gas giants that circle their stars in a tight embrace. These behemoths frequently have dramatically tilted and sometimes even backward orbits. The big question is whether hot Jupiters form from slanted discs of material or if the planets scatter into odd positions when a tidy system is somehow disrupted by gravitational interactions among its multiple worlds.
Using data from NASA's Kepler space telescope, a team led by Roberto Sanchis Ojeda of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology examined a star system called Kepler 30 and measured how well the planets' orbits line up with the star's rotational plane, something known as obliquity.
They found that the orbits of all three planets nearly align with the star's equator (Nature, DOI: 10.1038/nature11301). The planets are about four, nine and 12 times the size of Earth and circle far enough from their star that none is considered a hot Jupiter.
Finding more aligned systems free of hot Jupiters would suggest that games of planetary pinball are the primary cause of planets in skewed orbits, say the authors. That would back the idea "that wild, scattered systems are in the minority", says Matthew Payne of the University of Florida, Gainsville, who wasn't on the team.
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Here are some top headlines you may have missed Tuesday: - Ringleaders of illegal Flint-area video poker gambling operation sentenced Flint police officers at the scene Tuesday where bullet casings were found at the corner of Franklin Ave and Delaware around the same time the driver of an suv was shot by a person in another vehicle two blocks away ? (more)
Read the rest >>
Wed, July 25th, 2012
Related Poker News:
Gambling casinos info:
Pathological gambling is recognized as a medical disorder by the American Psychiatric Association and has elements of addiction similar to alcohol and drug addiction.
The name of the game "Poker" likely descended from the French poque, which descended from the German pochen ("to knock"), but it is not clear whether the games named by those terms were the real origins of poker.
At a land-based casino, if your slot machine is malfunctioning, you won't get paid if you win the jackpot! All slot machines have this written on them but many players are not aware of this policy. The casinos have a device which lets them know if a slot machine is malfunctioning or if it's been tinkered with. Your best bet is to stop playing at it and try another.
The second oldest casino hotel resort on the Las Vegas Strip was the Last Frontier and it opened in October of 1942. It had 105 guestrooms and the property was made to look like an old western town. The first casino hotel resort opened just 18 months earlier and was called El Rancho.
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Is it a phone, a tablet or a fabulous phablet? You can call it whatever you want, but we're going to throw it into a new category for two days: free. Indeed, we have two unlocked Samsung Galaxy Notes (N9000) ready to distribute out to two lucky readers, and we have 1SaleADay to thank for the opportunity. The site offers daily deals on all types of electronics, and chances are you'll happen upon something that really strikes your intrigue. So head below to leave a comment as usual, and best of luck to you!
LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - Think of it as "Superman Begins."
Soaring into theaters on the back of Christopher Nolan's Batman finale "The Dark Knight Rises," Warner Bros. is giving audiences their first look at its upcoming superhero reboot, "Man of Steel" with not one, but two trailers.
The images are essentially the same: gauzy looks at a farm and Superman's day job as a fisherman, but the narrations are different.
In one, Russell Crowe who plays Jor-El, the biological father of the famous defender of "Truth, Justice, and the American Way," rhapsodizes that Superman will "give the people an ideal to strive towards... in time, you will help them accomplish wonders."
In the other, Kevin Costner, who is taking on the role of Superman's adoptive father Jonathan Kent, says, "One day, you're going to have to make a choice. You'll have to decide what kind of man you want to grow up to be. Whoever that man is, good character or bad, is going to change the world."
Rev up the inspirational music and a dramatic shot of Henry Cavill as Superman cutting through the sky.
Directed by Zack Snyder ("300") and produced by Nolan, "Man of Steel" hits theaters in Summer 2013.
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NYON, Switzerland (AP) - Italian soccer star Antonio Cassano has been fined for his comments about gay players at the European Championship.
European soccer's governing body says Friday it fined him $18,250 for his "discriminatory press statement" at an official media event in Poland last month.
Cassano said at the time he hoped there were no homosexual players on the Italian national team. He then used a derogatory word to describe gays.
When a reporter suggested there were gays on the team, Cassano appeared at a loss for words before saying, "That's their problem, but I hope not."
Cassano can appeal the decision by UEFA.
? 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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US women not just sex symbols
PST: It may come as a surprise to those who don't watch athletes like Alex Morgan play, but their appearances truly are secondary to their accomplishments.
FILE - In this March 20, 2010 file photo, Rafael Nadal of Spain returns a shot to Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia during their match at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament in Indian Wells, Calif. Rafael Nadal has pulled out of the London Olympics, saying he is 'not in condition' to compete. Nadal said in a statement Thursday July 19, 2012 it is one of the saddest moments of his career and that he will not travel with the Spanish delegation to London. He was set to be the flag bearer for Spain during the opening ceremony. Nadal won gold in Beijing in 2008. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, File)
FILE - In this March 20, 2010 file photo, Rafael Nadal of Spain returns a shot to Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia during their match at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament in Indian Wells, Calif. Rafael Nadal has pulled out of the London Olympics, saying he is 'not in condition' to compete. Nadal said in a statement Thursday July 19, 2012 it is one of the saddest moments of his career and that he will not travel with the Spanish delegation to London. He was set to be the flag bearer for Spain during the opening ceremony. Nadal won gold in Beijing in 2008. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, File)
FILE - In this Sunday, June 6, 2010 file photo, Spain's Rafael Nadal celebrates after defeating Sweden's Robin Soderling during a men's finals match for the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris. Rafael Nadal has pulled out of the London Olympics, saying he is 'not in condition' to compete. Nadal said in a statement Thursday July 19, 2012 it is one of the saddest moments of his career and that he will not travel with the Spanish delegation to London. He was set to be the flag bearer for Spain during the opening ceremony. Nadal won gold in Beijing in 2008. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena, File)
MADRID (AP) ? Defending Olympic tennis champion Rafael Nadal pulled out of the London Games on Thursday with an undisclosed injury.
"I am not in condition to compete in the London Olympics and therefore will not travel as planned with the Spanish delegation to take part in the games," the third-ranked Spaniard said in a statement.
Nadal did not mention any specific injury, but he canceled a charity match in Madrid on July 4 because of tendon problems in his left knee. He has had recurring knee problems in the past.
Nadal has not played since losing in the second round of Wimbledon to then 100th-ranked Lukas Rosol, one of the most surprising results in the tournament's history.
"I have to think about my companions, I can't be selfish and I have to think of what's best for Spanish sport, especially tennis and Spanish players, and give fellow sportsmen with better preparation the chance to compete," he said. "I tried to hurry my preparations and training to the very last minute, but it was not to be."
Nadal, who won the singles tournament at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, was set to be the flag bearer for Spain during the opening ceremony.
"(This) is one of the saddest days of my career as one of my biggest ambitions, that of being Spain's flag bearer in the opening ceremony of the games in London, cannot be," Nadal said. "You can imagine how difficult it was to take this decision."
'); } } I am going to be??in HH for a few days from tomorrow and just wondered if any of the bars will be showing the test match. Perfect would be the Open on one screen and the test on the other, might be a bit much to hope for though.
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NEW YORK (Reuters) - The euro fell broadly on Wednesday after comments by German Chancellor Angela Merkel reignited worries about the euro zone debt crisis and government bond prices rose over fears of slow economic growth.
In a seeming contradiction to the growth fears among bond investors, U.S. and European stocks jumped, lifted by solid corporate results on both sides of the Atlantic. The benchmark S&P 500 touched its highest level since early May.
Investors who have worried about the impact of a limping global economy on earnings took comfort from corporate results.
Profits at diversified manufacturer Honeywell Inc topped consensus views amid what the company called a "tough macroeconomic environment," and top chipmaker Intel Corp reported healthy gross margins after reducing its growth forecast.
In Europe, the world's largest chip equipment maker, ASML , as well as leading Scandinavian bank Nordea and Norwegian fertilizer maker Yara International all beat forecasts.
Kim Forrest, senior equity research analyst at Fort Pitt Capital Group in Pittsburgh, said companies are generating less revenue than forecast but earnings are still above expectations.
"Analysts have moved their targets (lower), and companies still are lean and mean and are able to generate profit," she said.
U.S. Treasury debt prices rose as investors turned defensive on persistent economic worries and financial contagion from the euro zone, which pushed bond yields toward historic lows.
The euro stumbled to its lowest level in 3-1/2 years against the British pound and extended broad losses against other currencies after Merkel's comments. The single currency hit a record low against the Australian dollar and an 11-1/2-year low against the Swedish crown.
"We have not yet shaped the European project so that we can be sure that everything will turn out well, we still have work to do," Merkel was quoted in a media report as saying.
The German chancellor also reiterated her belief that the euro will survive, saying she was "optimistic that we will succeed."
"It's all about Merkel comments," said Vassili Serebriakov, senior currency strategist at Wells Fargo in New York. "The mere fact that Merkel made a comment about the euro project has raised concern."
The euro fell 0.1 percent to $1.2279, and the U.S. dollar index <.dxy> was down 0.06 percent at 82.985.
The sale of 4.17 billion euro of zero coupon two-year German bonds drew the strongest demand since January, as investors paid Berlin to park cash in its two-year debt at auction for the first time ever.
Ten-year Bund yields were 3 basis points lower at 1.20 percent, not far from the record low of 1.13 percent hit in January.
The benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury note was up 5/32 in price to yield 1.4908 percent.
A rebound in tech stocks lifted Wall Street. Intel late Tuesday cut its full-year revenue outlook, the latest tech company to warn about slowing demand, but its shares rebounded 3.66 percent to $26.31 and lifted technology shares.
The PHLX semiconductor index <.sox> jumped 3.6 percent a day after hitting its lowest level to date this year.
"The main driver is technology and that is driven by Intel," said Michael James, senior trader at regional investment bank Wedbush Morgan in Los Angeles. "People were overly pessimistic on Intel and semiconductors in general going into Intel's report and guidance last night, so it's a 'buy the news.'"
The Dow Jones industrial average <.dji> closed up 103.16 points, or 0.81 percent, at 12,908.70. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.spx> rose 9.11 points, or 0.67 percent, at 1,372.78. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.ixic> climbed 32.56 points, or 1.12 percent, at 2,942.60.
The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 <.fteu3> index closed up 1.2 percent at 1,053.70 points, advancing to a two-week high.
Brent crude futures rose for a sixth straight session on heightened tensions in the Middle East and on comments on Wednesday by Federal Reserve Chief Ben Bernanke that were perceived as more positive about the economy than his testimony the day before.
Brent crude futures settled at $105.16 a barrel, up $1.16. U.S. crude for August delivery rose 65 cents to settle at $89.87 a barrel.
The Reuters/Jefferies CRB Index <.crb> of 19 commodities was up 1.16 percent at 299.08.
Gold fell for a second session on renewed fears over Europe's debt crisis and as speculation receded that more stimulus to boost a slowing U.S. economy was imminent.
U.S. COMEX August gold futures for August delivery settled down $18.70 an ounce at $1,570.80.
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Public release date: 30-Jul-2012
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