By Rick Nauert PhDSenior News Editor Reviewed by John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on March 21, 2013
A new Penn State University study finds that many health care providers are failing when it comes to?dealing with intimate partner violence in female patients.
Researchers found that only 20 percent of central Pennsylvania women who experienced intimate partner violence were asked or counseled by a health care provider about abuse.
Moreover, approximately only one in nine women has received preventive counseling about violence and safety.
?Our research shows that we (as a health care community) haven?t been doing a good job of identifying and counseling about intimate partner violence,? said Jennifer S. McCall-Hosenfeld, M.D., a primary care physician.
?Only 20 percent of the women who been exposed to intimate partner violence received safety and violence counseling in the two years following the abuse, and only 11 percent of all women had discussed violence and safety at home with a health care provider.?
McCall-Hosenfeld and colleagues examined preventive health care services for women of reproductive age and how exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV) was associated with relevant preventive healthcare services.
The study focused on women who had reported experiencing IPV ? specifically physical violence, sexual violence and threats of either by a current or former partner or spouse.
More than one-third of women in the U.S. have experienced IPV, according to the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The researchers point out that this abuse can lead to serious immediate and long-term health problems, as a result of inadequate preventive health care services.
Between 2004 and 2007, McCall-Hosenfeld and colleagues surveyed 1,420 women of reproductive age who were participating in the Central Pennsylvania Women?s Health Study.
The women responded to questions regarding intimate partner violence, health care access, socio-economic status and whether they had received preventive healthcare services.
The results of the study are published in the March/April issue of Women?s Health Issues.
In the first survey, the researchers established whether women had recently been exposed to IPV by asking them to respond ?yes? or ?no? to a series of questions.
Each question was preceded by, ?In the past 12 months, has a spouse, partner or boyfriend?? and completed with statements including ?Threatened to hit you or throw something at you?? and ?Pushed, grabbed, shoved or slapped you??
Two years after the first survey the researchers followed up with the women, asking about any preventive health care services and preventive counseling they had received over the past 24 months.
Again, the women surveyed were asked to respond ?yes? or ?no? to a series of questions, including ?Have you been tested for sexually transmitted infections or HIV?? and ?Has a doctor or health professional asked you or talked to you about concerns about safety or violence in your home??
Researchers believe the study findings represent ?a missed opportunity for health promotion among women exposed to IPV.?
?Our data suggest that many women who have been exposed to IPV are not being appropriately identified in health care settings and are not getting many of the health care services they need,? said McCall-Hosenfeld.
In January 2013, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force released a guideline recommending that clinicians screen all women of reproductive age for IPV and help provide intervention services when necessary.
?We have a long way to go for health care to be in compliance with this guideline,? said McCall-Hosenfeld. ?We?ll need to have a culture shift in many settings so that health care providers are comfortable with asking patients about IPV, patients are comfortable with being asked and the health care systems work to ensure that all patients get the services they need.?
Furthermore, additional studies are indicated to specifically address methods to improve preventive services for those who have experienced IPV, McCall-Hosenfeld said.
Source: Penn State
APA Reference Nauert PhD, R. (2013). Partner Abuse Still Not on Radar of Health Care Providers. Psych Central. Retrieved on March 22, 2013, from http://psychcentral.com/news/2013/03/21/partner-abuse-still-not-on-radar-of-health-care-providers/52851.html
Current and past smokers face greater risk for hip replacement failurePublic release date: 20-Mar-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Lauren Pearson Riley pearson@aaos.org 708-227-1773 American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
CHICAGO Smoking has been linked to prolonged healing time and greater risk for complications in orthopaedic and other surgeries, according to a new study presented today at the 2013 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS).
Researchers reviewed records of all total hip replacement (THR, or total hip arthroplasty) patients between 2007 and 2009 to identify patients who used tobacco products at the time of surgery, or who smoked regularly prior to surgery.
There were 110 patients who regularly smoked, with a mean age of 55 and a mean follow up of 46 months following THR. A control group was matched 2:1 with the smoking group based on gender, date of surgery within six months, age within five years, related medical conditions (co-morbidities) and immunosuppressive conditions. The smoking group was categorized as current or former smokers, and according to the number of packs of cigarettes smoked per year.
At the most recent follow up, the patients who smoked had a 92 percent survival rate compared to 99 percent for non smokers. Of the nine THR revisions in smokers, four were done to alleviate pain and/or to repair a loose acetabular component (the hip socket), and five resulted from infection. Of the current smokers, six of 65 had revisions (9.2 percent); of the former smokers, 2 out of 45 patients (4.4 percent).
Overall, the patients who smoked had a higher overall revision rate and a higher incidence of other complications. The study authors recommend smoking cessation programs for all patients considering THR.
###
Learn more: AAOS.org
Learn more about AAOS at http://www.aaos.org.
Follow us on Facebook.com/AAOS1 and Twitter.com/AAOS1
A Nation in Motion
More than one in four Americans have bone or joint health problems, making them the greatest cause of lost work days in the U.S. When orthopaedic surgeons restore mobility and reduce pain, they help people get back to work and to independent, productive lives. Orthopaedic surgeons provide a great value, in both human and economic terms; and access to high-quality orthopaedic care keeps this "Nation in Motion." To learn more, to read hundreds of patient stories or to submit your own story, visit ANationinMotion.org.
For more information on bone and joint health, visit Orthoinfo.org.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Current and past smokers face greater risk for hip replacement failurePublic release date: 20-Mar-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Lauren Pearson Riley pearson@aaos.org 708-227-1773 American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
CHICAGO Smoking has been linked to prolonged healing time and greater risk for complications in orthopaedic and other surgeries, according to a new study presented today at the 2013 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS).
Researchers reviewed records of all total hip replacement (THR, or total hip arthroplasty) patients between 2007 and 2009 to identify patients who used tobacco products at the time of surgery, or who smoked regularly prior to surgery.
There were 110 patients who regularly smoked, with a mean age of 55 and a mean follow up of 46 months following THR. A control group was matched 2:1 with the smoking group based on gender, date of surgery within six months, age within five years, related medical conditions (co-morbidities) and immunosuppressive conditions. The smoking group was categorized as current or former smokers, and according to the number of packs of cigarettes smoked per year.
At the most recent follow up, the patients who smoked had a 92 percent survival rate compared to 99 percent for non smokers. Of the nine THR revisions in smokers, four were done to alleviate pain and/or to repair a loose acetabular component (the hip socket), and five resulted from infection. Of the current smokers, six of 65 had revisions (9.2 percent); of the former smokers, 2 out of 45 patients (4.4 percent).
Overall, the patients who smoked had a higher overall revision rate and a higher incidence of other complications. The study authors recommend smoking cessation programs for all patients considering THR.
###
Learn more: AAOS.org
Learn more about AAOS at http://www.aaos.org.
Follow us on Facebook.com/AAOS1 and Twitter.com/AAOS1
A Nation in Motion
More than one in four Americans have bone or joint health problems, making them the greatest cause of lost work days in the U.S. When orthopaedic surgeons restore mobility and reduce pain, they help people get back to work and to independent, productive lives. Orthopaedic surgeons provide a great value, in both human and economic terms; and access to high-quality orthopaedic care keeps this "Nation in Motion." To learn more, to read hundreds of patient stories or to submit your own story, visit ANationinMotion.org.
For more information on bone and joint health, visit Orthoinfo.org.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
The last day of winter leaves with a wallop as New England wrestles with heavy snow, and storms bring heavy rain, winds and power outages to parts of the South. Chris Clackum reports.
By Jay Lindsay, The Associated Press
BOSTON -- New Englanders were preparing for another messy day of snow as they welcomed spring's unseasonable arrival.
Forecasts called for as much as 16 inches of snow in parts of northern New England through Wednesday morning, bringing slippery road conditions. Snow was expected to taper off in other locations.
"It's the real deal ? the heavy, wet snow," said National Weather Service forecaster John Cannon in Gray, Maine. "Travel will be treacherous into the early morning hours."
Snow and sleet blasted the Northeast on Tuesday, where some places received over a foot of snow. Classes were canceled in some districts in Massachusetts, Connecticut and upstate New York, adding a few more snow days to the calendar.
Snow also socked other parts of the northern U.S., with as much as 2 feet forecast in parts of Michigan's Upper Peninsula.
Icy roads caused numerous auto accidents. In Marlborough, Mass., the Harlem Globetrotters' bus collided with a car on Interstate 290, but no one was hurt and the bus was able to drive away, the state police said. No citations were issued.
The first day of spring may be right around the corner, but a big snow storm has brought a wintery chill to the Northeast. NBC's Brian Williams reports.
There was nothing unusual about a snowstorm in the Northeast this late in the season, when it can still get plenty cold.
"They don't happen all the time, but it's not, you know, unheard of," said Alan Dunham, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Taunton, Mass.
Nina Walker, of Woburn in suburban Boston, said she had to shovel about 8 inches of snow off her driveway before driving to Boston's South Station to take a train to New York. As a lifelong New Englander, she takes the snow in stride, but draws the line at storms after March 31.
"Once I hear the word 'April,' I am really offended when I hear the word 'snow,'" she said. "So this is OK today, but a couple of weeks from now, it had better not happen."
Related:
Full coverage from weather.com
Severe storms, large hail cause extensive damage in South
This story was originally published on Wed Mar 20, 2013 5:13 AM EDT
? 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Tint World?s co-branding program, Tint World Express, provides car dealerships an opportunity to outfit the automotive styling franchise within own store.
Weston, FL (PRWEB) March 20, 2013 - Tint World, the nation?s leading automotive styling franchise, is offering car dealerships an opportunity to acquire an in-house aftermarket accessory department through the franchise?s co-branding program, Tint World Express.
The Tint World Express Program is a co-brand program (a store within a store concept) that will allow car dealerships to utilize the automotive franchise?s expert sales as well as installation and fulfillment of services ranging from window tinting, mobile electronics, car audio and video, and car accessories, just to name a few.
By co-branding with Tint World, car dealerships will not only benefit from Tint World?s years of experience in the aftermarket accessory industry, but will also leverage buying power, marketing programs, and utilize Tint World?s range of quality brand products and consistent installation capabilities. Dealerships will also be able to leverage Tint World?s accountability of warranty services, high standard of professionalism, and outstanding customer service.
Tint World Franchise President/CEO Charles Bonfiglio shared that, ?The Tint World? Express franchise works well with car dealerships because Tint World provides the dealership a complete in-house aftermarket accessory department that handles sales and installation with professional National Accessory Service Brand.?
Once a car dealership decides to add a Tint World Styling Center to their business, a Tint World franchise owner will be placed at the car dealership to run operations. The car dealers can either suggest a franchise prospect or Tint World will provide a franchise owner for the post.
Tint World will also provide all in-store marketing materials, menu boards and brand advertising programs. To better co-brand with the dealership, Tint World will customize marketing materials to focus on the products, brands and features of each dealership.
As Tint World continues to grow, Tint World Express is a streamlined opportunity for business owners to co-brand with the company in order to deliver quality products and services with the support of a national franchise.
About Tint World?
Established in 1982 in Tamarac, Florida, Tint World? is now the leading franchised provider of automotive, residential, commercial, and marine window tinting and security film services in the US. Tint World? Automotive Styling Centers also offer auto security, mobile electronics, performance and styling accessories, custom wheels and tire packages, auto detailing, and reconditioning services
Contact:
Charles J. Bonfiglio Charles.Bonfiglio(at)tintworld(dot)com http://www.TintWorld.com (800) 767-8468
For many people, music is essential to a satisfying and strong workout. It's not just about elevating our mood or keeping us in rhythm, though. Scientific American rounds up the recent research showing just why music helps us run faster, cycle longer, and do other exercise much better.
Music affects our body and mind in multiple ways:
Music distracts people from pain and fatigue, elevates mood, increases endurance, reduces perceived effort and may even promote metabolic efficiency. When listening to music, people run farther, bike longer and swim faster than usual-often without realizing it. In a 2012 review of the research, Costas Karageorghis of Brunel University in London, one of the world's leading experts on the psychology of exercise music, wrote that one could think of music as "a type of legal performance-enhancing drug."
We've previously seen that the right BPM (beats per minute) of a song can improve a workout, but why is that? Citing a 2012 study by researchers at Sheffield Hallam University in which people who cycled in time to music needed 7 percent less oxygen than other cyclists, Scientific American explains that syncing your movements to music might help your body use energy more efficiently, like a metronome: maintaining a steady pace, reducing false steps, and decreasing how much energy you expend.
The distraction explanation we've seen previously is also noted here. By distracting you, music helps you override fatigue and make it seem easier to do more.
And, of course, music can be motivational.
If you's like some help creating your perfect workout playlist, check out our guide on the subject or see Scientific American's article for more advice.
Let's Get Physical: The Psychology of Effective Workout Music | Scientific American
Does this reboot freshen up the series or are Lara?s days of treasure hunting finally over?
Story
Whilst it?s debatable as to whether or not previous Tomb Raider games had strong stories, I think everybody will agree that Lara?s latest outing is driven by a story worth knowing. You?re thrown straight into the thick of the action within minutes of booting the game up, experiencing an expedition gone wrong to find the elusive Japanese kingdom of Yamatai.
The thrill of excitement experienced within the first few minutes doesn?t wear off due to the well-paced story, character progression and unobtrusive set pieces. Being a reboot, we get to join Lara on her first adventure as we watch her become who we?re familiar with; the explorer we know her to be.
Characters are proven to be in-depth and as you collect journals and items, you learn more about other characters' histories as well as insights by Lara herself, giving her thoughts on the situation, the people she?s with and the emotional effect events have on her. Chances are, you?ll be thinking similar things to her due to how realistic the characters are and how easy it is to place yourself in their shoes.
Gameplay
One thing that stunned me in this game was the brutality and gore, the emphasis that Lara is only a young, untrained woman who?s vulnerable to the dangers of the outside world. With infamous QTEs making an appearance, you need to be quick to avoid instant death via strangulation and being crushed, impaled or murdered; the more sadistic of us may fail these entirely on purpose just to see what unfortunate ends Crystal Dynamics have cooked up for Lara. Luckily, the QTEs are unobtrusive but give you some control over the dynamically spectacular set pieces.
Gone are Lara?s trademark pistols, now replaced by an iconic bow and arrow. Whilst this is the most effective weapon in the game, you can also use a sole pistol, an assault rifle, a shotgun and a pickaxe for when you want to get down and dirty up-close. These can be upgraded by finding materials in tombs and littered boxes which allow you to improve accuracy, strength, reload speed and various other things.
Platforming has had a major overhaul and thankfully, Lara can now jump smoothly like a normal person rather than the stiff and painful platforming segments we had to suffer during earlier Tomb Raider titles. Climbing feels smooth and efficient, with the new Rope Ascender tool allowing you to quickly soar to your desired destination or to escape enemy fire. It?s a shame that you?re unable to attack when climbing as I feel this could have mixed the gameplay up, but hopefully we?ll see a more aggressive Lara in a sequel.
Getting into cover is easy but you?ll find yourself sticking to things by accident as Lara sidles besides things when in close proximity rather than at the press of a button. You?re able to roll and slide into cover which is great during a firefight as Lara falls fairly quick if you try to be overly offensive, and it also allows you to evade molotovs which incapacitate you for a short period when it makes contact.
Graphics
Lara?s latest journey looks terrific and does its best to immerse you in the experience; the island theme is prominent and does a great job of making you feel stranded, alone and fragile. The weather is dynamic and primarily features rain, which adds to the tension and mixes well with the darkness and blood that stains many locations. As someone who has been playing Tomb Raider since the first installment, I?m surprised to see how gritty and gory this one actually is but it?s definitely a positive as it allows us to care for Lara in a way that we never would have previously (you know, when she was a blow up doll with eyes glued on).
TressFX makes its first appearance in a game and makes its shining debut on the top of Lara?s head, giving her hair more the ability to portray itself realistically to hopefully become a multiplayer character or better yet, star in its own title in which it can grace our screens in all its glory. Hopefully we?ll see TressFX more in future now its proven itself. (James' note: TressFX totally sounds like a hair product.)
Audio
Voice-acting is top-notch, especially Camilla Luddington?s portrayal of Lara, and aids in relating to the characters and caring about what happens to them on the island as you can hear the stress and desperation as they discuss how to escape the cursed island.
Firearms sound awful and don?t pack a punch but, fortunately, the bow and arrow proves to be the best weapon available and comes with a satisfying ?ping!? sound. Explosions become background noise in the later parts of the game due to the immense amount of flammable barrels conveniently placed around the island.
The music itself is great but you won?t find yourself humming Tomb Raider tunes once you?ve finished the campaign, which is disappointing as a good soundtrack can change your outlook on a game and get your adrenaline pumping when played at the appropriate time.
Lasting Appeal
There?s a lot to see and do in the campaign including finding collectibles and journals and completing side-missions in the form of hidden tombs and when you feel that you?ve had your fill here, you can jump on the online multiplayer modes.
The multiplayer itself is lacking in comparison to the campaign with it being noticeably laggy and an awful matchmaking system where if someone leaves a game, you?ll have to be incredibly lucky to have that spot replaced without leaving the game and joining another. As is standard in most multiplayer titles, you are able to level up, unlock weapons, loadouts and perks and prestige once you hit a specific level. ?It may require a few patches before I can fully recommend the multiplayer segment of Tomb Raider; it?s good fun but it feels tacked on. Thankfully, this doesn?t detract from the steller single-player campaign.
Tomb Raider is an excellent reboot which I fully recommend - if mostly due to the single player - and the addition of multiplayer is just the icing on the cupcake.
Transportation study reveals potential for deep cuts to petroleum use and carbon emissionsPublic release date: 19-Mar-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: David Glickson david.glickson@nrel.gov 303-275-4097 DOE/National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Collaborative NREL and ANL project reveals opportunities for 80 percent reductions by 2050
The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) today announced the release of the Transportation Energy Futures (TEF) study, an assessment of avenues to reach deep cuts in petroleum use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the transportation sector.
"Transportation is an engine of our economic strength, but it also represents a key challenge for the future of U.S. energy use," NREL Senior Analyst Austin Brown said. "Transportation accounts for 71 percent of total U.S. petroleum consumption and 33 percent of our nation's total carbon emissions. It presents significant opportunities to cut oil dependence while taking a bite out of greenhouse gas emissions."
The study revealed strategies to potentially reduce petroleum use and GHG emissions in the transportation sector by more than 80 percent by 2050. However, each of these opportunities faces significant challenges.
The TEF study also confirmed that there is no "silver bullet" for decreasing carbon emissions and petroleum use in transportation. Instead, deep reductions would involve an inclusive approach, combining strategies to:
Increase fuel economy for all types of vehicles
Reduce use of transportation while providing comparable service
Expand use of low-carbon fuels, including biofuels, as well as electricity and hydrogen
"The finding that there are many options increases our confidence that a clean transportation solution is possible in the long term," Brown said.
The purpose of the TEF study was to address critical questions and inform domestic decisions about transportation energy strategies by identifying possible paths to a low-carbon, low-petroleum future for transportation, as well as the barriers that may block those paths. It can help inform decisions about investments in transportation energy research, and can also help policymakers if they choose to expand the role of advanced transportation technologies and systems. The study focuses on identifying opportunities related to energy efficiency and renewable energy in transportation.
Three major strategies were explored in the study: reduction of energy use through efficiency and demand management; increased use of electricity and hydrogen from renewable energy; and expanded use of biofuels.
It was found that energy efficiency improvements and measures to reduce transportation demand, without compromising service, have the potential to stop or reverse the growth in national transportation energy use, making it possible for competitive renewable energy supplies to provide an increasing share of energy.
Focus areas of the nine reports that are part of the TEF study include:
Light Duty Vehicles (personal cars and light trucks)
Deployment pathways issues including the development of, transition to, and challenges to advanced technology.
Non-cost barriers such as range anxiety, refueling availability, technology reliability, and lack of consumer familiarity.
Non-Light-Duty Vehicles (trucks, rail, aircraft, and other modes)
Opportunities to improve non-light-duty vehicle efficiency, including that of medium- and heavy-duty trucks, off-road vehicles and equipment, aircraft, marine vessels, and railways.
Opportunities for switching modes of transporting freight, such as moving freight from trucks to rail and ships.
Fuels
Infrastructure expansion required for deployment of low-GHG fuels, including electricity, biofuels, hydrogen, and natural gas.
Balance of biomass resource demand and supply, including allocations for various transportation fuels, electric generation, and other applications.
Transportation Demand
Opportunities to save energy and abate GHG emissions through community development and urban planning.
Trip reduction through mass transit, tele-working, tele-shopping, carpooling, and efficient driving.
Freight demand patterns, including trends in operational needs and projections of future use levels.
###
The TEF project was funded by DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. The study's steering committee included the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Transportation, academic researchers, and industry associations. Additional input was provided by transportation consultants from Cambridge Systematics, Inc. For more information, visit the TEF Website.
NREL is the U.S. Department of Energy's primary national laboratory for renewable energy and energy efficiency research and development. NREL is operated for DOE by The Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC.
Visit NREL online at http://www.nrel.gov
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Transportation study reveals potential for deep cuts to petroleum use and carbon emissionsPublic release date: 19-Mar-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: David Glickson david.glickson@nrel.gov 303-275-4097 DOE/National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Collaborative NREL and ANL project reveals opportunities for 80 percent reductions by 2050
The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) today announced the release of the Transportation Energy Futures (TEF) study, an assessment of avenues to reach deep cuts in petroleum use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the transportation sector.
"Transportation is an engine of our economic strength, but it also represents a key challenge for the future of U.S. energy use," NREL Senior Analyst Austin Brown said. "Transportation accounts for 71 percent of total U.S. petroleum consumption and 33 percent of our nation's total carbon emissions. It presents significant opportunities to cut oil dependence while taking a bite out of greenhouse gas emissions."
The study revealed strategies to potentially reduce petroleum use and GHG emissions in the transportation sector by more than 80 percent by 2050. However, each of these opportunities faces significant challenges.
The TEF study also confirmed that there is no "silver bullet" for decreasing carbon emissions and petroleum use in transportation. Instead, deep reductions would involve an inclusive approach, combining strategies to:
Increase fuel economy for all types of vehicles
Reduce use of transportation while providing comparable service
Expand use of low-carbon fuels, including biofuels, as well as electricity and hydrogen
"The finding that there are many options increases our confidence that a clean transportation solution is possible in the long term," Brown said.
The purpose of the TEF study was to address critical questions and inform domestic decisions about transportation energy strategies by identifying possible paths to a low-carbon, low-petroleum future for transportation, as well as the barriers that may block those paths. It can help inform decisions about investments in transportation energy research, and can also help policymakers if they choose to expand the role of advanced transportation technologies and systems. The study focuses on identifying opportunities related to energy efficiency and renewable energy in transportation.
Three major strategies were explored in the study: reduction of energy use through efficiency and demand management; increased use of electricity and hydrogen from renewable energy; and expanded use of biofuels.
It was found that energy efficiency improvements and measures to reduce transportation demand, without compromising service, have the potential to stop or reverse the growth in national transportation energy use, making it possible for competitive renewable energy supplies to provide an increasing share of energy.
Focus areas of the nine reports that are part of the TEF study include:
Light Duty Vehicles (personal cars and light trucks)
Deployment pathways issues including the development of, transition to, and challenges to advanced technology.
Non-cost barriers such as range anxiety, refueling availability, technology reliability, and lack of consumer familiarity.
Non-Light-Duty Vehicles (trucks, rail, aircraft, and other modes)
Opportunities to improve non-light-duty vehicle efficiency, including that of medium- and heavy-duty trucks, off-road vehicles and equipment, aircraft, marine vessels, and railways.
Opportunities for switching modes of transporting freight, such as moving freight from trucks to rail and ships.
Fuels
Infrastructure expansion required for deployment of low-GHG fuels, including electricity, biofuels, hydrogen, and natural gas.
Balance of biomass resource demand and supply, including allocations for various transportation fuels, electric generation, and other applications.
Transportation Demand
Opportunities to save energy and abate GHG emissions through community development and urban planning.
Trip reduction through mass transit, tele-working, tele-shopping, carpooling, and efficient driving.
Freight demand patterns, including trends in operational needs and projections of future use levels.
###
The TEF project was funded by DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. The study's steering committee included the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Transportation, academic researchers, and industry associations. Additional input was provided by transportation consultants from Cambridge Systematics, Inc. For more information, visit the TEF Website.
NREL is the U.S. Department of Energy's primary national laboratory for renewable energy and energy efficiency research and development. NREL is operated for DOE by The Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC.
Visit NREL online at http://www.nrel.gov
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Branching and table-top corals of the genus Acropora dominate coral reef ecosystems such as those pictured here from the Indo-Pacific.
By Andrea Thompson, OurAmazingPlanet
Corals are well-known for the brilliant colors they sport, but less well-known is the light, or fluorescence, that most coral species give off. Monitoring the levels of this fluorescence could be an easier way for scientists to monitor the health of coral reefs around the world, a new study finds, as these reefs are subjected to stress from climate change and other factors.
Coral fluorescence, produced by special fluorescent proteins, is a relatively poorly understood phenomenon, but researchers think it could help protect the coral from damaging sunlight, or possibly other forms of stress.
Marine biologists at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego monitored the levels of fluorescence and fluorescent proteins in a common branching coral from the Indo-Pacific region called Acropora yongei as the coral was subjected to both cold and heat stress. These stresses both affect corals in nature, with cold snaps sometimes killing corals, and global warming heating up the oceans overall.
Fluorescence levels from the coral in the study declined rapidly in response to both types of stress, initially, but the outcomes of the two tests eventually differed. The coral was able to adapt to the cold temperatures and their fluorescence levels rebounded, but the heat stress caused the corals to bleach, or lose the symbiotic algae that provides corals with the bulk of their nutrition.
Under the heat stress conditions, the fluorescence levels declined at first as they did under the cold stress, but the coral couldn't adapt and the algae were expelled from the corals, study researcher Melissa Roth, now at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and UC Berkeley, told OurAmazingPlanet in an email. When the bleaching happened, there was actually a spike in fluorescence caused by the fact that the algae had previously been shading the fluorescence and now no longer were.
"This is the first study to quantify fluorescence before, during and after stress," said Scripps researcher Dimitri Deheyn in a statement.
The results show that fluorescence can be a good marker of the health of corals. In fact, it could be an easier, less invasive method of monitoring corals than those currently used, including analyzing corals collected from reefs back in labs. Fluorescence can be monitored without disturbing the coral and directly at the reef site, and could indicate that the coral is in poor health before it bleaches. [Video: Humans Hit the Oceans Hard]
Roth said that the coral the study tested, Acropora yongei, would be a good one to monitor in the field because branching corals like it are "very susceptible to bleaching."
"It would make sense to monitor the corals on the reef that are most sensitive as an indicator for the reef as a whole," Roth said.
The findings were detailed in the March 12 issue of the journal Scientific Reports.
Follow Andrea Thompson @AndreaTOAP, Pinterestand Google+. Follow OurAmazingPlanet?@OAPlanet, Facebook?and Google+. Original article at LiveScience's OurAmazingPlanet.
Copyright 2013 LiveScience, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
While we've heard rumors of the death of plasmas before, Japanese business paper The Nikkei is reporting that Panasonic may stop using the technology in fiscal 2014. Without citing sources, it claims Panasonic will shut down production at its main Amagasaki plant, reducing production gradually to avoid angering partners and retailers. A Panasonic spokesperson tells Reuters that the company has not made any decisions on the future of its TV business yet. The Nikkei's info indicates it will downsize the entire TV business, including reductions in LCD manufacturing, over the next three years.
What's next? OLED, as Sony and Panasonic are partnering on developing the technology and according to the report it plans to outsource manufacturing to keep costs down. We'll find out how much of this turns out to be true in the coming months, but for now we'll just appreciate the company's latest round of Viera plasmas.
Situated on the northeastern coast of Spain, the town of Lloret de Mar is a popular resort town in the Costa Brava. It is easily accessible from airports of the larger Spanish cities, and when you travel the easy 70 kilometres from Barcelona to Lloret de Mar you will be well rewarded for your effort.
The history of the town dates back to the Romans who first settled there after the Iberians. They also settled the nearby towns and villages, but the first time the name appeared in writing was in 966 A.D. Over the centuries the town has had its ups and downs and now is a thriving seaside resort. It caters to tourists who want to explore the deep and richly interesting history of the area, as well as those who take the transfer from Barcelona to Lloret de Mar simply to enjoy the stunning beaches. While you are here, be sure to enjoy the delights of one (all all) of the five, fabulous main beaches the town offers.
The Platja de Lloret
The Platja de Lloret, or the Central Beach, is the main beach of the resort town. When you arrive after the short trip from Barcelona to Lloret de Mar, you find this central beach one of the most accessible and, in the height of the season, the most populous. It is no wonder that people flock to its 1,650-metre strip of golden sand with unending opportunities for entertainment. When you are not busy relaxing and soaking up the sun you can parasail, swim, snorkel, water ski, paddle boat, rent a canoe for a bit, and much more. There are always lifeguards on duty and plenty of places where you can get a refreshing drink to cool down in the mid-day sun. The Platja de Fenals
Also known as Fenals Beach, this one is situated next to the main Central Beach in the heart of the resort. If after you've arrived from Barcelona to Lloret de Mar you find that the Central Beach is a bit full, head to this much quieter beach just along the way. There are still lifeguards on duty, and the array of bars and restaurants is still great, but it has the added benefit of feeling like a hidden gem with its backing of trees and outcrops of cliffs; it feels like a very different beach from the main one. You can also enjoy the many of the same water sports as on the Central Beach and the rocky coves near the ends of the beach are especially good for snorkelling and diving.
The Smaller Beaches
If you are the type that wants to explore the nitty gritty of the area and get away from the hustle and bustle that can come with being in a resort, then heading to one of the smaller beaches is good option. The Platja de Santa Cristina is three and a half kilometres away from the heart of the town in a sheltered bay with surrounding woodlands. The sand here is very fine, and there is a lovely chapel well worth taking a walk to discover. If you are feeling more adventurous, you may want to pay a visit to Boadella Beach, the areas local nudist beach. In recent years, however, the area has been more populated by families and is becoming more family friendly.
These are just a few of the attractions awaiting you once you arrive on your transfer service from Barcelona to Lloret de Mar. There are plenty more and you will be able to compile your own list of favourites for your next holiday.
About the Author: Lukas Johannes is a driver for Shuttle Direct. If youre looking for a transfer from Barcelona to Lloret de Mar, Shuttle Direct provide pre-booked shuttles to major destinations all over Europe. Wherever you travel, Shuttle Direct can make sure that you dont miss your car on your holiday abroad.
Judge rejects CIA argument that it had no 'interest' in lethal drone strikes. He called the CIA argument neither logical nor plausible, since US officials have acknowledged involvement.
By Warren Richey,?Staff writer / March 15, 2013
Pakistani villagers rally in Islamabad, Pakistan, to condemn US drone attacks along the Afghanistan border in this Dec. 10, 2010 file photo. The head of a U.N. team investigating casualties from US drone strikes declared on Friday that the attacks violate Pakistan's sovereignty. Also on Friday, a US court of appeals ruled against the CIA over drones documents.
B.K. Bangash/AP/File
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A federal appeals court on Friday ordered the Central Intelligence Agency to respond to a Freedom of Information Act request seeking documents related to the use of drone aircraft in targeted killings overseas.
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The CIA had initially responded to the Jan. 2010 FOIA request by stating that it would neither confirm not deny the existence of any documents at the agency related to the secret program.
A federal judge accepted the argument and dismissed the FOIA request in Sept. 2011.
The American Civil Liberties Union, which filed the request, appealed.
The appeals court decision sends the case back to federal court where the CIA will be required to present a list of documents potentially relevant to the ACLU?s request.?
The decision doesn?t mean the ACLU will necessarily gain access to any or all documents.
But the decision is significant in a broader way.
?This is an important victory. It requires the government to retire the absurd claim that the CIA?s interest in the targeted killing program is a secret, and it will make it more difficult for the government to deflect questions about the program?s scope and legal basis,? ACLU Deputy Legal Director Jameel Jaffer said, in statement.
?It also means that the CIA will have to explain what records it is withholding, and on what grounds it is withholding them,? Mr. Jaffer said.
The ACLU request for information was made in an effort to shed light on America?s lethal drone program. The lawyers want the agency to reveal when and where drones are being used, and who is being targeted.
They are also seeking information about how the government is guaranteeing compliance with international law against extrajudicial killings.
In its decision on Friday, the three-judge panel of the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit rejected the CIA?s argument that it was under no obligation to reveal the existence of drone-related documents at the agency.
Government lawyers had said that since no CIA or executive branch official had disclosed whether the CIA ?has an interest in drone strikes,? there was no basis for the agency to respond in any way to the FOIA request. The agency maintained that any response ? either confirming or denying ? would reveal sensitive information.
Writing for the panel, Chief Judge Merrick Garland dismissed the CIA?s position as ?neither logical nor plausible.?
He noted that President Obama, then-counter terrorism adviser John Brennan, and then-CIA Director Leon Panetta had all given public statements acknowledging the drone program.
?Given these official acknowledgments that the United States has participated in drone strikes, it is neither logical nor plausible for the CIA to maintain that it would reveal anything not already in the public domain to say that the Agency at least has an intelligence interest in such strikes,? Judge Garland wrote.
?The defendant is, after all, the Central Intelligence Agency. And it strains credulity to suggest that an agency charged with gathering intelligence affecting the national security does not have an ?intelligence interest? in drone strikes, even if that agency does not operate the drones itself,? the judge said.
Officials at the ACLU praised the decision.
?We hope that this ruling will encourage the Obama administration to fundamentally reconsider the secrecy surrounding the targeted killing program,? Jaffer said. ?The program has already been responsible for the deaths of more than 4,000 people in an unknown number of countries. The public surely has a right to know who the government is killing, and why, and in which countries, and on whose orders,? he said.
?The Obama administration, which has repeatedly acknowledged the importance of government transparency, should give the public the information it needs in order to fully evaluate the wisdom and lawfulness of the government?s policies,? Jaffer said.
I would be if I had a computer that could play it.
My favourite thing from Rome Total War was actually the rpg element of making family members war generals or city rulers. And as they got older, I think they got different character traits that were either good or bad.
If Chrome OS didn't start out with an inferiority complex living in the shadow of the massive adoption of its cousin Android, and with Eric Schmidt dismissing the hardware that would run it as cheap and interchangeable, the hardware companies that were early to adopt it didn't help matters. Chrome OS arrived on devices that weren't priced competitively against then-popular netbooks.
Since then, though, the Chrome hardware story has been on a steady upswing. Thanks to Acer, Chromebooks broke the $200 price point. Thanks to Samsung, they made the leap to the ARM architecture, enabling longer battery life in a thin form factor. And thanks to HP and Lenovo, Chromebooks have joined the portfolios of two of the biggest names in corporate computing. While it may be nowhere near Android's scale in terms of overall devices, Chrome OS is now offered by three of 2012's top Windows PC manufacturers. That is certainly enough to show up on Microsoft's radar. Into this fray comes the Chromebook Pixel and it has clearly learned from other successful ecosystems.
In Ontario, the right-wing establishment have successfully united the usual anti-government, anti-progress suspects with some pissed-off farmers, rural retirees, and rich NIMBYs to create a particularly nasty strain of anti-windmill sentiment. They've become the Typhoid Mary of wind farm sickness.
It's true that the Ont. government was a bit overzealous in a few of its land acquisition, and there were a small number of households which were closer than what is considered a comfortable distance from some installations, but as far as i know, every such household has either been paid off or relocated.
The claimed negative health effects are spurious. I wonder what any of the hundreds of thousands of households located close to rail lines, expressways or airports must think when they hear people whinging about effects from wind generators...
Yes windmills kill some birds and bats. In North America the reported bird-kill from windfarms is a fraction of the kill from oil and gas operations.... and several orders of magnitude lower than the number of birds killed annually by.... house-cats. Like birds? Don't let your stupid cat out.
Finally, the technology is still pretty young. There's every reason to expect that wind generators will become more reliable, efficient, quieter, and that their energy can be stored and used more effectively. How many centuries has coal-burning taken to get efficient and clean up a bit?
ISLAMABAD (AP) ? The head of a U.N. team investigating casualties from U.S. drone strikes in Pakistan declared after a secret research trip to the country that the attacks violate Pakistan's sovereignty.
Ben Emmerson, the U.N. special rapporteur on human rights and counter-terrorism, said the Pakistani government made clear to him that it does not consent to the strikes ? a position that has been disputed by U.S. officials.
President Barack Obama has stepped up covert CIA drone strikes targeting al-Qaida and Taliban militants in Pakistan's tribal region along the Afghan border since he took office in 2009.
The strikes have caused growing controversy because of the secrecy surrounding them and claims that they have caused significant civilian casualties ? allegations denied by the United States.
According to a U.N. statement that Emmerson emailed to The Associated Press on Friday, the Pakistani government told him it has confirmed at least 400 civilian deaths by U.S. drones on its territory. The statement was initially released on Thursday, following the investigator's three-day visit to Pakistan, which ended Wednesday. The visit was kept secret until Emmerson left.
Imtiaz Gul, an expert on Pakistani militancy who is helping Emmerson's team, said Friday that the organization he runs, the Centre for Research and Security Studies, gave the U.N. investigator during his visit case studies on 25 strikes that allegedly killed around 200 civilians.
The U.N. investigation into civilian casualties from drone strikes and other targeted killings in Pakistan and several other countries was launched in January and is expected to deliver its conclusions in October.
The U.S. rarely discusses the strikes in public because of their covert nature, but officials have said privately that they have caused very few civilian casualties.
A 2012 investigation by the AP into 10 of the deadliest recent drone strikes in Pakistan found that a significant majority of the casualties were militants, but civilians were also being killed.
Pakistani officials regularly criticize the attacks in public as a violation of the country's sovereignty, a popular position in a country where anti-American sentiment runs high.
But the reality has been more complicated in the past.
For many years, Pakistan allowed U.S. drones to take off from bases within the country. Documents released by WikiLeaks in 2010 showed that senior Pakistani officials consented to the strikes in private to U.S. diplomats, while at the same time condemning them in public.
Cooperation has certainly waned since then as the relationship between Pakistan and the U.S. has deteriorated. In 2011, Pakistan kicked the U.S. out of an air base used by American drones in the country's southwest, in retaliation for U.S. airstrikes that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers.
But U.S. officials insist privately that cooperation has not ended altogether, and key Pakistani military officers and civilian politicians continue to consent to the strikes.
However, Emmerson, the U.N. investigator, came away with a black and white view after his meetings with Pakistani officials.
"The position of the government of Pakistan is quite clear," said Emmerson. "It does not consent to the use of drones by the United States on its territory and it considers this to be a violation of Pakistan's sovereignty and territorial integrity."
The drone campaign "involves the use of force on the territory of another state without its consent and is therefore a violation of Pakistan's sovereignty," he said.
Pakistan claimed the drone strikes were radicalizing a new generation of militants and said it was capable of fighting the war against Islamist extremism in the country by itself, said Emmerson.
A major reason why the U.S. has stepped up drone attacks in Pakistan is because it has failed to convince the government to target Taliban militants using its territory to launch cross-border attacks against American troops in Afghanistan.
Emmerson met with a variety of Pakistani officials during his visit, as well as tribal leaders from the North Waziristan tribal area ? the main target for U.S. drones in the country ? and locals who claimed they were injured by the attacks or had lost loved ones.
The tribal leaders said innoncent tribesmen were often mistakenly targeted by drones because they were indistinguishable from Taliban militants, said Emmerson. Both groups wear the same traditional tribal clothing and normally carry a gun at all times, he said.
"It is time for the international community to heed the concerns of Pakistan, and give the next democratically elected government of Pakistan the space, support and assistance it needs to deliver a lasting peace on its own territory without forcible military interference by other states," said Emmerson.
In today's episode of my Foundation series, I talk with Chad Hurley, co-founder of YouTube, and founder of AVOS. Chad talks about life after YouTube, hints at his latest ambition in the video collaboration space and recalls one very important breakfast meeting at Denny?s.
Dear Lifehacker, I'm leaving my job and want to take my work emails with me. I've been burned at jobs before, and it became very useful to have an email paper trail behind me. How can I save all the emails so I can access them in the future, just in case I need them?
Signed, Paranoid Worker Bee
Dear Paranoid, A personal copy of your work emails can definitely come in handy both before and after you leave a job. You can refer to them later, for example, to document feedback you received or projects you worked on (perhaps for samples for your next employment gig). There are a number of ways to create backups of your work emails, so hopefully one of the following methods will work for you.
First let's talk about Outlook, since it's the most common office email program, and then we'll discuss Gmail (Google Apps).
Updated to add: As a number of commenters have pointed out, your company owns your work email. To avoid any legal ramifications, check with your IT department or supervisor about doing this. (Also, if you batch download all of your emails at once, it could raise some eyebrows, as About's Human Resources site points out). It's also worth noting that, of course, these methods all work for personal email as well, so these tricks are useful no matter what you're trying to back up.
Outlook Options
Drag Emails from Outlook to a Folder
The easiest way to save multiple emails from Outlook is to select the ones you want to save and drag them to a folder in Windows Explorer (or Finder, if you're on a Mac). This saves the emails as individual .msg files with the subject as the filename, complete with any attachments. The downside: While you can later open these in Outlook, you won't be able to with another email client, since the .msg format is proprietary to Outlook. (If do you want to use a different program to read these, you'll need to look into MSG converter or viewer software.) If you're using Office 2011 on a Mac, however, dragging files will save them as .eml files, which can be opened in other email clients.
Export Everything to an Outlook PST File
For a full backup of everything, including subfolders, use Outlook's export function. In Outlook 2010, this is under File > Options > Advanced. When you save your folders as a .pst file, it backs up your mail, calendar, contacts, tasks, and notes. This .pst file can be opened on another computer?again only by Outlook.
Use the "Save as" Command in Outlook
To save individual emails in Outlook, the File > Save as command will let you save messages is more universal formats, such as text, RTF, and HTML. Unfortunately, you'll need to save any attachments individually as well, and this is only ideal for saving a few messages at a time.
Use a Script or Third-Party Tool to Save Outlook Emails in Other Formats
Thankfully, others have tackled this problem of getting emails in batches out of Outlook. I used to use this VBS script to export selected folders from Outlook as individual .msgs. Unfortunately, I can't credit the original source of the script, but I had modified it to save the emails with the sender's name along with the date and subject for the filename. This script looks similar, but apparently you can change the format from MSG to something else.
There are also third-party utilities to accomplish the same with more advanced features, but they're not all free.
Gmail Options
If your company uses Gmail (Google Apps), there are several solutions that might work for you.
Use a Desktop Email Client
You might be able to use an email client like Outlook or Thunderbird to either download your email via POP or just access it via IMAP. Then you can save the emails from the program. With Thunderbird, you can just highlight all the emails, right-click on them, and choose "Save as" to save them all as .eml files.
Use a Gmail Backup Service or Program
In addition to the Thunderbird option, we've previously highlighted several ways to backup Gmail, including using the service Backupify and backing up Gmail with the command-line tool Fetchmail.
More recently, I've found cross-platform Gmvault to be a robust tool for backing up Gmail; it lets you restore emails to another Gmail account.
Other Options
A couple of other options for both Gmail and Outlook (as well as other programs) include printing your emails to PDFs (most PDF tools enable printing to PDF from any program) and forwarding them to your personal email address, but there are downsides to these approaches too.
When you select multiple emails to print to PDF, you'll have to click on the OK button for each one. The PDFs also won't contain any file attachments, obviously, so you'll have to save those separately. Still, this might be a good solution for only a few key emails. Bonus tip: If you're using Gmail, the Gmail Print All for Chrome extension lets you print multiple emails in one shot.
Forwarding emails to your personal address is another idea. You can set up filters in both Gmail and Outlook to do this. However, you'll only be forwarding emails you receive after you set up forwarding, so to save older emails, you'll still need to use one of the solutions above.
Love, Lifehacker
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