HONG KONG (Reuters) - Huawei Technologies Co Ltd, the world's No.2 telecoms equipment maker, toned down its long-term target for networking equipment sales to enterprises, saying a prior figure was too optimistic.
Eric Xu, Huawei executive vice president and one of its rotating CEOs, also voiced frustration with security issues that are thwarting the Chinese company in the key U.S. telecoms equipment market.
Xu said the company's enterprise unit, targeted for expansion as sales to telecoms operators turned sluggish, was aiming to boost sales to $10 billion by 2017, below a goal by Huawei executives last year of $15 billion. The division posted 11.5 billion yuan ($1.9 billion) in sales last year.
"If we can achieve $10 billion sales by 2017, that will be good enough for me," Xu told an analyst conference in Shenzhen, China, where the company is headquartered.
He said $10 billion was a more realistic target after assessing the market situation more closely.
"We now have a deeper understanding of the market," he said.
Huawei's enterprise unit, which contributed around 5 percent to total revenues in 2012, sells network gear to companies and corporations.
Its flagship carrier business, which accounted for nearly three quarters of its revenue, sells equipment to telecom operators.
Its consumer group sells handsets and tablets to end-users and has been rising in the ranks of the booming smartphone market to compete with high-profile brands such as Apple Inc and Samsung Electronics Co Ltd.
Xu also said on Tuesday that the company expects its IT business, which provides IT-related gear and services to enterprises and telecoms operators, to generate between $800 million and $1 billion in revenue this year.
The Chinese firm, founded by former Chinese military officer Ren Zhengfei in 1987, faces obstacles in the telecoms equipment business in the United States, Canada and Australia due to security concerns. Huawei is not allowed to sell telecoms equipment to U.S. carriers.
Last year, the U.S. House Intelligence Committee released a report urging U.S. telecommunications companies not to do business with Huawei and ZTE Corp, another Chinese equipment maker.
It said potential Chinese state influence on the companies posed a threat to U.S. security. Those concerns have benefited global rivals such as Ericsson, Alcatel-Lucent SA and Nokia Siemens Networks.
Xu replied with exasperation on Tuesday when asked about U.S. congressional committee hearings on Huawei and ZTE.
"We are not interested in the U.S. market anymore. Generally speaking, it's not a market that we pay much attention to." He did not respond to a follow-up question about the company's continuing business selling mobile handsets in the United States.
Staring at a daunting list of tasks is rough, but staring at that first item can be just as bad. If that first task is just too unnerving to start, Lifehack.org recommends switching to a task that you find more enjoyable.
Lifehack calls this the "path of highest enjoyment:"
I found one of the easiest and most effortless ways to complete my projects is to be flexible in my project management approach. For example, most people will finish the tasks in their to-do list in sequential order. Task 1 comes first, followed by Task 2, then Task 3, etc. Sounds straight forward and easy, doesn?t it?
I did this for a long time until I realized it wasn?t the most effective method. For example, some days I would procrastinate on a project because I felt like doing Task 3 rather than Task 1. Yet by the project management rule, I needed to do Task 1 first before I could do Task 3.
On the other hand, when I give myself flexibility over what to do (while maintaining within the confines of the project), working on the project becomes like a big adventure. This approach makes me feel like I?m in a candy store and I get to pick whatever candy I want.
Sometimes, this isn't an option, and you need to get things done in sequence (or in order of importance and urgency). But when a project is feeling a bit slow, this (like structured procrastination) can at least help jump-start your productivity. Hit the link for more tips on finishing what you start.
10 Essential Tips to Finish What You Start | Lifehack
Kim and Kanye have been apart for 85 days since they announced their pregnancy. They announced it 11 days ago, thanks to our friend POTP for counting!) and since then they have only spent 26 days together. Say what? That is not how I would want my pregnancy to go. I hope things change! Kanye has been in Paris working on his album and Kim has been in the US filming Keeping Up With The Kardashians. It is not as bad as it sounds though, as Kanye is being attentive to Kim’s pregnancy, at least making it home for every single doctor appointment. And dropping big bucks to do so.? Apparently he has been taking a private jet to and from Paris to attend the doctor visits. It has cost him well over $100k. I jut don’t understand why he doesn’t work over here in the states and get to hang with Kim before their life changes. Going from two to three changes things quite a bit, but they haven’t even been dating that long. I am stressed for them! At least Kim is officially divorced, I don’t know what possessed Kris to give up after almost two [...]
SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Toyota Motor Corp is giving its Vios and Yaris models a major makeover for China as part of the Japanese group's make-or-break move into the no-frills entry-level segment of the world's biggest autos market.
Versions of the Vios and Yaris have done relatively well in the United States, Europe and Japan, "but we have not made sufficient progress with the car in China," Hiroji Onishi, head of Toyota's China operations, told reporters during the Shanghai auto show on Sunday.
"We tried to give (the models) a proper "daqi" stance typical of what Chinese consumers look for, and we improved fuel efficiency," he said, referring to a local phrase that Chinese use for a car's road presence.
The revamps are a key plank in Toyota's fightback strategy in a market where its sales were battered last year in the fallout from a row between Beijing and Tokyo over disputed islands in the East China Sea.
Onishi said it could take Toyota at least a year to win back business lost to that damaging territorial dispute, leveraging the new no-frills models.
The re-designs, with the new sedan version replacing the existing Vios and a hatchback replacing today's Yaris, are a recognition by Toyota that it misread the Chinese market even before last year's dispute that halved the company's sales in September. The Japanese firm will keep the existing model names for the new cars that should be in showrooms by the end of the year.
The new cars are critical to Toyota's China strategy as they are planned as high-volume models to regain momentum in the market and restore branding after the Yaris fizzled - partly through a perceived lack of 'daqi' and because it was priced too high.
The existing Vios, launched in 2002, cost from 89,500 yuan ($14,500), while the Yaris, brought to market six years later, cost from 87,000 yuan - while annual incomes for many are 50,000-60,000 yuan. Neither car really took off with a new consumer class of people who now just about earn enough to be able to afford a car.
THE ELUSIVE MILLION
A decade ago, Akio Toyoda, the founding-family scion who now heads the group, ran Toyota's China operations and set the "aspirational" goal of selling 1 million cars a year in China by 2010. It missed that goal in 2010 and again in 2011. In September last year, days before the diplomatic dispute with China, Toyota said it aimed to sell up to 1.8 million cars annually in China by 2015.
The company's 2012 China sales fell nearly 5 percent to 840,000 cars, and Masaki Taketani, Detroit-based research director at consulting firm IHS Automotive, doesn't see sales topping 1 million until at least 2015.
Much will depend on what Chinese drivers make of the Toyota models' design, style and price makeover.
"This is a live-or-die car for us," a senior China-based Toyota executive told Reuters ahead of the Shanghai show.
Crucially, General Motors' Chevrolet Sail, a China entry-level car it launched in 2010, starts at around 56,000 yuan. GM sold 218,000 Sails last year at an average of more than 18,000 a month. Sales of the Yaris averaged around 1,250 a month, while average monthly Vios sales were just 730.
Toyota China's Onishi said the remodeled no-frills cars would use more parts sourced locally in China to keep down the manufacturing cost, but it would be difficult for Toyota to bring down selling prices below 60,000 yuan. Instead, it would aim to compete in the same price range as the Nissan Motor Sunny, which starts in China at 82,800 yuan.
"That said, we're still discussing whether we could come up with a more strategic pricing," Onishi added.
IHS' Taketani said The revamp would be a test case for Toyota and other Japanese companies battling in China.
"This is a must-win car for Toyota," he said, predicting the Japanese group would do well to sell 80,000 of the new cars by 2015, well short of the 200,000 a year he believes Toyota is targeting.
($1 = 6.1776 Chinese yuan)
(Reporting By Norihiko Shirouzu; Editing by Ian Geoghegan)
UFC on Fox 7 had knockouts, more knockouts, and even a proposal. But whose performance stood above the rest? With so many great performances, it was hard to pick just three.
No. 1 star -- Josh Thomson: After years in Strikeforce, Thomson was eager to prove that he belonged in the elite of the UFC's stacked lightweight division. He did that by TKOing Nate Diaz, which is the first time Diaz was knocked out in his career.
No. 2 star -- Matt Brown: If Dante Alighieri was alive and an MMA fan, he would add a 10th circle of hell -- facing Matt Brown. He was aggressive and relentless in his win over Jordan Mein. Even after body shots appeared to weaken him, Brown came back to win with a TKO in the second round. Brown is now hoping for a title shot. After five overwhelming wins, who can say he shouldn't get one?
No. 3 star -- Myles Jury: In his third UFC bout, Jury pasted Ramsey Nijem in the second round. He's yet to lose, and of his 12 wins, only one has gone to the judges. At just 24 years old, it's likely we're going to hear more from Jury. His next fight should be a considerable step up in competition in the UFC's lightweight division.
Who were your Three Stars? Speak up in the comments, on Facebook or on Twitter.
Apr. 12, 2013 ? Researchers at Mayo Clinic in Florida participated in a nationwide study that found minor differences between genes that contribute to late-onset Alzheimer's disease in African-Americans and in Caucasians.
The study, published April 10 in The Journal of the American Medical Association, was the first to look at the genetics of a large number of African-Americans diagnosed with this common form of Alzheimer's disease (1,968 patients) compared to 3,928 normal elderly African-American control participants.
The Alzheimer's Disease Genetics Consortium conducted the study, which included Mayo Clinic in Florida investigators Neill R. Graff-Radford, M.D., and Nilufer Ertekin-Taner, M.D., Ph.D. They provided genetic samples and data from their Alzheimer's disease databank.
The study found that the most common risk factor in these African-American patients was the APOE gene, which is also true for Caucasians with the disorder. In addition, another gene, ABCA7, which was discovered to be a risk locus for Caucasians, was also a significant risk factor in African-American patients.
The study concluded that association with variants at the ABCA7 gene increased the risk for late-onset Alzheimer's disease approximately 1.8-fold in these African-American patients compared to 1.1-fold to 1.2-fold in individuals of European ancestry, although the biologic implications of this difference remains to be established.
Still, these differences may not fully explain the genetic basis for development of Alzheimer's disease, the researchers say. The disorder is believed to arise from a number of different genes along with environmental influences.
"While they require replication in an independent African-American cohort, these findings imply that at least some of the genetic factors that lead to late-onset Alzheimer's disease are shared between the two ethnic groups," says Dr. Ertekin-Taner.
But the researchers also acknowledge that the seemingly greater influence of ABCA7 gene in African-Americans might contribute in some important, and as yet unknown, way to the disease, and it may have implications for developing targets for genetic testing, prevention, and treatment.
"These are early days in our understanding of Alzheimer's disease in this group, and in others," says Dr. Neill Graff-Radford. Dr. Ertekin-Taner adds: "It should be noted that these genetic association studies cannot identify the actual variant within the ABCA7 gene that causes the actual biologic change which ultimately confers risk for Alzheimer's disease. Thus, further studies are needed to determine whether the same functional variants or different ones are operating in these two ethnic groups. This knowledge may be critical in drug and biomarker development efforts."
"The importance of this study is that it is proof-of-principle study in this under-studied population and may pave the wave for future larger studies in African-Americans, as well as encourage similar studies in other non-Caucasian ethnic groups," says Dr. Ertekin-Taner.
The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health (P50AG16574 and R01 AG032990).
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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama proposed on Wednesday increased spending to protect U.S. computer networks from Internet-based attacks in a sign that the government aims to put more resources into the emerging global cyber arms race.
Obama's budget proposal for the 2014 fiscal year, which begins October 1, calls for more military "hackers" to head off escalating cyber threats from China, Iran, Russia and other countries. It would also bolster defenses for government and private-sector computer networks.
Intelligence officials said last month that cyber attacks and espionage have supplanted terrorism as the top security threat facing the United States, and military officials sounded the alarm as well.
"Lock your doors," Air Force General Robert Kelher told space and cyber industry executives at a conference in Colorado on Tuesday night. "Someone from halfway around the world is trying to get into your network looking to steal what you are developing."
The administration is making cybersecurity a priority at a time when it is cutting back or holding the line on spending across wide swaths of the government.
Obama's budget, released on Wednesday, proposes to boost Defense Department spending on cyber efforts to $4.7 billion, $800 million more than current levels, even as it plans to cut the Pentagon's overall spending by $3.9 billion.
The Pentagon said it plans to expand its Cyber Command, a team of military hackers conducting what it calls "reconnaissance, surveillance, development, maintenance and analysis." The Pentagon also said it would expand efforts to protect its own computer networks.
Under the budget proposal, the Department of Homeland Security would spend $44 million more on a government-wide information-sharing effort even as its overall budget would shrink by $615 million, or 1.5 percent. The department also would fund more cybersecurity research and help private businesses and local governments bolster their online defenses.
Much of the cybersecurity spending is contained in classified reaches of the government that do not make their budgets public, making quantifying the overall proposed increase sought by the president impossible.
"The budget includes increases and improvements to a full range of cyberspace activities," the Obama administration said about its classified activities.
(Additional reporting by Andrea Shalal-esa in Colorado Spring, Colorado; Editing by Alistair Bell and Will Dunham)
Snooki can't get enough of her little man! Check out other cute and candid moments from the stars! Check out other cute and candid moments from the stars
BLOOMINGTON ? The annual Illinois Sustainable Living and Wellness Expo will be 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Illinois Wesleyan Shirk Center, 302 E. Emerson St. The free expo includes about 100 exhibits, in addition to information sessions and ?
Best Prices on all YOUR Health and Fitness Requirements! CLICK HERE
MILAN (AP) ? The Italian government has approved a decree to pay 40 billion euros ($52 billion) owed by government entities to private businesses over the next 12 months to help relaunch Italy's stagnant economy.
Premier Mario Monti acknowledged Saturday after his caretaker government adopted the decree that overdue payments had become "a bad habit" that put a heavy burden on business owners.
State entities on an average pay their bills six months after services are rendered and some 90 days after the official due date, which Monti said put Italy behind Spain, Portugal and Greece.
Delayed government payments are a major factor behind liquidity shortages faced by many small and medium-sized Italian companies. Reduced turnover in the recession means many businesses, in turn, are having trouble keeping up with even small debts.
Judging from spring drills, Hampton University is much closer to having quarterbacks and not just players who line up at the position.
Rising sophomores Jaylian "J.J." Williamson and Brian Swain have improved greatly since last fall, and junior-college transfer Najee Tyler has had moments, as HU held its annual Blue-White game Friday.
"The guys are understanding the concepts better," Pirates offensive coordinator Earnest Wilson said. "They're improving their football IQ, which we didn't have, especially with freshmen. I feel really good about them. We still have a long way to go, but they're getting there."
Williamson, from Chesapeake's Oscar Smith High, marched the Pirates' offense up and down the field Friday at Armstrong Stadium. Swain, a walk-on from Laredo, Texas, had a spottier showing that wasn't indicative of his body of work this spring.
"I understand the offense, my reads, my checks, everything," Swain said. "I've learned a lot from last year, when I was just kind of playing. This year, I'm playing as a quarterback."
Said Williamson, "I was still new to the offense, new coaches, new offense, 'Air Raid' offense, so I was just coming out trying to play. Now, this offseason, I'm more focused, more in the playbook, more watching film, I have more of a grasp of the offense, a good feel for it. I feel way more comfortable. I feel like I'm back in high school."
The Pirates' version of Wilson's "Air Raid" offense was mostly grounded last season, a prime contributor to a 3-7 record that was the program's worst going back to its Division II days.
Wilson, a disciple of Hal Mumme's and Mike Leach's pass-first offensive system, came to HU with big credentials after two years as coordinator at Jackson State. The Tigers were the No. 1 offense in the Football Championship Subdivision in 2011, averaging almost 491 yards per game. They were third in passing (348.09 ypg) and ninth in scoring (35.82 points per game).
Last season, however, the Pirates were sixth in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference in scoring (21.7), seventh in passing (169.1) and fifth in total offense (317.2). They were last in turnover margin (minus-19) and 10th in red-zone offense, with just 18 touchdowns in 36 trips and 12 red-zone possessions that yielded zero points.
Hampton's offense struggled for multiple reasons: a compressed timetable for Wilson to implement his system; restrictions on practice time levied by the NCAA because of chronic academic underperformance; injury and inconsistency at quarterback; true freshmen playing quarterback.
Travis Champion, the opening-game starter, was sidelined by a concussion at midseason. Tyler struggled, coming from junior college. Ideally, Williamson and Swain would have been redshirted, but the staff felt forced to play them in order to generate some offensive spark.
Champion chose to transfer, leaving the other three to learn and battle for the position. Tyler has prototypical size (6-5 and 235 pounds) and arm strength, but has been the least consistent of the three. Swain (5-11, 180) and Williamson (5-10, 170) use their feet, as well as their arms and noggins, to produce.
"Football is definitely a mental game," Williamson said. "I feel like now I'm more aggressive. I have a feel for the offense. I'm making checks better. I'm seeing things before they happen. That's a good feeling that any quarterback would want to have, when the game slows down. I feel like it's slowing down for me. I don't care how big you are, how physical you are, the game is mental."
Swain said chemistry among the offensive players and coaches has improved from last season.
Wilson maintains that smarts and quick decision-making are more important than a big arm to run his offense. Williamson, who admires undersized Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson, is confident that he can succeed.
"If he can do it, I can do it," Williamson said. "Size doesn't matter at all. I'm out here every day with guys, (defensive) linemen who are 300 pounds chasing me, trying to kill me. All it is, is your heart."
Earnest Wilson is pleased with the players' effort and attention during the offseason and in spring drills, which conclude next week. He doesn't have to settle on a starter until the fall, and he has no reservations about playing Williamson and Swain.
"They're both capable," he said. "I don't care about rotating these two, these particular two. I think that they can grow. They've still got to settle down and relax. ? I have no problem with these two, because they can do some crazy things on the football field for this program."
Singapore beauty e-tailer, Luxola, just raised its Series A round from GREE Ventures. The amount was undisclosed, but has been rumored to be in the region of $2 million. The company carries about 60 brands of cosmetics and beauty products on its website, and ships to countries in Southeast Asia like Singapore and Malaysia. Its site was launched in September 2012, and it had previously raised a seed round of about $596,820 (S$740,000) from Wavemaker Labs and Singapore government fund, the National Research Foundation. Its initial angel round was about $423,460 ($525,000), according to CEO and founder, Alexis Horowitz-Burdick. Besides its latest funding round, the company has also managed to pull over former PopSugar Director of Affiliates and Social, Christine Ng. Prior to that, she was product manager at Sephora, where she led the beauty store’s social media and interactive product efforts. She joins Luxola as its chief marketing officer. “We’re grateful for Christine. The sort of experience she has doesn’t exist in Southeast Asia yet because the community isn’t that old. She doesn’t just have online experience, but also directly with the beauty industry,” said Horowitz-Burdick. Before founding Luxola, she came to Singapore from Washington, DC about six years ago. She had started a group buying site called The Sweet Spot. “I wasn’t interested in the race to the bottom anymore,” she said, of the decision to sell higher-tier products. The average basket price for Luxola is about US$44 (S$55), she said. Luxola employs a staff of ten. Those are split into two on the engineering side, three handling creative and design tasks, and two marketing people. The new funding will allow Luxola to continue its expansion into the region and set up warehouses there, to complete fulfilment more easily. Currently, it has a warehouse space in Singapore and ships out of it.
Blended family quotes, selected from various books and articles written by spouses and step parents who have already been there, already done that, offer much-needed reaffirmation and encouragement for partners in a step family relationship.
Even taken out of context, thoughtful quotes about blended families provide insight, reassurance, and inspiration for blended family partners who feel discouraged or overwhelmed from time to time by step family life.
Step family quotes In Blended Families an Anthology, Valerie Lewis Coleman compares step parenting with working at a late-night convenience store; you have all the responsibilities but none of the authority. She also reminds step mothers and step fathers that trying to make someone love you is like trying to climb uphill during an avalanche.
Words of wisdom are not always earth-shattering. Usually, they are just common sense observations which make sense to people when they are ready to hear them.
Blended family quotes for step mothers Step mothers have a particularly difficult time gaining the acceptance of step children, perhaps largely due to fairy tale portrayals of the wicked step mother. There is this double standard by which we suspect step mothers of being wicked and selfish; nevertheless, we expect them to be utterly selfless and loving to kids who are not their own.
And we expect step mothers to magically and instantly fall in love with their step children, despite being met with hostility, rejection, and disrespectful attitudes and actions. Recognizing the realities of step parenting, and especially step mothering in particular, is the most important step toward building of a successful blended family. Authors Wednesday Martin and Claire Berman are often quoted for their insightful observations about the step mother and step child relationship.
Blended family advice If you sometimes feel like your life is falling apart, perhaps you can take hope from author, teacher and TV host Iyanla Vanzant, who believes that lives fall apart when they need to be rebuilt. She states, sympathetically, that lives fall apart not because God is punishing us for what we have or have not done, but because the foundation upon which we base our lives needs to be re-laid.
Lives need to fall apart if they were built the wrong way in the first place. Buddhist teacher, author, and nun, Pema Chodron shows us how to transform chaotic situations into meaningful lessons on ways to communicate which encourage others to open up rather than shut down. As well, Blended Family Advice, written by the Executive Director of The Blended and Step Family Resource Center , Shirley Cress Dudley, is always available to you, as is the blended family coaching services.
Whether you are seeking blended family advice for help dealing with a specific issue at your step family home, or simply need some comforting and reassuring words, blended family quotes can be a strong asset to your library of helpful resources.
About the Author: Shirley Cress Dudley, a licensed professional counselor and nationally certified counselor, is the founder of The Blended and Step Family Resource Center and author of the book, Blended Family Advice. Shirley's passion is helping blended and step families grow strong and be successful. Sign up for our Free Newsletter and receive a Free Report.
From left, HTC CEO Peter Chou, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and AT&T Mobility CEO Ralph De La Vega embrace as they show joint products at Facebook headquarters in Menlo Park, Calif., Thursday, April 4, 2013. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
From left, HTC CEO Peter Chou, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and AT&T Mobility CEO Ralph De La Vega embrace as they show joint products at Facebook headquarters in Menlo Park, Calif., Thursday, April 4, 2013. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Cell phones with the a new Facebook interface are displayed at the company's headquarters in Menlo Park, Calif., Thursday, April 4, 2013. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Michael Goodwin, Senior Partner for HTC, displays an HTC First cell phone wit the new Facebook interface at Facebook headquarters in Menlo Park, Calif., Thursday, April 4, 2013. The company says it is not building a phone or an operating system. Rather, Facebook is introducing a new experience for Android phones. The idea behind the new Home service is to bring content right to you, rather than require people to check apps on the device. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
NEW YORK (AP) ? Facebook Home, the new application that takes over the front screen of a smartphone, is a bit of a corporate home invasion. Facebook is essentially moving into Google's turf, taking advantage of software the search giant and competitor created.
Facebook Home will operate on phones running Google Inc.'s Android software and present Facebook status updates, messages and other content on the home screen, rather than making the user fire up Facebook's app. The software will be available for users to download on April 12 and will come preloaded on a new phone from HTC Corp., sold by AT&T Inc. in the U.S.
Google gives away Android, the most popular smartphone software in the world, in the hope that it will steer phone users toward Google services, such as Maps and Gmail, and the ads it sells. Compared to ads targeting PC surfers, mobile ads are a small market, but it's growing quickly. Research firm eMarketer expects U.S. mobile ad spending to grow 77 percent this year to $7.29 billion.
With Home, Facebook is inserting itself between users and Google, diverting them to the social network's own ads and services. It's taking advantage of the fact that Google places few restrictions on how phone manufacturers and software developers modify Android. By contrast, Facebook Home would not work on the iPhone without approval from Apple Inc., and close collaboration with the company.
"Facebook Home can only reside on Android because only Google was daft enough to allow it," said independent phone analyst Horace Dediu, via Twitter.
At the launch event Thursday, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said Google was aware of the project, but Facebook didn't work them to create Home. Asked if he believed Google could change tactics and restrict apps like Home, he said it was theoretically possible, but highly unlikely for Google to do a "180-degree change" in its stance on Android's openness.
It's not the first time a big Internet company has co-opted Android: Amazon.com has gone much farther with its Kindle Fire tablets. They run a version of Android that strips out all Google services, replacing them with Amazon's equivalents. Barnes & Noble Inc. does the same thing with its Nook tablets. These devices lie outside the Google system, whereas phones running Facebook Home still come with Google apps like Maps and the Play Store for music, movies and applications.
The Play Store has many examples of downloadable applications that modify the Android home screen ? so-called "launchers." Home, however, represents the first time a major Internet company and Google competitor has created a downloadable launcher.
J.P. Morgan analyst Doug Anmuth said Home may increase the pressure on Google to find ways to get people to spend more time on its Plus social network, which so far hasn't been as magnetic as Facebook's hangout. Anmuth also thinks the communication tools built into Home could decrease usage of Google's Gmail and Gchat services.
But Zuckerberg said the app will help Google.
"I think this is really good for Android," he told the audience at the launch event in Menlo Park, Calif. Developers do their best work on the iPhone first, but with Home, Facebook is putting Android first. If consumers want the Facebook Home experience, they'll have to get an Android phone.
In a statement, Google seemed to agree. "This latest device demonstrates the openness and flexibility that has made Android so popular," it said.
___
AP Technology Writers Barbara Ortutay and Michael Liedtke contributed to this report.
Posted on: 5:56 pm, April 2, 2013, by Ed Doney, updated on: 06:33pm, April 2, 2013
OKLAHOMA CITY ? What appeared to be Oklahoma?s last chance at an income tax break may be dead at the State Capitol.
House Bill 2032 would lower the top marginal individual income tax rate from 5.25 percent to 5 percent.
?These are the people that are developing jobs, developing corporations,??Rep. Earl Sears (R-Bartlesville) said. ?They?re business people and that money that they keep there, they put it back into the business, give raises, whatever the case may be.?
Sears said income tax breaks spur the economy, creating a business-friendly environment in Oklahoma.
?Every time we?ve cut the income tax rate in Oklahoma, our budget has responded to that and it really hasn?t hurt us that bad,? he said.
Rep. Mike Brown (D-Tahlequah) disagrees.
?The ideology that says, ?We?re going to reduce taxes and gain more jobs,? hasn?t played out for the nine years that I?ve been here,? he said.
Brown said that lost tax revenue is needed to fund educations, roads, bridges and other infrastructure.
He helped defeat Senate Bill 585 Monday in a house subcommittee on revenue and tax; it lost by an 11-2 vote.
That bill reduced the top tax rate even more, from 5.25 percent to 4.75 percent.
It was unpopular because it also would have eliminated more than two dozen tax deductions and credits such as a child tax credit, employers child care services credit and a dry fire hydrant credit, which helps provide water to rural firefighters.
?I asked that in committee, I said, ?If you would eliminate all these credits off this bill, you would probably have a better chance of passing this bill,?? Brown said.
HB 2032 does not include any reduction or elimination of tax credits, exemptions or deductions.
It did not get a vote in the senate finance committee Tuesday, however officials said it will be heard Wednesday in the senate rules committee.
New relief for gynecological disordersPublic release date: 3-Apr-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: George Hunka ghunka@aftau.org 212-742-9070 American Friends of Tel Aviv University
Tel Aviv University researchers discover injectable protein to reverse symptoms of dangerous conditions
The creation of new blood vessels in the body, called "angiogenesis," is usually discussed in connection with healing wounds and tumors. But it's also an ongoing process in the female reproductive tract, where the growth and breaking of blood vessels is a normal part of the menstrual cycle. But abnormal growth of blood vessels can have painful consequences and resultant pathologies.
Now, Prof. Ruth Shalgi and research associate Dr. Dana Chuderland of Tel Aviv University's Sackler Faculty of Medicine have found a potential treatment for this abnormal growth in a potent physiological anti-angiogentic factor, PEDF. Administered by simple injection, this protein reverses the symptoms of related diseases without compromising fertility, according to pre-clinical studies.
These new findings, which have been reported in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, Human Reproduction and Molecular Human Reproduction, could provide relief for millions of women worldwide. This work was done in collaboration with Prof. Rafael Ron-El and Dr. Ido Ben-Ami from Assaf Harofeh Hospital.
Dangers of angiogenesis
There are two primary pathologies associated with angiogenesis in the female reproductive system. One is endometriosis, characterized by the passage of uterine cells to other locations in the body during menstruation, which causes severe pain and reduced fertility. The other is ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS), a possible side effect of IVF treatments. This is a potentially life-threatening disease with symptoms including abdominal pain and swelling.
Approximately 170 million women suffer from endometriosis worldwide, and about 10 percent of women receiving IVF treatment develop OHSS. Because no treatment currently exists for either of these conditions, affected women have no choice but to suffer through the symptoms.
In the past few decades, scientists have conducted extensive research on both pro-angiogenic factors such as VEGF and anti-angiogenic factors including PEDF. The effect of PEDF in decreasing abnormal angiogenesis has been extensively investigated in the eye and in tumors. Prof. Shalgi and Dr. Chuderland hypothesized that the same protein could play a role in diseases of the female reproductive system related to blood vessels growth.
In both OHSS and endometriosis, rampant VEGF levels allow for the abnormal vascularization that characterises both diseases. To counteract this effect and restore a healthy angiogenic balance in the reproductive system, the researchers turned to PEDF as a replacement therapy agent. In the lab, Prof. Shalgi and Dr. Chuderland developed mouse models of both endometriosis and OHSS. After preparing the PEDF protein, they injected the mice with it.
The researchers noted a "perfect reversal" of all symptoms, including reduced abdominal swelling in OHSS-induced mice and eradicated lesions in endometriosis. When evaluating whether this protein might affect fertility, they confirmed that PEDF had no negative impact on ovulation or pregnancy rate. In fact, it increased the number of ovulated eggs in the endometriosis model, suggesting improved fertility.
Easing the pain
The next step is to commercialize the protein for therapeutic use, say the researchers, who were the first to prove that this anti-angiogenic protein is active in the reproductive system. This discovery has been patent protected and is currently undergoing commercialization by Ramot, the technology transfer company of TAU.
There are currently no treatment options for women suffering from these diseases, explains Dr. Chunderland, who believes that endometriosis, in particular, is under-diagnosed and usually dismissed as severe menstrual pain. This new treatment could bring long-awaited relief from painful and seemingly uncontrollable symptoms, including severe abdominal pain and infertility issues.
Endometriosis has a negative impact on eggs' quality; 30 percent of women with this disease require fertility treatments in order to conceive, say the researchers. Women who develop OHSS have a lower chance of conception and a higher chance of miscarriage during their IVF treatment cycles. If these diseases could be eradicated, it would ease the sometimes difficult road towards conception, they suggest.
###
American Friends of Tel Aviv University supports Israel's leading, most comprehensive and most sought-after center of higher learning. Independently ranked 94th among the world's top universities for the impact of its research, TAU's innovations and discoveries are cited more often by the global scientific community than all but 10 other universities.
Internationally recognized for the scope and groundbreaking nature of its research and scholarship, Tel Aviv University consistently produces work with profound implications for the future.
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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.
New relief for gynecological disordersPublic release date: 3-Apr-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: George Hunka ghunka@aftau.org 212-742-9070 American Friends of Tel Aviv University
Tel Aviv University researchers discover injectable protein to reverse symptoms of dangerous conditions
The creation of new blood vessels in the body, called "angiogenesis," is usually discussed in connection with healing wounds and tumors. But it's also an ongoing process in the female reproductive tract, where the growth and breaking of blood vessels is a normal part of the menstrual cycle. But abnormal growth of blood vessels can have painful consequences and resultant pathologies.
Now, Prof. Ruth Shalgi and research associate Dr. Dana Chuderland of Tel Aviv University's Sackler Faculty of Medicine have found a potential treatment for this abnormal growth in a potent physiological anti-angiogentic factor, PEDF. Administered by simple injection, this protein reverses the symptoms of related diseases without compromising fertility, according to pre-clinical studies.
These new findings, which have been reported in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, Human Reproduction and Molecular Human Reproduction, could provide relief for millions of women worldwide. This work was done in collaboration with Prof. Rafael Ron-El and Dr. Ido Ben-Ami from Assaf Harofeh Hospital.
Dangers of angiogenesis
There are two primary pathologies associated with angiogenesis in the female reproductive system. One is endometriosis, characterized by the passage of uterine cells to other locations in the body during menstruation, which causes severe pain and reduced fertility. The other is ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS), a possible side effect of IVF treatments. This is a potentially life-threatening disease with symptoms including abdominal pain and swelling.
Approximately 170 million women suffer from endometriosis worldwide, and about 10 percent of women receiving IVF treatment develop OHSS. Because no treatment currently exists for either of these conditions, affected women have no choice but to suffer through the symptoms.
In the past few decades, scientists have conducted extensive research on both pro-angiogenic factors such as VEGF and anti-angiogenic factors including PEDF. The effect of PEDF in decreasing abnormal angiogenesis has been extensively investigated in the eye and in tumors. Prof. Shalgi and Dr. Chuderland hypothesized that the same protein could play a role in diseases of the female reproductive system related to blood vessels growth.
In both OHSS and endometriosis, rampant VEGF levels allow for the abnormal vascularization that characterises both diseases. To counteract this effect and restore a healthy angiogenic balance in the reproductive system, the researchers turned to PEDF as a replacement therapy agent. In the lab, Prof. Shalgi and Dr. Chuderland developed mouse models of both endometriosis and OHSS. After preparing the PEDF protein, they injected the mice with it.
The researchers noted a "perfect reversal" of all symptoms, including reduced abdominal swelling in OHSS-induced mice and eradicated lesions in endometriosis. When evaluating whether this protein might affect fertility, they confirmed that PEDF had no negative impact on ovulation or pregnancy rate. In fact, it increased the number of ovulated eggs in the endometriosis model, suggesting improved fertility.
Easing the pain
The next step is to commercialize the protein for therapeutic use, say the researchers, who were the first to prove that this anti-angiogenic protein is active in the reproductive system. This discovery has been patent protected and is currently undergoing commercialization by Ramot, the technology transfer company of TAU.
There are currently no treatment options for women suffering from these diseases, explains Dr. Chunderland, who believes that endometriosis, in particular, is under-diagnosed and usually dismissed as severe menstrual pain. This new treatment could bring long-awaited relief from painful and seemingly uncontrollable symptoms, including severe abdominal pain and infertility issues.
Endometriosis has a negative impact on eggs' quality; 30 percent of women with this disease require fertility treatments in order to conceive, say the researchers. Women who develop OHSS have a lower chance of conception and a higher chance of miscarriage during their IVF treatment cycles. If these diseases could be eradicated, it would ease the sometimes difficult road towards conception, they suggest.
###
American Friends of Tel Aviv University supports Israel's leading, most comprehensive and most sought-after center of higher learning. Independently ranked 94th among the world's top universities for the impact of its research, TAU's innovations and discoveries are cited more often by the global scientific community than all but 10 other universities.
Internationally recognized for the scope and groundbreaking nature of its research and scholarship, Tel Aviv University consistently produces work with profound implications for the future.
[ | 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.
Montgomery ? With warmer days fast approaching, outdoor enthusiasts will have many opportunities to escape to nature in Alabama?s four national forests - Bankhead, Talladega, Tuskegee, and Conecuh. The U.S. Forest Service?s recreation season is beginning in the national forests with site enhancements and a change in program delivery. Plan ahead and visit the website www.fs.usda.gov/alabama or contact a Forest Service district office for directions, recreation activities, safety tips, fee waiver dates, and recreation user fee amounts.
?We are preparing for another busy recreation season because many people are staying in Alabama to vacation,? said Steve Lohr, Forest Supervisor for the National Forests in Alabama. ?There?s a lot to do in Alabama, and we have a team of recreation specialists and volunteers who are dedicated to making sure visitors enjoy their time in our national forests,? Lohr said.
The Forest Service manages 27 recreation sites and more than 363 miles of trails throughout the Alabama?s national forests. The public can enjoy group picnic shelters, developed campgrounds, fishing ponds, sandy-white beaches, and numerous trails designated for hiking, horse-back riding, mountain biking, and off-road vehicles. Last year, approximately 1.3 million recreation visitor days took place with the Forest collecting approximately $431,242 in recreation user fees that were applied directly back to the sites. According to Joe Nicholson, recreation unit leader, the public can expect to see upgrades to wilderness area parking lots, trail maintenance on various horse and off-highway vehicle trails, gravel on camping pads, upgrades to a shooting range, plus more.
One change in program delivery will be on the Bankhead National Forest that now has two facilities managed by private concessionaires. The American Land and Leisure is the new concessionaire for Clear Creek and Corinth Recreation Areas in northwest Alabama. They charge for their services as any private company does, so their fees will be different than other recreation sites. Visitors should also be aware that they will not honor America the Beautiful Passes for day-use fees. The concessionaire will operate Clear Creek and Corinth?s parking lots, campgrounds, boat ramps and much more on behalf of the Forest Service. Some campsites will require reservations; so please call 1-877-444-6777 or reserve on-line at www.reserveamerica.com. If you have questions about Clear Creek and Corinth Recreation Areas, please call (205) 384-4792.
The partnership with American Land and Leisure will assist the Forest Service in managing the Bankhead?s most popular recreation sites ? Clear Creek and Corinth. ?We are pleased to work with American Land and Leisure who will continue to provide a quality recreation experience,? said Nicholson, Forest Service recreation unit leader. ?Unlike the other recreation sites, Clear Creek and Corinth will receive a percentage of proceeds from the recreation fees,? said Nicholson.?
?The ?America the Beautiful Pass? Program is a suite of annual and lifetime passes that provide U.S. citizens and visitors an affordable and convenient way to access Federal recreation lands. The five passes ? Annual, Military, Senior Access, and Volunteer provide a discount to card holders to sites except for Clear Creek and Corinth Recreation Areas in the Bankhead National Forest. The passports can also be used at other federal recreation sites.
For information about recreation sites, contact your nearest Forest Service district office or the central office in Montgomery at 334-832-3370; Bankhead District in Double Springs 205-489-5111, Conecuh District in Andalusia 334-222-2555, Shoal Creek District in Heflin 256-463-2272, Talladega District in Talladega 256-362-2909, Oakmulgee District in Centreville 205-926-9765, and the Tuskegee District in Tuskegee 334-727-2652.
Singapore beauty e-tailer, Luxola, just raised its Series A round from GREE Ventures. The amount was undisclosed, but has been rumored to be in the region of $2 million. The company carries about 60 brands of cosmetics and beauty products on its website, and ships to countries in Southeast Asia like Singapore and Malaysia. Its site was launched in September 2012, and it had previously raised a seed round of about $596,820 (S$740,000) from Wavemaker Labs and Singapore government fund, the National Research Foundation. Its initial angel round was about $423,460 ($525,000), according to CEO and founder, Alexis Horowitz-Burdick. Besides its latest funding round, the company has also managed to pull over former PopSugar Director of Affiliates and Social, Christine Ng. Prior to that, she was product manager at Sephora, where she led the beauty store’s social media and interactive product efforts. She joins Luxola as its chief marketing officer. “We’re grateful for Christine. The sort of experience she has doesn’t exist in Southeast Asia yet because the community isn’t that old. She doesn’t just have online experience, but also directly with the beauty industry,” said Horowitz-Burdick. Before founding Luxola, she came to Singapore from Washington, DC about six years ago. She had started a group buying site called The Sweet Spot. “I wasn’t interested in the race to the bottom anymore,” she said, of the decision to sell higher-tier products. The average basket price for Luxola is about US$44 (S$55), she said. Luxola employs a staff of ten. Those are split into two on the engineering side, three handling creative and design tasks, and two marketing people. The new funding will allow Luxola to continue its expansion into the region and set up warehouses there, to complete fulfilment more easily. Currently, it has a warehouse space in Singapore and ships out of it.![[ Back to EurekAlert! ]](http://www.eurekalert.org/images/back2e.gif){kind=small}
Public release date: 3-Apr-2013
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