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Lowe's Companies (NYSE: LOW) is the second largest home improvement retailer in the world and one of the top ten largest retailers in the U.S. with $47.2 billion in sales in 2009. [1][2] Lowe's offers products and services across twenty categories in their home improvement stores, ranging from kitchen appliances to lumber to gardening tools. The company ranks second in home improvement retailing to Home Depot (HD), which had total sales of $66.2 billion in 2009 -- nearly one-and-a-half times that of Lowe's. [3] Home Depot has has held the upper hand against Lowe's since 2005 in terms of sales and net income -- in 2009, Home Depot's net income was $2.7 billion, one-and-a-half times greater than Lowe's $1.8 billion.
Like all home improvement retailers, Lowe's is very vulnerable to interest rates and the housing market slowdown. The subprime mortgage crisis in the financial industry has also been a large factor behind Lowe's struggles. In 2009, even though Lowe's net sales decreased 2% from 2008 sales, net income decreased 18.8% to $1.8 billion and same store sales decreased 6.7% for the year.[1][4] In addition, at of the end of fiscal 2009, Lowe's operated over 1,710 stores in the United States and Canada -- all but 16 of the stores were located in the US, [5] which gives Lowe's greater exposure to the struggling domestic US market. The economic downturn has also caused the company to slow down store expansion -- Lowe's only plans to open 40 to 45 new stores in 2010 compared to the 61 and 115 stores it opened in 2009 and 2008 respectively.[5] Home Depot on the other hand operates 262 stores internationally and has stores in China, which act as a buffer to the domestic market. [6] Lowe's expand internationally in Q12010 by opening its first store in Mexico.[7]
Lowe's started as a single hardware store in North Carolina in 1946 and since then has grown to the second largest home improvement retailer in the world behind Home Depot. Today, the company makes money in several different key areas:
Lowe's provides a wide range of home building supplies (about 40,000 products per store) and services to its target customers. [8] The company sells national brand name merchandise ranging from Whirlpool to John Deere and proprietary brands exclusive to Lowe's such as Kobalt and Harbor Breeze.
In 2009, the company operated 1,710 stores in the United States and Canada -- all but 16 of the stores were located in the United States. Most retail outlets are big-box stores (averaging around 110,000 square feet of retail space) which are used in large markets, and some are smaller 94,000 square-foot stores used for smaller markets. In 2009, the company opened 61 new stores, all but 5 of which were in the United States. The company also expand internationally in Q12010 by opening its first store in Mexico. [7]
Lowe's reports its sales in one general business segment which has 21 different categories of products: [9]
Lowe's uses four methods to make sales:
In June 2009, main competitor to Lowe's, Home Depot claimed that the worst of the housing market fallout had already passed. [10] However, this does not mean that the home improvement companies like Lowe's will suddenly see higher sales or net income -- Lowe's had a 19% decrease in net income in 2009.[11] Although the housing market might have bottomed out, the economy is still suffering from the recession. The household savings rate has reached a 15 year high [12] and the number of homes on the market due to foreclosures is very high. Homebuilders have to wait until foreclosed homes, which are selling at rock bottom prices, and for the economy to rebound before they see any increases in housing construction. In October 2009, home construction fell 10.6% from levels in September and was at its lowest point in six months. In addition, home construction in October 2009 was 30.7% lower than it was in October 2008[13] In the following December, home construction fell an additional 4%. However, that month also saw a 10.9% increase in the number building permits, an indicator of future construction,[14] which reach its highest level in a year and is perhaps a sign that the slow recovery is already beginning.
In the past, a high correlation has existed between the rate of home purchases and buildings and interest rates. As interest rates fall, prospective home owners and builders can borrow money less expensively and therefore will be more likely to do so. When more homes are built and purchased, Lowe's sales to homebuilders and re-modelers increase. On the flip side, when interest rates rise, borrowing becomes more expensive and the number of building and home improvement projects decline, resulting in fewer sales for Lowe's. In addition, higher interest rates make home refinancing, a large source of funds for home improvement projects, more expensive.
Since 2006 the housing market has been struggling as a result of the credit crunch that began in 2007 in the financial industries with fallouts on subprime mortage-backed securities. As a result, national home foreclosure rates have gone up dramatically, with the hardest hit places being the Southeast and Southwest. [15] The foreclosure rate in Q3 2009 was 5% higher than the rate in Q2 and 23% higher than the rate in Q3 2008. This meant that one in every 136 homes were in foreclosure nationwide, and in the hardest hit places like Nevada, one in every 23 homes recieved a foreclosure notice [16] The more foreclosures there are, the more homes are on the market, which results in a decrease in demand for building new homes. Lowe's has struggled through this period seeing annual decreases in revenue and net income since 2006. In addition, same store sales have been negative in 2007, 2008, and 2009 at -5.1%, -7.2%, and -6.7% respectively. [4]
It should be noted that housing booms do not always occur when interest rates are low. This is especially true in the case of a geographic area housing boom. There are many reasons for such booms (e.g., a company may move to an area, providing a boon through new jobs creation). Because Lowe's has widespread locations throughout the U.S., they are in position to take advantage of such booms.
By the end of 2009, Lowe's was operating 1,710 stores in the United States, having opened 61 new stores during the 2009 fiscal year. [5]Approximately half of Lowe's retail stores are located in one of the top 100 markets in the US, which are comprise about two-thirds of total revenue in the home improvement market. Lowe's store expansion in the future focuses on expanding in the Northeast and West regions of the U.S. However, because of the turmoil of the U.S. Housing Market and reduced consumer spending due to the recession, Lowe's has drastically decreased its rate of expansion. The company only plans to open 40 to 45 new stores in 2010, compared to the 61 and 115 stores opened in 2009 and 2008 respectively. [5][17]
Lowe's currently has two types of retail stores, a larger one for areas with higher demand and a smaller store type for areas with less demand. This lets Lowe's prevent building up excess inventory by matching an area's demand with the appropriately sized supply of products and services. Matching demands and cutting costs are essential for Lowe's because its main competitor Home Depot has 1,976 stores in the U.S and is competing for the same customers. [18]
In addition to domestic expansion, Lowe's is starting to focus on expanding internationally as well. Home Depot already has a large presense outside of the US in countries like Canada, Mexico, and China. Not only do these markets provide a new customer basis and more sales, they also act as a buffer to the slumping US domestic economy. Lowe's sees international expansion as a means to increase revenue and keep up with Home Depot.
Lowe's opened its first stores outside of the U.S. in Canada during FY2007 with seven stores in the greater Toronto area. In FY2008, the company opened five more stores in Canada, increasing its international stores to 11. Lowe's made plans to venture into Mexico in 2009 with three to five stores in and around Monterrey. [5] The first of these stores opened in Q1 2010.
Home Depot, on the other hand, is already established outside of the United States with over 150 stores in Canada and 60 stores in Mexico. It is important to note that Home Depot's international stores generate less revenue per store than domestic stores. This differential is likely tied to the fundamentals of international markets (i.e., lower disposable incomes, lower average home prices). As such, Lowe's faces the risk of having lower overall store efficiency as it steps outside of the U.S .in the next few years.
One quickly growing contributor to revenue for Lowe's is their Installed Sales division. Through this division, the company provides installation services to customers who prefer the concept of do-it-for-me (DIFM) rather than do-it-yourself (DIY). Lowe's sells to DIFM customers products as well as home installation. For example, Lowe's installs the new flooring purchased in its retail stores. The company offers installation services in over 40 categories and has an association of over 10,000 professional installers nationwide. Sales from this division have increased at a compounded annual growth rate of approximately 22% since 2004 with segment revenue achieving 6% of net sales in 2009 (approximately $2.9 billion). [19]
As the demographics of the U.S. change, specifically baby boomers getting older, there will be an increased amount of demand for DIFM services. The 77 million baby boomers provide a growing market for Lowe's DIFM business line -- in 2005, the DIFM business increased by 20.5%.[20] This is good for Lowe's because they reap additional revenue in this segment from installation charges that they do not accrue from DIY (do-it-yourself) customers.
Each Lowe's store stocks proprietary brands exclusively sold by Lowe's and national brand name items sold by other retailers and suppliers. Some notable brands unique to Lowe's include: Premier Living, Kobalt, and Portfolio. The contracts that give Lowe's exclusive rights to sell certain brands generate dual value, especially in regards to the professional customer base.
Lowe's is in second place behind Home Depot (HD) in a two horse race in the home improvement retail industry (both are among the top 10 overall retailers in the U.S.). To illustrate the competition between the two companies, nearly a quarter of Lowe's retail stores are located within 10 miles of a competing Home Depot retail store. [21]
Lowe's and Home Depot are by far the most known of the home improvement retail industry, but together they make up only about 18% of the estimated $725 billion home improvement market, which includes pure product demand as well as installation labor demand. The rest is distributed between other "big-box" retailers such as Wal-Mart Stores (WMT), smaller hardware store chains, construction firms, and other small businesses.
Lowe's ranks behind Home Depot in terms of overall revenue--$47.2 billion vs $66.2 billion in 2009.[1][3] Despite this, Lowe's has been catching up with and even exceeding Home Depot across several measures while trailing in the international markets:
One key driver of the difference in operating performance is Lowe's store environment, which is often noted to be more more customer friendly than Home Depot's. Consumers wanting less of a "warehouse style" home improvement retailer often choose Lowe's over Home Depot.
Lowe's also faces competition from smaller independent mom & pop stores. Although these stores usually cannot match the prices of the industry giants Home Depot or Lowe's, they make up for higher prices with customer care, tradition, and perhaps convenience. [22] In addition, the presence of big companies like Lowe's and Home Depot in some areas has even caused customers to boycott the giant firm and to shop at local businesses. [23] The advantage that Lowe's has against these smaller competitors is that they stand a better chance at outlasting the economic downturn and in the mean time attracting old customers of fallen businesses.
One example of a small competitor is Builders FirstSource (BLDR), a company that makes and sells structural and related building products for residential new construction. The company is based in the United States and operates in the United States.[24]


text: If you got some spare memory in your server not being actively used, there is one tip to improve PHP and overall server performance. Requirements: * there are enough free memory to spare. * /dev/shm/ should be mounted as tmpfs. Install eaccelerator with PHP suEXEC, set disk cache storage to /dev/shm/eaccelerator/ instead of /tmp/eaccelerator/, then add a cron job to clean the cache directory every 5-10 minutes, so cache files not being used frequently will not fill up the precious shared memory storage. Noticed that the server load going down from 4.x to 1.x on one client's server.

subset: commoncrawl


text: He's Teo Halm, whose IMDb page is fresh snow, almost totally unblemished, not dissimilar to that of recently cast co-star Rowan Blanchard. Though young Elliott Matthews won't be the protagonist of Girl Meets World, the male offspring of Boy Meets World's Cory and Topanga should have a decent-sized role on the sequel-series. Elliott is described as "good hearted except for his dedication toward using Riley [his sister] as his wrestling practice dummy." He and his sister will appear on your TV later this year.


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Oct 2, 2009 at 2:58 am
Oh and i like your explorer to.
Oct 2, 2009 at 2:58 am
Your oldest kid looks like you! LoL, and you baby is so adorable! congratz
Jan 30, 2009 at 3:30 pm
Congratulations on the arrival of your new son. What a great looking family! What a great time it is for you.


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Review: The Singleton of Glendullan
Posted by Arctic Wolf on January 10, 2013
About two years ago Diageo launched a new (what I am going to term) "entry level" 12 year old Single Malt Scotch from the Glendullan Distillery (in Dufftown) called The Singleton of Glendullan. The malt is part of their Classic Malts Selection, and is produced from spirit aged in both European Sherry Oak casks and American Bourbon Oak casks. I first encountered this Single Malt at a local Food and Wine event two years ago, and I was impressed enough to buy a bottle for myself, and one for a friend that Christmas. My bottle was sipped slowly over time and has long since disappeared; but fortunately for me, I was recently given another bottle to review on my website by the Northern Alberta Diageo Marketing Rep.
Here is an excerpt from that review:
"… As I pour the whisky into my glencairn glass, my nose is greeted with some nice butterscotch and caramel notes which are accented with lightly smokey tones of sherry (think dark fruit like dates and raisins), fresh fruit, some sweet malty notes, and a mild herbal punky peat. As the glass sits, the caramel turns to toffee as the oak spices assert themselves …"
You may read the full review here:
Review: The Singleton of Glendullan
Please enjoy the review!
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.


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Verlander won't pitch in WBC
Lakeland, FL – Team USA will not have arguably its best pitcher for the upcoming World Baseball Classic, as Detroit Tigers ace Justin Verlander has announced that he will decline an invitation to participate in the event.
Verlander told reporters of his intention to skip the WBC upon arriving to Detroit's spring training complex on Monday. The 2011 American League MVP and Cy Young Award winner said he didn't think his arm would be ready for competitive action by the time the United States begins play in early March.
"I don't want to have to feel rushed to catch up to where I need to be," he stated.
Verlander is coming off a campaign in which he threw a total of 266 innings between the regular season and playoffs. Because of that heavy workload, he said he began his offseason throwing program later that usual to allow his arm time to rest.
The standout right-hander had been on Team USA's provisional roster announced in January.
Nationals starter Gio Gonzalez was added to Team USA's roster over the weekend and still has an open spot for a pitcher after Atlanta's Kris Medlen recently pulled out.


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The first Stoke Mandeville Games, 1948 National Spinal Injuries Centre, Stoke Mandeville Hospitla
In summer 2012, the London International Paralympic Games will see 4,200 athletes from over 150 countries compete in 20 sports to packed crowds. It is not widely known that the Paralympics originated with an archery contest in 1948, organised by neurologist Ludwig Guttmann, a Jewish refugee from Nazi Germany.
Sir Ludwig Guttmann, 1899-1980. Wellcome Library, London. Above: the first Stoke Mandeville Games, 1948 (detail). National Spinal Injuries Centre, Stoke Mandeville Hospital.
Discover the fascinating story of Ludwig Guttmann and the legacy of his work with this display in the ground floor galleries.
Supported by


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Bayern Munich coach Jupp Heynckes has hinted that he might not retire at the end of the season despite the impending arrival of Pep Guardiola at the Allianz Arena.
It had been widely reported that the 68-year-old could end his career in the summer, but, taking inspiration from public figures who have worked despite their advancing years, he has claimed that he still has a lot to offer.
"When I think of [former Chancellor of Germany] Konrad Adenauer assuming office at 71, and now our new Pope who is 76, then I think can still do something at 68," he told Liga Total.
"I would not consider that directorial role. I am only going to reveal my future after the end of this season."
Bayern ran out 2-1 winners over Leverkusen at the BayArena thanks to a late Philipp Wollscheid own-goal, and Heynckes was delighted with his side's response to their midweek defeat to Arsenal.
"This win has made me happier than many others," he added.
"We are very satisfied. Today was very difficult after the Champions League game on Wednesday. We played a good game in the first-half, and were strongly driven.
"The legs were heavy after the break, but the team was ultimately rewarded."


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The Save Me Trust are aware of a series of horrific incidents. We are primarily concerned with wild animals but feel that this case is so appalling and local that we should support finding this barbaric killer of animals.
Please contact us with any information that you may have.
Tosh in Belvedere, March 2015 - Ukiyo in Addiscombe, September 2015 - Amber in Shirley, October 2015 - Oscar in West Norwood, November 2015 - Unidentified cat in West Norwood, November 2015 - Missy in Couldson, December 2015 - "Charlton" in Charlton, December 2015 - An unidentified black and white cat found killed next to
More than 30,000 signed a petition to the police to track down the "cat ripper" of Croydon after many pets were found dead. A reward to capture a suspected cat killer has been more than doubled to £5,000 after more animals have been found apparently mutilated.
A cat killer is slaughtering pets, dismembering them and moving the body parts into public view in order to "watch people's reactions", an animal rescue group has warned Pet owners are being urged to keep their beloved felines indoors following a series of horrific killings
A pet charity has gathered what may be DNA from under the claws of tortoiseshell moggy Amber and the Met Police is prepared to accept it as evidence The net is closing in on the 'Croydon Cat Killer' suspected of slicing off heads and tails of more than 30 felines after new DNA evidence emerged, police say.
A serial cat killer in south London appears to have struck again. The person, now known locally as "the Croydon cat ripper" is thought to have mutilated, decapitated and killed more than 30 animals in the last two years. Tortoiseshell Amber was found without a head or tail.


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|- Full quality WAV (44.1kHz/16bit)
|- High quality Mp3 (320 kbps)
Flowing and motivational music track with an energetic yet laid-back tone and a positive, optimistic and successful vibe. A fun, driving and catchy groove on bass and electric keyboard starts off this unique, animated and joyful corporate funky swing jam, which also features simple and light grooves and arpeggios on the electric and acoustic guitars, atmospheric textures and driving and tight, yet delicate and soft rhythms on drums and percussion, which altogether help in crating a gradual constant build towards an uplifting and exciting ending.
The organic, energetic and rhythmic vibe of this track makes it most suitable for all kinds of corporate, financial and industrial videos, business presentations, children related contents, successful visuals, commercials, infomercials, podcasts, tv and web adverts.
Thanks for buying and rating!


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The Windows Operating system is generally available in DVDs, but at times, we might want to install Windows from an ISO file on our hard disk, instead of a DVD. The only problem is that we cannot read an ISO file without starting Windows first. In this guide, we will see how to create a bootable USB disk from an ISO file of Windows 7 or Windows 8. This will allow us to install Windows, just as we do using a DVD.
Things you will need
To create a bootable USB thumb drive, you will need a thumb drive that has at least 4GB of space. You will also need the contents of your Windows ISO file extracted somewhere.
Creating a bootable Windows 7 or Windows 8 diskStep 1: To create a Windows bootable disk, put the USB drive in your computer's USB port.
Step 2: Go to Start menu, type in cmd and right-click on cmd.exe search result as shown in the image. From the right click context menu, select the Run as Administrator option.
Step 3: Type diskpart and press enter. Diskpart is a nifty utility to manage partitions and disk drives in Windows.
Step 4: When Diskpart starts, the command prompt will change to a DISKPART prompt.
Now, type the list volume command. This will list out all the disk volumes on your computer.
[It is very important that you select the right drive. This step can spoil your computer's hard-disk partitions, if done wrong.]
Issue the select volume command as shown in the screenshot below. The select volume command has to be supplied with a drive number. This is the number listed on the first column of the list volume command result, for a drive you want to use. Run the command as shown, replacing with your appropriate drive number.
Step 6: Now that we have selected a drive, it is time to run the clean command. This will clean the drive of all partitions and prepare it for a fresh partition structure.
Step 7: Now, we will create a primary partition, as all bootable drives should have primary partitions. Issue the command create partition primary.
Step 8: The heart of any bootable disk is the boot sector. For the boot sector to be written into the primary partition, it has to be active. Mark the partition as active by issuing the active command.
Step 9: Now, we have to format the disk. Windows accepts only NTFS format disk partitions for a boot sector. Issue the command format fs=NTFS command. Once the format completes, close command window.
Step 10: This is another critical part of all the steps.
[ I assume you have already extracted your Windows ISO file and copied its contents somewhere.]
Navigate to the boot folder of the extracted ISO. Now, shift+right click in an empty area as shown and click on Open command window here.
In that command window, issue the command bootsect.exe /nt60 with the appropriate drive letter as shown below. I have given J: because after formatting, my USB drive appeared as J drive. Use your appropriate USB drives's letter.
Step 11: Navigate to the root folder where your ISO is extracted in Windows explorer. it should have folders like boot, efi, sources, support, upgrade and files like bootmgr, autorun.inf. Select all these files and folders, and copy them into the thumb drive.
Congratulations! You are ready with a bootable USB drive.
Follow the steps serially, without skipping any of them, or jumping back and forth. Share your experience with us.


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Don't Be Fooled: Leahy Is NOT Removing DNS Blocking Provisions, Merely Delaying Them
from the bad-reporting dept
As I prepare a managers' amendment to be considered during the floor debate, I will therefore propose that the positive and negative effects of this provision be studied before implemented...That is NOT removing the DNS blocking provisions. It is merely delaying them.
Furthermore, since the DNS blocking was such a key component of the bill and, at the very last minute, Leahy is suddenly claiming that we can all ignore that section for the time being, isn't that reason enough to stop and wait, rather than rushing this bill forward? Leahy is admitting that he did not and still does not understand a key provision in his bill. Do we really think that's the only provision he did not understand? Shouldn't this, alone, be evidence that this bill needs to be rethought entirely? This isn't a reason to move forward. It's the opposite. It's a reason to put this bill aside and spend some time actually understanding the issues at play.


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WALTHAM, Mass., Nov. 13, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BG Medicine, Inc. (Nasdaq:BGMD), a company focused on the development and commercialization of novel cardiovascular diagnostics, today provided an update on its new commercial strategy to speed the adoption of its cardiovascular diagnostic tests – the BGM Galectin-3® test and the CardioSCORETM test.
Under the plan announced today, BG Medicine has begun to build its own dedicated sales organization and has taken steps to open its own CLIA lab in order to play a more active role alongside its commercial partners in driving sales and marketing efforts. In addition, the company highlighted its new Galectin-3 promotion effort, and provided an update on the regulatory and commercial path forward for CardioSCORE.
"We have taken a series of important steps over the past year to realign BG Medicine into a more commercially-focused company, capable of playing a larger role in facilitating the market adoption of our innovative cardiovascular diagnostic tests," said Eric Bouvier, President and CEO of BG Medicine. "The steps outlined today represent the culmination of our efforts to transform BG Medicine. Taken together, these actions place us in a much stronger position to control our own destiny and drive our own commercial success."
Highlights of the new commercial strategy include:
- The launch of a major campaign to grow BGM Galectin-3 test sales in hospital settings. BG Medicine launched a new campaign earlier this month at the American Heart Association (AHA) Scientific Sessions 2012 focused on the urgent need to reduce rates of unplanned hospital readmissions. The CMS guidelines that went into effect on October 1, 2012 will result in new financial penalties expected to reach an aggregate of nearly $300 million in 2013 and nearly $1 billion by 2015, if improvements are not made. Because heart failure patients with elevated levels of galectin-3 are two-to-three times more likely than other heart failure patients to be readmitted to the hospital within 30 days of discharge, the company believes that identifying these high-risk patients through galectin-3 testing is a potentially valuable and cost-effective tool in a hospital's strategy to reduce unplanned 30-day readmissions. The company expects this initiative will accelerate the sales ramp-up and the widespread adoption of galectin-3 testing.
- The conversion of a medical liaison organization to a US-based sales organization. BG Medicine is transforming its current field force from an awareness- and education-focused organization into one with a sales mission and growth strategy. The field force will focus initially on promoting galectin-3 testing at a core set of hospitals with higher-than-average readmission rates, which are at risk of incurring significant financial penalties due to new rules affecting readmissions set by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
- The opening of a CLIA (Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments) certified clinical laboratory. BG Medicine expects to open the BG Medicine CLIA laboratory in the first half of 2013 in order to make galectin-3 testing available to hospitals and other health care providers. The company expects this CLIA lab will further strengthen the company's own infrastructure to support sales made directly by BG Medicine.
- Commercial strategy for CardioSCORE. BG Medicine is proceeding with the commercial offering of the CardioSCORE test in order to bring its benefits in the management of patients at risk of a cardiovascular event to physicians and patients as quickly as possible. To that end, BG Medicine is continuing its discussions with the FDA regarding 510(k) clearance for the CardioSCORE test kit. The company also expects to launch the CardioSCORE test initially in Europe through one or more partners, assuming receipt of a CE mark, which the company expects to receive in the first quarter of 2013.
In addition, the company announced a strategic reorganization in its research and development department, away from its previous focus on early stage discovery and toward a more commercially-oriented role in support of the BGM Galectin-3 and CardioSCORE tests in the marketplace. As a result of this reorganization, 11 positions in early discovery research have been eliminated, enabling the company to dedicate a greater share of its R&D budget to commercial support and market growth activities.
"The implementation of the aggressive new strategy announced today will be a critical driver in our ongoing transformation into a full-scale commercial organization," continued Mr. Bouvier. "This is an important time in the evolution of BG Medicine and we look forward to sharing our progress in our execution of this strategy with our shareholders."
About BG Medicine, Inc.
BG Medicine, Inc. (Nasdaq:BGMD) is a diagnostics company focused on the development and commercialization of novel cardiovascular diagnostics to address significant unmet medical needs, improve patient outcomes and reduce healthcare costs. The Company's first commercialized product, the BGM Galectin-3® test for use in patients with chronic heart failure, is available in the United States and Europe. BG Medicine is also developing the CardioSCORETM test, a blood test designed to aid in the assessment of an individual's risk for near-term major cardiovascular events. For additional information about BG Medicine, heart failure and galectin-3 testing, please visit www.bg-medicine.com and www.galectin-3.com.
The BG Medicine Inc. logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=10352
Special Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements
Certain statements made in this news release contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, that are intended to be covered by the "safe harbor" created by those sections. Forward-looking statements, which are based on certain assumptions and describe our future plans, strategies and expectations, can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking terms such as "believe," "expect," "may," "will," "should," "could," "seek," "intend," "plan," "estimate," "anticipate" or other comparable terms. Forward-looking statements in this news release address our beliefs that our new commercial strategy will place us in a much stronger position to control our own destiny and drive our own commercial success; our expectation that we will open our own CLIA lab in the first half of 2013; our expectations that having our own CLIA lab will further strengthen our ability to strengthen sales of our diagnostic tests; our belief that identifying high-risk patients through galectin-3 testing is a potentially valuable and cost-effective tool in a hospital's strategy to reduce unplanned 30-day readmissions; our expectations that our hospital readmissions initiative will accelerate the sales ramp-up and adoption of galectin-3 testing; our intention to proceed with the commercial offering of the CardioSCORE test; and our intention to launch the CardioSCORE test initially in Europe through one or more partners. Forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations and involve inherent risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements, as a result of various factors including those risks and uncertainties described in the Risk Factors and in Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations sections of our recent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. We urge you to consider those risks and uncertainties in evaluating our forward-looking statements. We caution readers not to place undue reliance upon any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. Except as otherwise required by the federal securities laws, we disclaim any obligation or undertaking to publicly release any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statement contained herein (or elsewhere) to reflect any change in our expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based.
CONTACT: Chuck Abdalian EVP & Chief Financial Officer (781) 434-0210
Source:BG Medicine Inc.


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At Paula Young, we understand how difficult it is to face hair loss on top of a cancer diagnosis, and we're dedicated to easing you through this transitional time. You may feel like so much of your life is out of your control, but we're here to give you back some control-over the way you look, which in turn can make all the difference in the way you feel.
Chemotherapy affects everyone differently. Some people will lose all of their hair, while others may only experience thinning, and still others may see no effect on their hair at all. Most women do lose some or all of their hair, usually after their second treatment. It's important to remember that most hair loss is not permanent and that hair usually grows back after treatments end.
There are many options available to you in coping with hair loss. While some women gravitate toward turbans and scarves, others are most comfortable in a wig and some choose to wear their baldness proudly. Coming to terms with the fact that you need to wear a wig can be very emotional, but a wig can also be the key to helping you feel more like yourself again. With it you can look and feel just like a 'normal' person, and not a cancer patient. The key is to try and embrace your wig, because there is no shame in wearing one. It can actually be fun!
While all Paula Young wigs are designed for the ultimate in comfort and security, our Medical Hair Loss Wig styles have special features like an ultra-comfortable, non-allergenic gel lining and lightweight, breathable construction. You can see our entire selection of Medical Hair Loss Wigs and Hair Alternatives online.


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TU joins F3T as sponsor for fourth year in a row
Nonprofit group also sponsors a film in the tour
DENVER--Trout Unlimited today announced that it will continue to sponsor the Fly Fishing Film Tour in 2015, continuing a relationship that has proven fruitful for both entities since the partnership began four years ago.
TUs investment in the film tour gives the nonprofit conservation group an avenue to reach filmgoers around the country at more than forty tour stops with its collaborative stewardship message, and it gives TU chapters from coast to coast the opportunity to recruit local members and let filmgoers see first-hand how TU makes fishing better for all anglers.
In addition to sponsoring F3T this year, TU is also sponsoring one of the films in the tourCo2LD Water. The film, produced by Conservation Hawks and featuring the likes of Yvon Chouinard, Todd Tanner and Craig Mathews, discusses the importance of addressing climate change and the impacts a warming world is having on trout.
Were very happy to be a part of F3T again this year, said Joel Johnson, TUs chief marketing officer. The tour is a part of fly fishing culture now, and it gives us a true opportunity to connect with people who are passionate about fish and share in our desire to protect trout and salmon. Plus, its just plain fun.
The sponsorship comes with benefits for TU chapters all across America. Chapters are always invited to participate in F3T screenings, but the deal also allows chapters to sponsor tour screenings on their own at a steep discount and raise money for local conservation efforts. In addition to show screenings, the tour also can provide face shields and Buffs chapters can use to raise money for on-the-ground work in local communities.
We firmly believe in TUs mission, and were very proud to have TU on board again this year as we take the show on the road again, said Doug Powell of F3T. Working with local chapters on the ground to help them raise money for conservation is important to us, and over the years, our affiliate shows have helped raise more than $150,000 for good causes.
The tour kicks off this weekend in Denver, and goes throughout the spring and summer with dozens of stops all across the U.S. and Canada. For those interested in hosting a show, contact Chris Keig or Doug Powell at the above phone numbers, or send an e-mail to them at email@example.com.
Trout Unlimited is the nations oldest and largest coldwater fisheries conservation organization, boasting more than 150,000 members from coast to coast. Follow TU on Facebook and Twitter, and keep up with all of our work by reading our blog.
TV & Radio show host / Surf Fishing Guide/Guitar Player-Band Leader & Ferret Lover
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Puig quiets speculation
MIAMI (AP) — With his first swing of the night, Yasiel Puig ended a slump and silenced speculation he's in trouble.
He came off the bench to hit a tiebreaking home run in the eighth inning and help the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Miami Marlins 6-4 on Tuesday night.
Puig was held out of the starting lineup after going hitless in his past 11 at-bats. He also drew a fine when he arrived late for pregame drills, raising more questions about the 22-yearold's maturity and comportment.
He entered in the sixth inning in a double switch, batted for the first time leading off the eighth and needed only one pitch to break a 4-all tie.
The NL West leaders broke a two-game losing streak, their longest in two months. They won despite blowing a 4-1 lead and hitting into four double plays.
Mets 5, Braves 3
NEW YORK (AP) — Rookie Zack Wheeler beat NL Eastleading Atlanta for the third time, pitching shutout ball into the seventh inning and sending New York to victory.
Wheeler improved to 3-0 this year against the team with the best record in the majors. Helped by his midseason promotion from Triple-A, the Mets hold an 8-7 edge over the Braves.
Marlon Byrd and Ike Davis homered and speedy Eric Young Jr. sparked the Mets, stealing two bases, scoring twice and making a diving catch in left field. Catcher Travis d'Arnaud doubled for his first hit in the majors, ending an 0-for-10 rut.
Wheeler (6-2), raised in the Atlanta suburbs, defeated the Braves at Turner Field in his big league debut in June, then topped them at Citi Field in July.
Rockies 5, Phillies 3
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Troy Tulowitzki and Wilin Rosario homered to lead Colorado past Philadelphia.
Jorge De La Rosa (13-6) pitched into the seventh to win his third straight start. Dexter Fowler also drove in a run to help the Rockies jump out to a 5-0 lead.
Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado made a fantastic backhanded stop and in-the-air throw to first in the seventh inning to rob Jimmy Rollins of a runscoring hit.
Rafael Betancourt tossed a scoreless ninth for his 16th save.
Tyler Cloyd (2-3) allowed five runs in six innings in his first major league start since June 12.
Diamondbacks 5, Reds 2
CINCINNATI (AP) — Paul Goldschmidt set a club record with his third grand slam of the season and became the first NL player to drive in 100 runs, powering Arizona over Cincinnati.
Goldschmidt connected in the eighth inning off J.J. Hoover, ending the reliever's streak of 23 scoreless appearances. His 31st homer tied him with Pittsburgh's Pedro Alvarez for the NL lead. All of his career grand slams have come this season.
Left-hander Patrick Corbin (13-3) stymied Cincinnati's lefty-dominated lineup, pitching a six-hitter, including Chris Heisey's two-run homer, during his second complete game. Corbin matched his career high with 10 strikeouts.
The left-hander shut down the Reds' left-handed threats — Shin-Soo Choo, Joey Votto and Jay Bruce were a combined 0 for 12 with seven strikeouts.
Nationals 4, Cubs 2
CHICAGO (AP) — Ryan Zimmerman had two hits and drove in a run, Bryce Harper had two hits and scored a crucial ninth-inning run, and Dan Haren pitched six strong innings to help Washington beat Chicago.
Zimmerman had two doubles and could have had four hits as he lined out to third base in the third inning to start a double play and hit a hard shot at the center-fielder in the seventh.
Haren (8-11) kept the Cubs off-balance despite not throwing a pitch faster than 89 all night. Rafael Soriano gave up a leadoff homer to Donnie Murphy in the ninth before getting the last three outs for his 32nd save in 38 chances.
Cubs starter Chris Rusin (2-3) gave up two runs and 10 hits in 5 2-3 innings.
Brewers 6, Cardinals 3
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Kyle Lohse beat St. Louis for the first time this season and Sean Halton knocked in a career-high three runs to help lead Milwaukee to victory.
Lohse (9-8) beat the Cardinals in his fourth try this season and improved to 3-5 in nine outings overall against his former team.
Lohse left after six innings with the Brewers leading 6-3. He struck out four, walked two and allowed six hits and three runs, two coming on Yadier Molina's two-run homer in the fourth. Molina also doubled and scored in the second on Matt Adams' single.
John Axford and Brandon Kintzler each pitched a scoreless inning, and Jim Henderson pitched the ninth for his 19th save in 22 chances.
Lance Lynn (13-7) got roughed up in the Brewers' fiverun fourth, highlighted by Halton's two-run single with the bases loaded.
Giants 3, Red Sox 2
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Brayan Villarreal walked Marco Scutaro with the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the ninth, handing San Francisco the victory over Boston.
Roger Kieschnick started the winning rally with a one-out single off Franklin Morales (2-1). The Giants loaded the bases with two outs when Morales walked Andres Torres and hit pinch-hitter Hector Sanchez on the left wrist.
Villarreal then threw four straight balls to Scutaro in his first appearance with the Red Sox, giving the defending World Series champions a rare reason to celebrate this summer.
Sergio Romo (4-6) pitched a perfect ninth for the win.


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It is possible that the main title of the report Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy is not the name you expected. Please check the synonyms listing to find the alternate name(s) and disorder subdivision(s) covered by this report.
Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) is a neurological disorder characterized by destruction of cells that produce the myelin, an oily substance that helps protect nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, also known as central nervous system (CNS) white matter. It is caused by a virus called JC virus (JCV), named after the initials of the patient in whom it was first discovered. The virus is widespread, found in at least 85% of the general adult population. It remains inactive in healthy individuals and causes disease only when the immune system has been severely weakened, such as in people with HIV/AIDS, or hematological malignancies, and in organ transplant recipients who receive immunosuppressant medications to avoid rejection of the transplanted organ. Altogether, PML occurs in approximately one in 200,000 people.
The term "progressive" in PML means that the disease continues to get worse and often leads to serious brain damage. The term "multifocal" means that JCV causes disease in multiple parts of the brain. However, it is possible for an individual with PML to have only one brain lesion instead of several lesions. The term "leukoencephalopathy" means that the disease affects mainly the white matter of the brain or myelin, although there are some rare cases in which the gray matter neurons are also involved.
amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research
120 Wall Street
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Fax: (212)806-1601
Tel: (800)392-6327
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Internet: http://www.amfar.org
Center for Disease Control and Prevention
1600 Clifton Road NE
Atlanta, GA 30333
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Tel: (800)232-4636
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
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Gay Men's Health Crisis
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HIV/AIDS Treatment Information Service
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This is an abstract of a report from the National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc. ® (NORD). A copy of the complete report can be obtained for a small fee by visiting the NORD website. The complete report contains additional information including symptoms, causes, affected population, related disorders, standard and investigational treatments (if available), and references from medical literature. For a full-text version of this topic, see http://www.rarediseases.org/search/rdblist.html
The information provided in this report is not intended for diagnostic purposes. It is provided for informational purposes only. NORD recommends that affected individuals seek the advice or counsel of their own personal physicians.
It is possible that the title of this topic is not the name you selected. Please check the Synonyms listing to find the alternate name(s) and Disorder Subdivision(s) covered by this report
This disease entry is based upon medical information available through the date at the end of the topic. Since NORD's resources are limited, it is not possible to keep every entry in the Rare Disease Database completely current and accurate. Please check with the agencies listed in the Resources section for the most current information about this disorder.
For additional information and assistance about rare disorders, please contact the National Organization for Rare Disorders at P.O. Box 1968, Danbury, CT 06813-1968; phone (203) 744-0100; web site www.rarediseases.org or email email@example.com
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If you've recently celebrated the big 4-0, congratulations! For the next several decades, you're going to get happier, and experience less stress. (At least that's what the studies say!)
Continue Reading Below
Of course, this does not exactly give you license to just sit back and take it easy. You're about halfway through your working life, which means that you have half the time left to pull in the money that will sustain you for the rest of your life.
And, not to be pessimistic (although pessimism can be good for your finances), but that's only true if you work until your intended retirement age. Unfortunately, a lot of people face early retirement—or can't get hired at all in their later years, as one manager revealed to us.
But we're here to talk about solutions, so we've rounded up the seven most common financial challenges facing people in the 40+ set. Our goal: ensure that your 80-year-old self can sit in a rocker and watch the clouds drift by.
1. If You've Been Avoiding Your Finances Entirely …
Think your financial situation is bad? Well, whatever you fear now is better than the situation you'll face if you put this off for another year. So here's how you can take action today:
- Review how much you have saved for retirement.
- Check your savings to determine just how many months you could fund basic expenses if you lost your job (we recommend at least six).
- Figure out if you're in debt, and if so, how much you've accrued.
- Get your credit score via the steps in this checklist.
And the key to healthy asset growth is simple: You need to stick to a budget, which will ensure that you spend less than you make, and save for the future. But how much, exactly, should you spend on dining out versus contributing to savings? The 50/20/30 Rule will tell you–and Money Center users will automatically be guided in how to set up their budget according to this rule.
2. If You're Living Beyond Your Means …
Keeping up with the Joneses is a human tendency—not a personal failing. We've got an entire article on how to cure comparisonitis, but, in short:
- Forgive yourself.
- Pinpoint what you envy. It may not be your friend's six-figure salary, but it could be her intrepid travels.
- Be grateful for what you already have.
RELATED: How Making a Gratitude List Can Change Your Life
If you're in debt, use this checklist to get out—and make sure that you know the top debt mistakes. For some added inspiration, check out how these people got out of debt, whether it was $20,000 or $60,000.
Then look into making more money. You can start by reading our Negotiating 101 guide, as well as get tips from real people who've gotten raises.
Finally, cut your costs. If your mortgage is too high, refinance. If your utilities bill is too steep, rethink your energy efficiency.
3. If You Aren't on Track to Save Enough for Retirement …
The amount you need to squirrel away for retirement is the largest stash of money that you'll ever need to save. To find out if you're on track, do you know how much …
- you need to save in order to support yourself for 25 years or more?
- you need to put away every month in order to reach this goal?
- you'll need to live on every month in retirement, taking inflation into account?
If you don't know the answer to each of these questions, you must start contributing–or increase your contribution–to your retirement account(s) today.
RELATED: The 11 Biggest Retirement Lies We Tell Ourselves
If you have a full-time job, start contributing at least 5%—or more, if you can swing it—into your 401(k) or other employer-based account. And those with and without full-time jobs should also boost their IRA contributions—up to the limit. If you're unsure of the kind of accounts you need, use these 401(k) vs. IRA flow charts to find out, based on your tax filing status:
If you haven't opened an IRA, use this checklist to learn how to open an investment account.
4. If You Have Young Children or Plan to Have Kids …
Your biggest challenge is college tuition fees, which will hit you around the same time that you're in the home stretch of saving for retirement. Your top takeaways:
- Between saving for retirement and saving for college, retirement takes priority. Why? While there are loans for college, there are no loans for retirement.
- You can, however, save for retirement and college at the same time. Create a budget by calculating how much you need to contribute to retirement each month, compared to college contributions.
If you're expecting, consider taking the Baby on Board Bootcamp to find out how to accommodate your little one financially.
Finally, do this incredibly important thing: get life insurance. Need convincing? Read how life insurance saved this family, and then check out our Life Insurance 101 guide and this checklist.
5. If You're About to Pay for College …
If your little ones are, well, big, then you need to know how to take out student loans smartly, and how to apply for financial aid. (Review these top student loan mistakes, so your kid gets the right education for the right price. And be aware that private student loans are a bigger financial burden than federal aid.)
Don't let your child become another statistic in the student loan crisis–or one of the 20-somethings out there with high debt and few employment prospects.
RELATED: Real People Speak Out: How Student Loans Have Affected Me
The top things to consider:
- The amount of the loans vs. the earning potential of the student post graduation: Does it make sense to take on $150,000 in debt for a job that maxes out at $35,000 a year
- Should your child start out at a junior college or a community college and then transfer to a four-year university? (Many community colleges also now offer four-year degrees through reciprocal programs with state universities.)
- Can your child work part-time while in school or do a work-study program? Both of these opportunities will teach your kid the value of time management—and offer practical work experience.
Finally, if you're a little late to the 529 game and wondering if opening one now still makes sense, check out Saving for College 101.
6. If You're Getting Back Into the Workplace …
After taking a few years off, your top financial priority should be to save for retirement, since you may have some catching up to do. Here are some tips for your re-entry to the workforce:
- Don't discount experience from outside the workforce. You were likely exercising some skills that would be of interest to a potential employer—whether you coached a team or organized an event for your child's class. Explain in your résumé or cover letter how these skills could translate to the job opening.
- Evaluate all job offers carefully—even those with low salaries. Generous benefits could make up the difference.
- Negotiate. Brush up on your negotiating skills, learn this interviewing tip and pick up these secrets from hiring managers.
- Excel on the job. Check out these tips from bosses, and learn what steps you should take to get set up at your new job.
7. If You're Starting to Take Care of Your Parents …
Make sure that you have all of the financial, medical and legal information you need, such as:
- their bank accounts and passwords
- the names and contact info for financial professionals, such as attorneys and brokers, along with permission granted for you to speak with these advisors
- insurance policies
- tax returns
- medical records and contact information for primary and specialty physicians
- estate planning documents, including wills, trust documents and powers of attorney
- regular bills that need to be paid, like utilities and newspaper subscriptions
Start accompanying your parents on visits to financial advisors, doctors or attorneys. And be wary of anyone who refuses to let you join—unscrupulous people may try to take advantage of your parents if they think that no one is watching.
If you're researching long-term care options for your parents to cover medical and non-medical needs for long periods of time, be aware that, in most cases, Medicare won't pay for long-term care—so evaluate other resources, such as veterans' benefits. If you've heard that you need to encourage your parents to "give away" or "hide" resources in order to qualify for Medicaid coverage of long-term care expenses, consult an attorney who specializes in elder care for proper guidance.
Retirement and Beyond
Now that you're 40, you may also be thinking about your own needs down the road. While you're still young and in good health, it may make sense to purchase long-term care insurance. In addition, now is a great time to make sure that your own legal documents are updated, especially if you've had kids or if you've gotten divorced since you drafted your will. Also, double-check those IRA accounts or you may end up disinheriting your current spouse in favor of your ex!
Remember that your top financial goal as you head into the last half of your working years is to save for retirement, followed by prioritizing for your child's college education, your parents' long-term care options and any student loan debt that you still owe.
And remember that every money challenge is temporary and can be handled–the way countless other people have managed it before you.
Read More From LearnVest:
10 Ways Your Budget Needs to Change in 2013
40 or Older? You Can Still Whip Your Finances Into Shape
6 Steps to Survive Your Suddenly Smaller Paycheck


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Could the Eagles be on the move again in Thursday's draft?
General manager Howie Roseman said the Eagles are open to dealing away their number 23 pick, and hinted at drumming up interest from squads eager to get a late first-round quarterback.
"Especially where we are in the first round, I think that's where you anticipate some of the quarterbacks coming up. Obviously we're in a great place in the draft to get some of those quarterbacks where they're slotted to go if someone wants to come up and get one of those quarterbacks," Roseman told Philadelphia-area reporters today. He said the team has alreamody received calls. "People are interested in moving up. ... There are a bunch of teams that look like they're in the top 10 first round, second round that may be interested in a quarterback. If they want to make sure that they get one, and get the one that they want, I think it's an area that you can come and move to."
Roseman might be sending out a smokescreen, but more likely he was sending a message to other teams: if you want our first rounder, we're listening.
His comments fit with recent breakdowns from draft analysts, who have predicted a "feeding frenzy" on late first round quarterbacks (in the words of the NFL Networks Mike Mayock), especially among QB-needy teams who can't get veterans through trades or free agency. ESPN's Mel Kiper and Todd McShay have each made similar comments, saying that after Cam Newton and Blaine Gabbert come off the board, teams will be scrambling to get into the bottom of the first round to grab next-tier QBs, for fear of missing out entirely if they wait.
We saw this happen last year when the Broncos traded back into the first round to get Tim Tebow at number 25.
While you always have to worry about misdirection this time of year, Roseman's comments hint strongly at the Eagles looking to move back in the draft, not up. If that happens, look for them to go after offensive or defensive linemen, where the draft is deeper, instead of a cornerback, where there are three top players and not much afterwards (though Roseman said the depth of cover men who could play in the slot specifically may be better than those who are strictly corners who play on the outside).
So how would the Eagles get a cornerback, a position where they desperately need help? Talking in general, Roseman several times referred to "other avenues" available after the draft (read: eventual trades and free agency). He also talked repeatedly of not looking at any one pick in a "vacuum" and of assessing the combinations possible in the first and second rounds. (See last year, when they passed on safety Earl Thomas expecting that they could still get a starting-quality safety, Nate Allen, in the second round).
With that in mind, the draft looks like the better bet for offensive linemen, since there are many good ones available and few quality veterans likely to be around in free agency.
The opposite holds true at corner, where there could be a good free agent group and only a few top flight cover men in the draft.
The cornerback free agency class should be a strong one, headlined by Nnamdi Asomugha, but with several other very good players potentially available as well, depending on free agency rules – including Johnathan Joseph, Antonio Cromartie and maybe Brent Grimes – again, depending on the rules around restricted free agents. In the draft, the Eagles would have to pay heavily to get Prince Amukamara -- likely giving up their first and second round picks to move up high enough to snag him -- and might have to move up to get Jimmy Smith, who analysts say is rising again (though the price would be lower).
The sense today was that they would much rather move back than up.
"We're open to explore any options that we think make us better, whether that's moving up, moving down, we're definitely open," Roseman said. After a long pause he finally added, "Or picking."
Some other highlights:
-- Roseman said he expects to be able to stick even closer to the team's draft board than usual this year, because even if the team doesn't fill draft needs, those "other avenues" (free agency, trades) will let them fill remaining holes later. That means picking for top talent at each slot, with less emphasis on specific needs. He allowed that if two available players are graded closely, the edge would go to the one that fills a need, but only if it's a close call.
-- He touted the defensive line talent at the top of the draft, calling it "very enticing" but said it's not as deep in later rounds this year. He said linebacker value is probably in the middle rounds, which would keep with recent Eagles history of waiting to pick LBs.
-- On cornerback Jimmy Smith's character concerns: "Jimmy's a good guy to talk to ... he did a great job when he was here."
-- On his tendency to make so many draft-day trades: "A.D.D." Then he got more serious: "The more players you get, the better chance you have of hitting on guys."
-- On some of last year's mid-round picks: He said Daniel Te'o-Nesheim got "beat up" in training camp and had a disappointing year, but "I don't think we've seen the best of Te'o." He thought Trevard Lindley "did a great job" and played "at a high level" for a rookie fourth rounder. Linebacker Keenan Clayton he said will be a weakside linebacker, not a safety. Roseman said the team knew it would probably take him a year to adjust to the NFL.


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Hey joooons,
In honor of President's Day, we thought it might be fun to look back on some of our favorite, SEXY (and least) presidents of all time.
Starting the countdown:
Not only, do we love the white bowl-haircut, BUT: he is the "Father of the Constitution." If it weren't for him (and several others), the United States would never have had such a "body proof" legal system. How can we forget laws that deemed African Americans as 3/5's a person? Never. Especially since, he owned hundreds of slaves… Classy.
But thank God, we had other presidents come into the picture to reform those racist bigotries that trickle throughout the Constitution like its no one's business.
While Abe Lincoln may not be the MOST physically attractive guy– he took life-changing risks that still effect us all one way or another. On top of being harsh, strong and a believer in rights for all– he didn't do the typical presidential thing and live at the White House- he stayed in a cottage during his presidency and rode on horseback to and from the White House everyday.
Not a big deal? Sure, but too bad people tried to kill him on his way there every damn day. Not that this ever stopped him because he would be up and out before his security could trail him since it was the only time of day he had to himself. Awww.
Father of the Emancipation Proclamation, Abe died the day before it was ratified. But don't worry- we never forget presidents who leave a lasting, positive impression.
While Abe was truly inspiring, we have had other presidents that weren't so much…
We're glad the U.S. doesn't discriminate … really we are. Who would have EVER thought that we would elect a president with three D.U.I.'s under his belt? NOT US.
While George had the audacity to name Iran as one of the "Axis of Evil," we don't really think he was that bad of a guy. When Hurricane Katrina happened, he went and personally spoke to families that were affected by the disaster. He had a heart… too bad he was stupid enough to name people like Dick Cheney and Karl Rove as crucial members in his presidency. If Dick Cheney's last friendship- where he shot the guy in the face– was ANY indication of what kind of man he is, we would have hoped that George would run far far away from him.
But sadly, he didn't and he's included in this list because we are pretty sure he is a five-minute man– alcohol d*ck anyone?
On to the next…
Some of us are too young to remember much about former President Clinton, other than his scandalous Monica Lewinsky affair, but he was a certified Frat boy, first president of the Baby Boomer generation and often described as a "New Democrat." But MOST IMPORTANTLY, he beat George H.W. Bush and kept him from serving a second term.
Thank god for that.
Unfortunately, Clinton's horn-dog reputation STILL shines over some of his many accomplishments– for example, he was a major advocate for EDUCATION- something that we ALL benefit from. And look at his wife! Our current Secretary of State– yeah she said she would obliterate Iran if she were elected president, but hey- she wasn't. Like we said, talking shit is forever- it doesn't always get you where you want to go.
Now, how can we write a post about memorable presidents without naming the infamous:
Not only was he the youngest man to be elected into office (at age 43), but he was the first president to win a Pulitzer Prize. For what…? He published a book called Profile in Courage featuring U.S. Senators who risked their careers for personal beliefs. Hot.
JFK was most known for his domestic program, "New Frontier" which promised to rid racial discrimination, provide federal funding for education, medical care for the old and elderly, and other promising economic reforms. Unfortunately, many of his programs weren't passed by Congress (sound familiar? *cough Obama haters cough*), BUT Congress did eventually vote them into law AFTER JFK's assassination in 1964-65.
Last but not least…
President Obama stepped into the limelight at a time where Americans had lost all hope. He came and instilled a new sense of hope within all of us and while many like to argue that not much has changed since he stepped into the presidency, here is something we should all realize: Obama stepped up and took over after MANY mistakes were made. Shit's gotta get worst before it can get better, and with the upcoming elections coming up- it looks like some people need a rude awakening:
(1). Obama signed the reauthorization of the State Children's Health Insurance program, which provided coverage for an additional FOUR MILLION uninsured kids.
(2). He reversed a policy that limited stem cell research allowing for the future advancement of science.
(3). In 2009, he proposed new regulations on power plants, factories and oil refineries in an effort to decrease the risk of global warming.
(4). Additionally in 2009, Obama signed the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act- which ensures that crimes motivated by someone's gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability be included in the United States federal hate-crime law.
(5). Furthermore, he signed OBAMA CARE. If you need us to explain WHY this is important- well… you need to brush up on your Wikipedia skills.
If that's not enough? He is the first African American president to hold office, and he appointed two women to the Supreme Court within the first two years of his term. How often does that happen?
We're tired of hearing that Obama hasn't done anything. Its hard getting shit done when your House of Reps is held mostly by Republicans out to get you. But like he said in his most recent State of the Union, "Put a bill on my desk I can get behind, AND I WILL SIGN IT INTO LAW."
So Happy President's Day joonies.
Who's your favorite president?


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posted by Thom Holwerda on Fri 11th May 2007 18:17 UTC, submitted by diegocg
"The Intel 965GM Express Chipset represents the first mobile product that implements fourth generation Intel graphics architecture. Designed to support advanced rendering features in modern graphics APIs, this chipset includes support for programmable vertex, geometry, and fragment shaders. Extending Intel's commitment to work with the X.org and Mesa communities to continuously improve and enhance the drivers, support for this new chipset is provided through the X.org 2.0 Intel driver and the Mesa 6.5.3 releases. These drivers represent significant work by both Intel and the broader open source community."


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Vladimir Bulović, professor of electrical engineering and a MacVicar Faculty Fellow, has been named director of MIT's Microsystems Technology Laboratories (MTL). He will assume the position Oct. 1.
Bulović replaces Anantha Chandrakasan, the Joseph F. and Nancy P. Keithley Professor of Electrical Engineering, who became head of the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science in July.
MTL is an interdepartmental laboratory that supports microsystems research encompassing work in circuits and systems, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), electronic and photonic devices, and molecular and nanotechnology. Annually, MTL supports 550 students and staff who are sponsored by contracted research of more than $40 million.
In an email to the community, School of Engineering Dean Ian Waitz said he looked forward to Bulović's "creativity and energy in the coming years" as he assumes the leadership of MTL's 35 core faculty members and 100 research affiliates.
Bulović currently leads the Organic and Nanostructured Electronics Laboratory, co-directs the MIT-ENI Solar Frontiers Center, and is the co-head of the MIT Energy Studies Program. His research interests include studies of physical properties of organic and organic/inorganic nanocrystal composite thin films and structures and the development of novel nanostructured optoelectronic devices.
He is an author of more than 120 research articles and holds 48 U.S. patents in areas of light-emitting diodes, lasers, photovoltaics, photodetectors, chemical sensors, programmable memories and micro-electro machines, the majority of which have been licensed and are being utilized by both startup and multinational companies. Bulović and his students have founded two startup companies that employ more than 120 people: QD Vision Inc., which is focused on development of quantum-dot optolectronics; and Kateeva Inc., which focuses on the development of printed organic electronics.
Bulović received his MS from Columbia University in 1993 and his PhD from Princeton University in 1998. He is a recipient of the U.S. Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, the National Science Foundation Career Award, the Ruth and Joel Spira Award, the Eta Kappa Nu Honor Society Award and the Bose Award for Distinguished Teaching, and was named to the Technology Review TR100 list. In 2009, he was awarded the Margaret MacVicar Faculty Fellowship, one of MIT's highest undergraduate teaching honors.


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Another pitcher, another shutout victory.
The Bayfield High School baseball team blanked Miyamura from Gallup, N.M., 3-0 on Saturday at the Piedra Vista Tournament in Farmington.
It wasnt Colorado Mesa signee Clay Miller, either.
Darren Hoselton threw seven innings with one hit four strikeouts and no walks for the shutout.
He pitched really well, and I dont know what happened, but we just played incredible defense, said BHS head coach Tom Horton, whos been critical of some bad errors at bad times from his defense in their last several outings. We just played really, really well behind him.
The win was the fourth BHS (5-2) shutout in five wins.
To have four of them this early in the year is really inspiring for our pitching, Horton said.
The Patriots nearly matched the Wolverines.
Bayfield had eight hits but scored all three of its runs in the fifth inning.
We hit the ball on the button, and they just made a lot of plays, Horton said.
They just made one defensive play after another. Got to give them credit; they really gave us a good run.
Matthew Knickerbocker was 2-for-4 with a double and a run, and freshman Kelton McCoy was 2-for-3.
Miller, the Wolverines left-handed ace, was 1-for-3 with two runs batted in.
BHS will play the Piedra Vista junior varsity at 4:30 p.m. Friday in Farmington, then will take a week off before hosting Alamosa in its home and Intermountain League opener April 6.


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Chambray 6 Panel Low Profile Snapback Trucker w/ Sublimated Applique
Additional Info
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ATLANTA – Deciding which party controls the Senate for the final two years of President Barack Obama's tenure could come down to women — both the handful who are running in significant races and the moderate female voters who often make the difference in close elections.
With Republicans needing a net gain of six seats to claim the Senate majority, Democrats want to replicate the kind of advantage among female voters — the so-called "gender gap"— they usually post in presidential election years. To do it, they're angling for advantage in midterm election states with competitive races on issues they believe will make a difference: Pocketbook policy on minimum wage and pay equity, education, health care and insurance coverage for contraception.
"There's no secret that over the last couple of cycles, women have been a disproportionate part of the targeted persuadable voters," said Democratic pollster and strategist John Anzalone, a top campaign adviser to North Carolina Sen. Kay Hagan. The larger the gender gap for Democrats, he added, "the more likely they are to win."
Republicans, meanwhile, bristle at the implication that the GOP agenda hurts women. In the 2012 elections, President Barack Obama cruised to re-election, and his party kept control of the Senate in part with their battle cry that on those issues and more, the GOP was waging a "war on women."
Those in the GOP say the November results will be more about the economy and the country's overall direction, with voter discontent toward Obama, his job performance and — critically, his signature health care overhaul — trumping whatever issues Democrats try to emphasize.
Of course, maximizing the gender gap could be tricky for Democrats in a midterm election year when an older, whiter electorate makes it even harder for Democrats to motivate their core supporters and win over independents, who are more conservative.
"In states where Democrats don't win that often, this is not the year they're going to reverse the trend," said Republican pollster Glen Bolger, who works for North Carolina GOP Senate front-runner Thom Tillis. "It's hard to overcome the fundamentals with tactics, no matter how good a campaign you run."
Anzalone conceded as much, but said the Democratic strategy isn't about winning on single, hot-button issues "isolated to women." Instead, it's about a range of issues that combine to "help take Republicans off their narrative."
It's not just Democrats wooing women. Even in races where both candidates are men, the competitors are acutely aware of the need to appeal to female voters, or at least not alienate too many. In Colorado, for example, Democrats backing incumbent Sen. Mark Udall have attacked Republican Rep. Cory Gardner for his previous support of a so-called "personhood" amendment, a provision that recognizes legal rights for fetuses from conception. Gardner has since backed off, a signal of how sensitive the issue could be in the perennially competitive state, according to exit polls conducted for The Associated Press.
And in Georgia, the only woman in the seven-candidate Republican nomination fight is suggesting that being female could nullify any "war on women" talk from Democrats if, as expected, they nominate Michelle Nunn to run for an open Senate seat.
"I would really love to see Michelle Nunn drop the 'war on women' on me," former secretary of state Karen Handel said to big applause at a luncheon this month, where 2008 vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin endorsed her.
Recent political history make women voters a hotly pursued demographic in 2014.
According to exit polls, the gender gap in recent elections in Colorado, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, North Carolina and West Virginia has typically been in the double digits, with women far more apt to back Democratic candidates than men.
In Louisiana and North Carolina, Democratic Senate incumbents Mary Landrieu and Kay Hagan, both making re-election bids in 2014, won six years ago with strong performances among women. Landrieu even outperformed Obama in 2008, winning 57 percent of women while Obama captured just 42 percent of women voters in Louisiana that year. Hagan's 55 percent matched Obama's support among women. Both fared worse among men, with Hagan garnering just 47 percent of their votes.
Two years later, across three vastly different Senate contests in 2010 — Colorado (a toss-up), Kentucky (where the GOP candidate had an advantage) and West Virginia (where the Democrat had an advantage) — the gender gap persisted. Women backed the Democrat by double-digits in both West Virginia and Colorado and split evenly in a Kentucky election that saw Republican Rand Paul carry a 21-point advantage among men.
The election math means courting women voters is an anchor of the party's strategy for protecting incumbents like Hagan, Landrieu and Udall. The strategy also is central to Democratic efforts to winning Republican-held seats in Kentucky, where Alison Lundergan Grimes wants to replace Sen. Mitch McConnell, and in Georgia, where Nunn wants to succeed retiring Republican Saxby Chambliss.
Grimes hammers McConnell, saying his record as Republican floor leader in the Senate "couldn't be more black and white" against women for his votes, among others, against minimum wage hikes and the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act that makes it easier for women to sue for gender-based wage discrimination. And she emphasizes her support for expanding child care tax credits and programs for domestic violence victims.
Hagan has criticized the North Carolina legislature — which Tillis helps lead as House speaker — for a rightward lurch she says hurts women.
Nunn eagerly notes that she'd be Georgia's first woman elected to the Senate. "I meet women all the time who are aware that we have a chance to make history," she said. And, as she also awaits GOP primary results, she accuses all of her potential rivals of "running to the extremes."
Republicans, meanwhile, mock Democrats for the strategy.
McConnell campaign aides dismiss Grimes as a hypocrite for being slow to speak out against another prominent Kentucky Democrat — a state House member — accused of sexual harassment by two legislative staff members. More broadly, Republicans say Democrats cannot run from their associations with Obama. That variable bolsters GOP confidence since so many of the contested Senate races are in states Obama lost in 2012.
Republicans have gone on offense with female nominees vying for two open seats now held by Democrats.
In West Virginia, Republican Rep. Shelley Moore Capito is the favorite over Democratic Secretary of State Natalie Tennant in the race to succeed Jay Rockefeller, who is retiring.
In Michigan, Republican Rep. Terry Lynn Land squares off against her Democratic House colleague Gary Peters for retiring Sen. Carl Levin's seat. Republican primaries in Georgia and Iowa also could yield female nominees.
In a recent ad, Land says: "Congressman Gary Peters and his buddies want you to believe I'm waging a war on women. ... Think about that for a moment." She adds sarcastically, "I approved this message because, as a woman, I might know a little more about women than Gary Peters."
Associated Polling Director Jennifer Agiesta in Washington, D.C., and AP writer Adam Beam in Frankfort, Ky., contributed to this report.


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InfluAds is a platform allowing publisher to lead the development and curation of advertising networks around a simple, relevant yet beautifully designed ad targeting highly influential audiences.
The Nativo platform is an end-to-end native advertising solution for publishers enabling them to easily activate, deploy and manage native ad placements across all their media properties.
Nativo is leading in Top 10K Sites, Top 100K Sites, Top 1M Sites and The Entire Web.
In terms of market share, InfluAds is clearly lagging behind, losing to Nativo in all segments.
Nativo has better usage coverage in more websites categories. Including News & Media, Arts & Entertainment, Autos & Vehicles, Business & Industry and 120 other categories.
InfluAds is leading in Web Design, Board & Card Games, Mobile Developers and Industrial Goods & Services.
Nativo is leading in most countries, including United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Brazil and 63 other countries.
InfluAds is leading in Argentina and Serbia.


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My Highlights from Design Miami/ Basel 2014
Felix Burrichter
Dimensions include shades
Georges Jouve was working as a theater designer when World War II broke out. He spent the war seeking refuge in the Free Zone of the South of France, where he happened upon the region's tradition of ceramics, learning the local potters' secrets. In 1944 he opened his studio in Paris, and in the years that followed, he would go on to become a leading ceramicist of the mid 20th century. With a background in art history and sculpture, Jouve created strong and sinuous shapes—sometimes influenced by the religious figures he encountered in southern France—which he covered with rich enamel.
French, 1910-1964, Fontenay-sous-Bois, France, based in Paris, France


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News > Faith
On The Road Through Nothingness
It's rare to see a positive story about the Catholic Church in the mainstream media, especially in newer online-only publications like Slate, but Harold Fickett, a Godspy contributing editor, managed to publish an essay there recently about the Clear Creek Monastery, a new and growing contemplative Benedictine monastery in Kansas, and the wider story of how Catholic religious communities are attracting young people. It could be that the critical success of the three-hour documentary, Into Great Silence, which had a long run at Manhattan's Film Forum in 2007, left an impression on the editors. The appeal of that movie is captured in Harold's ending: "From its rich liturgical rites to the pastoral details of its life as a working farm, as the monks raise sheep, make furniture, tend their orchard, and care for a huge vegetable garden, Clear Creek is what a monastery is meant to be—a sign of paradise. Father Anderson says, 'We were only a bunch of bums, but by becoming nothing, you can be a part of something great.'" READ MORE >
Magazine > Faith
Struggling with the Rosary
The Rosary is excruciating. There I said it. Archbishop Fulton Sheen said it was the most perfect prayer because it takes 19 minutes, which is the maximum time the average person can maintain a state of concentration. The truth is the Rosary can be a real chore. St. Thérèse, the Little Flower, was being more honest when she said,… READ MORE >
Magazine > Faith
What's Behind the New Interest in Confession?
Is the present increase in the popularity of the confession of sins a step toward a realistic religiosity, or is it the popularity of the penitential rite of the American Church of Christ without Christ? READ MORE >
Magazine > Faith
Bart's Problem
In his new book, God's Problem, Bart Ehrman tries to prove that the God of the Bible doesn't answer the question of why we suffer, but his argument falls flat. In the end, what Ehrman and other "new atheists" forget is that a world without God is not a world without evil or innocent suffering. It's simply a world of suffering without hope. READ MORE >
News > Faith
An interview with Chris Hedges: "I don't believe in atheists"
"…Not believing in sin is very dangerous. I think both the Christian right and the New Atheists in essence don't believe in their own sin, because they externalize evil. Evil is always something out there that can be eradicated. For the New Atheists, it's the irrational religious hordes. I mean, Sam Harris, at the end of his first book, asks us to consider a nuclear first strike on the Arab world. Both Hitchens and Harris defend the use of torture. Of course, they're great supporters of preemptive war, and I don't think this is accidental…" READ MORE >
News > Faith
Pope: Why the 'dual-unity' of man and woman is important
"[it] is based on the foundation of the dignity of every person, created in the image and likeness of God, who 'created them male and female' (Genesis 1:27), as much avoiding an indistinct uniformity and flattened-out and impoverished equality as an abysmal and conflictive difference … This dual-unity carries with it, inscribed in bodies and souls, the relation with the other, love for the other, interpersonal communion that shows that 'the creation of man is also marked by a certain likeness to the divine communion.' When, therefore, men or women pretend to be autonomous or totally self-sufficient, they risk being closed up in a self-realization … which in fact reduces them to an oppressive solitude." READ MORE >
Opinion > Faith
Fasting: Hunger in the Service of Communion
Lent is traditionally described as a season of "self-denial." So we find ourselves thinking about what to give up. We may give up chocolate, or beer, and find ourselves lamenting over them before Lent is over. Others object, and speak instead about "doing something positive" for Lent. Rather than giving something up they advocate taking… READ MORE >
Magazine > Faith
Repeat the Sounding Joy
Repetitive prayer draws me into the Church stretching across time and space, each seemingly identical facet casting light onto a different place in my heart. READ MORE >
Magazine > Faith
Jesus: An Ever-Present Claim
We are in a period of history never known before: a time in which the claim of Jesus has been removed from the world and must be proclaimed and defended as if it were the first time the Christian claim has been made in history READ MORE >
News > Faith
Benedict's Discomforting Message
"Benedict directly challenged an assumption so many Americans make about religion: that it is a matter of private devotion with few public implications. Not true, said the pope. 'Any tendency to treat religion as a private matter must be resisted,' he told the country's Catholic bishops Wednesday. 'Only when their faith permeates every aspect of their lives do Christians become truly open to the transforming power of the Gospel.' That is a demanding and unsettling standard for the right and the left alike... This is the thinking of a communitarian counseling against radical individualism... Perhaps it is the task of the leader of the Roman Catholic Church to bring discomfort to a people so thoroughly shaped by modernity, as we Americans are. If so, Benedict is succeeding." READ MORE >
Opinion > Faith
Being Human
I grew up in Los Angeles in two opposed worlds. I was the son of an evangelical minister who led a mega-church of 12,000 members. I was also the child of my time and place, the counter-culture of the late 1960s. The drive from our church in the San Fernando Valley to Sunset Boulevard and rock clubs like the Troubadour and the Whiskey crossed… READ MORE >
Magazine > Faith
Benedict XVI: The Pope of Hope
For Benedict, Christ's promise of his second coming and the final judgment is a pledge that evil and injustice will not have the last word in human history. READ MORE >


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Alltech, a global leader in natural animal nutrition, has concluded its first annual International Algae Conference, Algae: The Growth Platform. Held February 22-24 in Lexington, Kentucky, the invitation-only event drew 60 attendees from as far away as Australia and Europe.
"This conference is important to the region, to the state, and to the future of science. What science needs is a 'game changer' and algae are going to be that 'game changer'," said Dr. Pearse Lyons, president and founder of Alltech.
Conference presentations from several of Alltech's leading researchers were focused on the characteristics and potential uses of algae. There are roughly 800,000 species of algae, which vary greatly in form, function and chemical composition.
Algae can be used in animal feed, food supplements, pharmaceuticals, bioremediation and biofuels. Several of these industries were represented among the international audience and lively group discussions were inspired by the specific challenges and opportunities for algae production in agriculture, environmental and renewable energy applications.
The attendees also had the opportunity to witness the ribbon cutting ceremony for the new Alltech Algae facility in Winchester, Kentucky, and later be one of the first groups to tour this plant, Alltech's largest production facility. The highly-automated plant contains more than $200 million of equipment, but the most important feature of the plant is the pilot plant, a scaled-down replica of the large production system that will allow Alltech to research and perfect production methods before rolling them out on a large scale. The plant contains fermentors that stand over 8 stories high and have a capacity of 265,000 liters.
Algae are very efficient at producing nutrients that can be used by higher animals. Like plants, they capture energy, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus and other minerals from their environment and create organic molecules like proteins, carbohydrates and fats.
One acre of Chlorella algae can produce as much protein as 21 acres of soybeans; 49 acres of corn; 95 acres of wheat; or 994 acres of barley. With a growing population to feed, algae are expected to become an increasingly important source of protein for animal feeds and human food supplements.
Founded by Dr. Pearse Lyons, Alltech is a global animal health and nutrition company with more than 30 years' experience in developing natural products that are scientifically proven to enhance animal health and performance. With more than 2300 employees in 125 countries, the company has developed a strong regional presence in Europe, North America, Latin America, the Middle-East, Africa and Asia. For further information, visit www.alltech.com.


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Donated stem cells may work best for heart patients
Stem cells culled from the bone marrow of healthy donors work as well or even better as cells harvested from patients themselves as a treatment for damaged hearts and are more convenient to use, according to new research.
The 13-month trial was the first to compare the safety and effectiveness of so-called mesenchymal, or bone marrow-derived, stem cells taken from patients themselves versus those provided by donors.
Such adult stem cells that renew themselves and mature into specific cell types have been used for 40 years in bone marrow transplants.
Scientists are now exploring their use as treatments for ailments such as heart disease and inflammatory conditions, some of the biggest markets in medicine.
The rationale behind using patients' own stem cells to treat disease is that they do not trigger an attack by the body's immune system. Mesenchymal stem cells, however, are also not recognized as foreign tissue.
Researchers from the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, funded by the National Institutes of Health, found that previously prepared cells from a healthy donor were comparatively safe and may offer the most convenience since it takes up to eight weeks to grow the amount of stem cells needed for the treatment.
The study involved 30 patients whose hearts were damaged by an earlier heart attack. Half received heart-muscle injections of their own cells, while the other half received donor cells.
Scar tissue was reduced by 33 percent in both groups, a result researchers called "very, very significant."
Improvements in heart function were seen in 28 percent of those receiving donor cells, and in 50 percent of patients receiving their own cells.
After a year, five patients in the donor cell group and eight who received their own cells suffered serious adverse events.
"The trials so far have very small patient numbers," said Stefanie Dimmeler, director of the Institute of Cardiovascular Regeneration Center of Molecular Medicine at Johann Wolfgang Goethe University in Frankfurt, Germany. "I think this early work in cardiac stem cells look very promising."
The trial results were presented here at the annual scientific meeting of the American Heart Association and published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Companies working to develop off-the-shelf stem cell treatments include Celgene Corp, Pluristem Therapeutics Inc, Athersys Inc and Mesoblast Ltd.