Monday, October 31, 2011

Iowa Poll Could Change GOP Race (ABC News)

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Uncomplicated (Balloon Juice)

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Appliance makers cut jobs in face of slack demand (Reuters)

(Reuters) ? The world's two top appliance makers are planning large rounds of cost-cutting, including thousands of job cuts, as recession-weary shoppers have held off on buying refrigerators, washing machines and other costly items.

Whirlpool Corp (WHR.N), which has weathered a long U.S. housing slump, said it would cut some 5,000 jobs -- a tenth of its workforce in North America and Europe -- closing a plant in Arkansas, moving another from Germany to Poland and reducing overall manufacturing capacity by about 6 million appliances.

Its main rival AB Electrolux (ELUXb.ST) said it would detail its cost-cutting measures by the middle of next month.

The ongoing U.S. housing slump, along with stubbornly high unemployment, is crimping demand for appliances, air conditioners and other home systems.

"They're playing a tough hand," Jeffrey Sprague, founder of Vertical Research, said. "The market continues to erode (and) the entire industry is in a tight squeeze here."

The trend hitting Whirlpool and Electrolux has played out in other pockets of the industrial sector. Air conditioner maker Ingersoll Rand Plc (IR.N) earlier this month reported a 63 percent drop in profit that it blamed on depressed housing.

3M Co (MMM.N) earlier in the week disappointed analysts by missing expectations due to continued malaise in television demand and troubles in Europe.

Both Whirlpool, the world's largest appliance maker, and No. 2 Electrolux reported weaker quarterly profits and cut their full-year forecasts, warning that demand in North America and Europe will be weaker than expected.

"Given the weaker demand environment in the U.S. and western Europe, we adjust capacity and our overhead costs," Electrolux Chief Executive Keith McLoughlin told Reuters.

Not all industrial companies are feeling pain.

More diversified players, including United Technologies Corp (UTX.N), General Electric Co (GE.N) and Caterpillar Inc (CAT.N), reported healthy profit growth and optimistic forecasts. Their strength is due in part to strong demand from rapidly developing economies, including China, India, Russia and Brazil, and exposure to sectors that don't directly face consumers, such as mining and aerospace.

WEAKNESS SPREADING

Whirlpool and Electrolux have been cutting costs and shifting business to emerging markets, but Whirlpool now expects growth in Asia and Latin America to slow, too.

"Our results were negatively impacted by recessionary demand levels in developed countries, a slowdown in emerging markets and high levels of inflation in material costs," Whirlpool Chief Executive Jeff Fettig said in a statement.

Shares in Whirlpool, already down by more than a third this year, slumped 13.6 percent on the New York Stock Exchange.

Sprague, of Vertical Research said that "it's quite possible (Whirlpool's moves) are not enough." He said Whirlpool's margins, like those of the entire sector, will be under severe pressure until at least 2013, and even then the extent of recovery is uncertain.

Particularly troubling trends for Sprague include Whirlpool's difficulty generating cash flow, and the shifting market in Brazil, which represents a major chunk of Whirlpool's business. He said the Brazil market, where Whirlpool has enjoyed a secure position, is beginning to open to new competition that could spark a price war.

Electrolux shares, also down by around a third since January, gained 7 percent in Stockholm, amid some investor relief that the drop in quarterly earnings was not as bad as expected.

WEAK RESULTS

Whirlpool's third-quarter adjusted profit was $2.35 a share, below the average analyst forecast for $2.68 a share, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

It now expects full-year earnings per share of $4.75 to $5.25, down from its previous estimate of $7.25 to $8.25.

The company will take a restructuring charge of about $500 million from the next quarter through 2013 related to the cost-cutting moves, which will remove $400 million from annual costs by end-2013.

Two years ago, Whirlpool closed its manufacturing facility in Evansville, Indiana, with the loss of about 1,100 jobs.

Electrolux, whose brands also include Frigidaire and AEG, reported third-quarter adjusted operating profit of 1.10 billion Swedish crowns ($173 million) versus a 1.06 billion crown mean forecast in a Reuters poll and 1.98 billion crowns a year before.

Sales dipped to 25.7 billion crowns from 26.3 billion crowns in the same 2010 period.

(Reporting by Scott Malone in New York, Mihir Dalal in Bangalore and Helena Soderpalm, Johannes Hellstrom and Patrick Lannin in Stockholm, Editing by Gerald E. McCormick and John D. Stoll)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/business/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111028/bs_nm/us_whirlpool

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Sunday, October 30, 2011

Americans spending more with income almost flat (AP)

WASHINGTON ? Americans are making a little more money and spending a lot more.

Under normal circumstances, that would be a troubling sign for the economy. But a closer look at some new government figures suggests another possibility: People are saving less money because they're earning next to nothing in interest.

Saving is already difficult because of more expensive gas and food. It's even tougher because of the lower returns ? the flip side of super-low interest rates that the Federal Reserve has kept in place since 2008 to help the economy.

Critics say the Fed is punishing those who play by the rules ? those careful enough to set aside money for savings or people who built up a nest egg and are living on fixed incomes that depend on interest.

Americans spent 0.6 percent more in September, three times the increase from the previous month, the government said Friday. Spending was especially strong on durable goods ? things like cars, appliances and electronics.

At the same time, what they earned was mostly flat. Pay increased 0.3 percent, and overall income just 0.1 percent. After deducting taxes and adjusting for inflation, income fell for a third straight month.

So to make up the difference, many have cut back on savings. The savings rate fell to its lowest level since December 2007, the first month of the recession ? and right about the time the Fed started its dramatic series of interest-rate cuts.

Considering how little you can get for parking your money at a bank, it hasn't been a tough choice.

"Consumers have hit a level of saturation in their savings," said Marshal Cohen, chief industry analyst with market research firm The NPD Group. "The propensity is to spend."

The annual yield on six-month certificates of deposit was unchanged this week at 0.23 percent, according to Bankrate.com. Five years ago, it was 3.62 percent. If you put your money in the six-month CD today, you'd make about enough to buy a burger.

Paul Ashworth, chief U.S. economist at Capital Economics, said the trend could mean more spending by Americans. But it will take robust personal spending ? along with improvement in the depressed housing market ? to get the economy going again.

Ashworth said his firm is not too concerned with the decline in savings because it partly represents "a sharp decline in debt servicing costs." In other words, low interest rates mean it's cheaper to borrow money.

The Fed began cutting interest rates four years ago at the start of the financial crisis. The rate cuts took the federal funds rate, the key for short-term interest rates, from 5.25 percent down to near zero, where they have stayed since December 2008.

The central bank has said it will keep rates super-low into 2013 as long as the economy stays weak. While that means low returns for savers, it is designed to encourage people and businesses to borrow more.

Many borrowers tend to be young families who are spending most of their income anyway. The loss in interest income tends to hit older households, which are saving for retirement and counting more on bonds and other fixed-income securities.

Consumer spending is closely watched because it accounts for about 70 percent of economic activity. A sharp rise in spending over the summer helped the overall economy grow in July, August and September at the fastest pace in a year.

Still, the economy would have to grow twice as fast to put a dent in the unemployment rate, which has stayed near 9 percent since the recession officially ended more than two years ago.

At the same time savings accounts and other fixed-income investments are paying less, the cost of food and gas has gone up.

Elizabeth Smith, who works in teacher education at the University of Arkansas, has cut her monthly contribution to her retirement savings in half to meet necessities.

"Every time I go to the store, butter, cheese and milk are more expensive," she said. Child care costs for her two children have also risen this year.

On the other hand, Smith has benefited from lower interest rates. She and her husband refinanced the mortgage on her home a year ago, which lowered their monthly payments by $200, freeing up more cash.

The Fed's policies are "designed to reward spending and effectively punish savers," said Eric Green, chief U.S. economist at TD Securities.

___

AP Business Writers Anne D'Innocenzio in New York and David Pitt in Des Moines, Iowa, contributed to this report.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/economy/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111028/ap_on_bi_go_ec_fi/us_consumer_spending

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Automotive Overview

A lot of the domestic automobile plant joint enterprise, with solutions from your foreign decision-making energy, the usage of digital products to provide a great deal more total with the foreign and domestic self-developed digital products is difficult to enter their total technique, which severely affected the domestic automotive electronics market place. China?s opportunities for China?s accession to WTO, will steadily elevate the localization of car-assembly necessities, to attain world-wide procurement of elements automobiles. In this particular backdrop, but also for your progress of China?s automotive electronics market place has furnished new opportunities and challenges. Automotive electronics market place as an emerging market place teams, its industry development capability.

Based on the data to forecast that by 2005, China?s automotive electronics industry?s yearly output appeal will attain in excess of 2000 billion, which is certainly at the moment the biggest increment from the product categories, we could see the progress of automotive electronics market place has become vital. Thru the analysis of China?s automotive electronics market place, China Electronic Important information Community Advancement Groundwork Institute, Tsinghua University as well as other pros consider that provided that the energetic monitoring of foreign innovative automotive digital solutions, as soon as possible to shorten our country and foreign innovative automotive digital solutions gap, China?s automotive electronics market place is promising. To this conclusion, the pros put ahead the progress of China?s automotive electronics solutions, a few proposals.

The primary will be to develop the advertising of policies to motivate the progress of automotive electronics.

Proposed to utilize discount loans in support of industrial engineering and technological transformation of enterprises; highly recommended the institution of Automotive Electronics and Management Engineering Groundwork Center, focusing on the digital command unit hardware and application analysis, piece of which is certainly the foreign businesses are not going to carry out the transfer of solutions; to attract domestic compact and medium sized e-business engaged with the business operation of automotive sensors, automotive digital command actuators from the introduction, progress and manufacturing. Ic-known to utilize foreign businesses to blog conduct vehicle business operation CPU?s OEM design and manufacturing; organization or to produce automotive digital command technique integration enterprises.

The 2nd will be to strengthen macro-control, in order to avoid the analysis and also the introduction of duplication and waste. Automotive Electronics is concerned in an automobile, electronics, personal computer methods engineering and lots of other industries, the progress of other industries with matched connected industries needs to be coordinated, countrywide applicable functional departments will need to make whole utilization of macro-control features, to focus human and economic sources to conduct automotive electronics R & D and introduction of new technologies in order to avoid duplication and waste.

Third, make whole utilization of the introduction of vehicle solutions, digesting and absorbing assembly with the vehicle or the introduction of digital solutions. At present, China has introduced a variety of automobiles and engine solutions. They are equipped with varying degrees of innovative digital products, such as digital injection devices, anti-lock braking technique, etc. There are also a few businesses have a separate introduction of this tamvietjsc.com solutions; we will need to lose no time with the Organization?s technical strength of these technologies digest absorption, innovation, and steadily realize localization; the same time to make utilization of foreign innovative solutions, enhanced progress capabilities, shorten our application of digital solutions with the automotive process.

The fourth will be to develop a great deal more stringent, but also for China?s countrywide conditions fuel consumption, emissions and safety standards, and vigorously promote the adoption of legislation on information and facts solutions with the automotive applications, there must be corresponding support policies and regulations, such as the progress of environmental regulations, safety regulations, and fuel economy regulations.

The fifth will be to establish a analysis and progress capability to have independent team and a group of scientific analysis base, increase investment in analysis funds; actively track the foreign innovative automotive digital solutions, to shorten the China and foreign innovative automotive digital solutions gap. Sixth state loan deal with automotive electronics projects, products, preferential policies in taxation. Automotive electronics market place will play an important role in people of insight have recognized the progress from the automobile market place, there must be the rapid progress of auto elements market place, as a support, to promote the rapid progress of China?s auto market place, and thus enhance its competitiveness with the international industry force.

During the auto elements market place progress, the automotive electronics market place will play an important role. This role is mainly reflected with the following aspects: First, for your automotive market place to provide technical support for your upgrade. casino en ligne Now the vehicle has begun to abandon the mechanical concept from the future will be replaced by integrated digital modules, automotive digital devices will change into. The 2nd will be to improve vehicle operation and low cost. As a great deal more and a great deal more digital information and facts technologies and products with the vehicle to the application, the vehicle will be a significant reduction in manufacturing costs, while vehicle stability, safety, comfort will be greatly enhanced. Third, the comprehensive competitiveness from the automotive market place as a whole will be improved. Fourth, for your applicable supporting industries to provide greater space for progress. During the automotive electronics market place progress, China has formed a good industrial base. Especially with the matching-based products, such as. Vehicle Audio, OPS, sensors, communications equipment, etc., with a strong competitive edge.

Source: http://sppf.org/automotive-overview/

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Higgins to win Irish presidency as rival concedes (AP)

DUBLIN ? Human rights activist and poet Michael D. Higgins headed for victory Friday in Ireland's presidential election as the Irish picked a left-wing idealist to be the new face of a debt-struck nation.

Higgins' main challenger, business guru and reality TV celebrity Sean Gallagher, conceded defeat in a telephone call to Higgins. Gallagher said he expected Higgins would be, as his own campaign slogan promised, "a president to be proud of."

Higgins, 70, was mobbed by well-wishers and journalists as he arrived at the Dublin Castle count center. Minutes later, electoral officials announced he had received 39.6 percent of all first-preference votes to take an unassailable lead atop the field of seven candidates.

"I'm very glad that it was so decisive. It will enable me to be a president for all of the people," Higgins said of his commanding share of votes from Thursday's election.

Final results are expected Saturday because of Ireland's complex voting system, which permits voters to rank candidates in order of preference. Several rounds of counting are required to transfer the votes of the least popular candidates to those still in contention. Analysts say this process will inevitably put Higgins above the 50 percent threshold needed to succeed Mary McAleese as Ireland's ceremonial head of state.

Gallagher received 28.5 percent of first-preference votes. Former Irish Republican Army commander Martin McGuinness came third with 13.7 percent. Gay Mitchell of the main government party, Fine Gael, came fourth with 6.4 percent, while gay rights activist David Norris finished with 6.2 percent.

"I'm very happy to be an Irishman under the presidency of Michael D. Higgins," said Norris, who was the campaign's initial leader but saw his chances ruined by revelations that he had written letters to Israel seeking clemency for a former partner who had been convicted of raping a 15-year-old Palestinian boy.

Norris lauded Higgins as a political maverick and social liberal who would "speak out on behalf of the marginalized."

Higgins is widely known in Ireland simply as "Michael D," befitting his status as one of the country's most liked and instantly recognized politicians. He stands just 5 foot 4, his elfin features complimented with a much-parodied high voice infused with his rural County Clare roots.

Higgins, a former University College Galway lecturer in sociology and politics, is credited as an intellectual heavyweight of Irish politics with three published collections of poetry to his credit and a four-decade record of promoting homegrown arts, literature, film and the native Gaelic language. Unlike other English-only candidates and most of the nation, Higgins spoke the native Irish tongue fluently on the campaign trail.

He also has traveled the world defending left-wing human rights cases. He is one of Ireland's most ardent critics of U.S. foreign policy, particularly in Central America, Iraq and Afghanistan, and of Israel's policies versus the Palestinians.

His socialism came to the fore on the campaign trail as he condemned the get-rich-quick excesses of Ireland's lost Celtic Tiger boom economy, arguing its narcissism and greed left the country mired in debt and unemployment.

Gallagher, an entrepreneur and the star judge on a business-talent TV competition called "Dragon's Den," last week seemed on course to an unlikely victory as he pledged to lead Ireland back to prosperity.

He had a 15-point lead in opinion polls versus Higgins until Monday ? when his image imploded during the campaign's last live TV debate.

McGuinness presented evidence that Gallagher had served as a "bagman," a collector of undocumented cash donations, from businessmen to Fianna Fail. Voters in February expelled Fianna Fail from office after the long-dominant party was blamed for leading Ireland to the brink of bankruptcy and an international bailout.

Gallagher, who ran as an independent and downplayed his Fianna Fail background, stumbled as he tried to explain the circumstances of one donation he allegedly collected from a border fuel smuggler. Analysts said that admission linked Gallagher fatally in voters' minds to Fianna Fail's poor ethical record.

Higgins' campaign team seized on their candidate's own reputation for honesty and integrity as a point of contrast. Full-page newspaper ads on election day claimed that the "D" in Higgins' name stood for democracy and decency. It actually stands for Daniel.

A survey published Friday by Irish pollsters RedC said it telephoned 1,100 citizens Thursday after they had cast their ballots and detected a massive flight from Gallagher in the campaign's dying days.

About 38 percent said they had decided whom to support only following that TV debate. Some 28 percent said they had switched support in the past week ? and 58 percent of those said they had dumped Gallagher in favor of Higgins.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/europe/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111028/ap_on_re_eu/eu_ireland_presidential_election

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Saturday, October 29, 2011

Mormon Halloween bash bans 'cross-gender' costumes

(AP) ? A recent Halloween party hosted by a Mormon church ward in the U.S. specified no "cross-gender" costumes.

The Salt Lake Tribune newspaper reports that the ban meant no girls dressed as Harry Potter, for example.

Raquel Smith says she was "appalled" when she read the party flier taped to her door. She is not a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Smith calls the ban "fear-mongering and hate-driven."

LDS Bishop Dennis Toone says he thought the rule was church policy, but it wasn't.

He says anyone who didn't like the rule didn't have to come.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/apdefault/aa9398e6757a46fa93ed5dea7bd3729e/Article_2011-10-28-Cross-gender%20Costume%20Ban/id-f1d21bf94e664c7ab54392f5d8e85bc9

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Factbox: Nine Senate races to watch in 2012 (reuters)

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6.0 quake hits South Pacific near Fiji (AP)

NEW YORK ? An earthquake has struck about 140 miles (230 kilometers) east of the capital of Fiji. There are no immediate reports of damage or injuries.

The U.S. Geological Survey says the magnitude-6.0 quake struck Thursday at a depth of 380 miles (611 kilometers).

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center did not immediately issue a tsunami alert.

The region lies on the "Ring of Fire" ? an arc of earthquake and volcanic zones that stretches around the Pacific Rim. About 90 percent of the world's quakes occur in the region.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/asia/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111027/ap_on_re_as/as_fiji_earthquake

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Nokia unveils Purity HD Stereo Headset with a little help from Monster

Nokia doesn't just have phones on display, check out their new audio product, the Purity HD Stereo Headset by Monster. The line includes headphones and earbuds (Purity In-Ear Stereo Headset), whichever tickles your fancy, and with that trademark M on the side, you can bet they'll bear a healthy price tag when they hit shelves. Naturally, there's also a couple of YouTube videos showing it off in the traditional Nokia strongholds of rock music and dancing, check those out after the break.


Follow along in our ongoing Nokia World 2011 liveblog right here!

...developing

Continue reading Nokia unveils Purity HD Stereo Headset with a little help from Monster

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/26/nokia-unveils-purity-hd-stereo-headset-with-a-little-help-from-m/

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Friday, October 28, 2011

Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, Taylor Lautner To Reveal 'Breaking Dawn' Clip On MTV!

'Twilight' stars will stick around for lengthy Q&A after clip, which premieres November 3 at 7:56 p.m. ET.
By Kara Warner


Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart in "Twilight: Breaking Dawn - Part 1"
Photo: Summit Entertainment

Calling all "Twilight" fans! MTV has got a triple-layer treat for you in the form of exclusive interviews with your favorite three stars during our "MTV First: Breaking Dawn - Part 1."

On Thursday, November 3, at 7:56 p.m. ET on MTV, we will premiere a never-before-seen clip from the hugely anticipated new film live on-air, to be introduced by megastars Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner.

Immediately following the introduction and premiere of the clip, Stewart, Pattinson and Lautner will be sticking around for a lengthy Q&A session with MTV News' Josh Horowitz — a chat that begins on air and continues on MTV.com. Who knows what will happen when the three stars actually get together in one room, because separately they've had some very intriguing things to say about one another. In recent conversations, RPattz has compared his sex scenes to "playing Twister," while KStew has revealed that Taylor began one of their fight scenes by confessing to his co-star, "You're so cute."

Fans can get in on the anything-might-happen conversation immediately by submitting video or text questions beginning Thursday (October 27) via MTV.com or via Twitter (using @MTVNews, plus the hashtags #AskTwilight and #MTVFirst).

Also launching today is our fan-voted poll of the Top Five Favorite "Twilight Saga" Moments thus far, including Edward and Bella's first kiss in "Twilight," the infamous Jacob abs-reveal in "New Moon," Edward and Jacob in the tent in "Eclipse," the fan-favorite "leg hitch" scene in "Eclipse" and Edward proposing to Bella in "Eclipse." Beginning on Monday, October 31, the clips will be revealed in order of popularity.

So mark your calendars and set your alarms to tune in to our "MTV First: Breaking Dawn - Part 1," which kicks off Thursday November 3 on MTV at 7:56 p.m.

Check out everything we've got on "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1."

For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com.

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1673268/twilight-breaking-dawn-exclusive-clip-interview-announcement.jhtml

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Imax eyes big screen profits from China (Reuters)

SHANGHAI (Reuters) ? Giant movie screen maker Imax Corp expects the number of Imax screens in China to more than double in the next two to three years as disposable incomes rise and more Chinese movies are made for the format, its chief executive said on Wednesday.

Imax, which will have 85 screens in mainland China by the end of 2011, will see that number rise to 200 in two to three years, Chief Executive Officer Richard Gelfond told Reuters.

"China is by far our highest growth market in the world....We could probably support at least 400 theatres in China over five years," Gelfond said, adding that the 400 would be either opened or signed for.

"You have this huge explosion of cinema in China and at the same time the Imax brand is very popular in China and people want to experience the Imax version of the film," he said.

Imax also expects China to contribute 25 percent to total revenue in about three years, Gelfond said.

"It's an affordable luxury item and people have disposable income and want the best," Gelfond said of the Chinese consumer.

Imax said in June it expects to expand its network of theatres at an annual pace of about 30 percent and is bullish on growth prospects in China.

The Canadian big-screen movie company has 560 theatres worldwide operating in 46 countries.

Imax is not ruling out acquisitions in China and will look to partner film studios to market and develop more Chinese films for the Imax format with the potential to export them overseas.

Imax formed a subsidiary, Imax China, in September to better capture the opportunities in the market, Gelfond said.

"One reason we formed Imax China as a separate company is to try and develop more Chinese projects. We are also interested in helping to export Chinese films in Imax to other territories," he added.

The martial arts movie "The Flying Swords of Dragon Gate," which will star Jet Li, will be released mid-December. Gelfond said the film will also be exported to other Asian countries such as Singapore and South Korea.

As China's importance for the business expands, Imax is also planning to do a documentary on China, Gelfond said.

"This market is so important to me that I felt that I really needed to show to my board so they could be more educated to what it (China market) looks like," he said. Gelfond, who comes to China often, is visiting the country with his board of directors.

(Reporting by Melanie Lee; Editing by Jacqueline Wong)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/enindustry/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111026/media_nm/us_china_imax

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Children With Head Injuries Can Face Lifetime of Problems (HealthDay)

THURSDAY, Oct. 27 (HealthDay News) -- Children can face a lifetime of problems after suffering head injuries from falls, car accidents and other mishaps, according to a new study.

From communication deficits to trouble with daily self-care, the effects of moderate to severe brain injuries can lead to "substantial long-term reduction" in quality of life for children with traumatic brain injury, the researchers found.

The findings "emphasize the need for prevention," said study author Dr. Frederick Rivara, professor of pediatrics at the University of Washington School of Public Health in Seattle. "Many of these injuries can be prevented by using bicycle helmets, and kids being buckled up in seatbelts, making sure there are gates on stairways." Schools also should consider different rules for football, he added.

The study, published online Oct. 24 and in the November print issue of Pediatrics, looked at 729 children under 18 years old treated for brain injuries at emergency rooms in Seattle and Philadelphia between 2007 and 2008. Most of the injuries resulted from falls and car crashes, the study noted. Few were related to assault or abuse, said Rivara.

Levels of the children's functioning before they were injured were determined through phone interviews, usually with parents. Tests were done three months, one year and two years later to assess different skills and behaviors. They included whether the children were depressed, played or interacted with others, were teased, had trouble concentrating or remembering, and could do things "that other children can do," said Rivara.

The children were further assessed to see if they could "have a conversation, discuss a topic," and do things such as use the toilet, brush their teeth, and feed and dress themselves, he said.

Comparisons also were made to a separate group of 197 children who had visited the same emergency rooms with arm injuries in the same period.

The research found most of the children with head injuries, about 85 percent, suffered from mild trauma. Some of those had deficits at three months, but few suffered lasting loss of social and daily life activities.

But lasting effects were seen in those with mild injury who also suffered a brain hemorrhage and those who suffered a moderate or severe brain injury. These kids faced obstacles in day-to-day life, school activities and sports at the end of the two-year research period.

The more seriously injured children had a lower quality of life than children undergoing active treatment for cancer, the researchers said.

Children in the control group had no significant deficits after two years, according to the research.

Kids with significant problems after two years are unlikely to make big gains in their condition, but researchers are still collecting data on youths in the study, said Rivara.

The data showed that boys were more than twice as likely as girls to sustain head injuries, and that the youngest (under 4 years old) and the oldest (15 to 17 years) were most likely to sustain moderate to severe injuries.

Of the total number of severe injuries, more than half were suffered by 10- to 17- year-olds, which another expert attributed to organized sports.

"This is the age group where they're playing more sports," said Dr. Gail L. Rosseau, a neurosurgeon in the department of neurosurgery of NorthShore University Health System in Chicago.

Rousseau called the study "well-designed" and said it pointed to the need for more states to enact legislation similar to Washington's Zachery Lystedt law, which was designed to protect student athletes. It was named after a high school student who sustained permanent brain damage playing football.

She said laws in 30 states and Washington, D.C. require that players with symptoms of concussion, a mild form of brain injury, be cleared by a health care professional before returning to play. Concussion symptoms include dizziness, nausea and headaches.

"Professional football has changed some rules to try and decrease the incidence of concussions, and high schools need to look at that as well," Rivara said.

"It's not only football," said Rosseau, noting that girls' soccer is the second leading sports-related cause of concussion among children.

The academic performance of the children in the study will be presented separately.

The study authors acknowledged several limitations with the study, including the fact that the children's level of functioning beforehand was assessed by their parents, not professionals.

In order to better understand why symptoms persist in some children, they said additional research is needed.

More information

To learn more about head injury, visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/parenting/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/20111028/hl_hsn/childrenwithheadinjuriescanfacelifetimeofproblems

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Thursday, October 27, 2011

Links to Mental Illness Seen in Fetal Brains: Study (HealthDay)

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 26 (HealthDay News) -- The genes suspected of causing autism, schizophrenia and other mental illnesses are activated in the developing brain before birth, according to a major genetic analysis.

The study by researchers at Yale University also spotted hundreds of genetic differences between males and females still in the womb.

"We knew many of the genes involved in the development of the brain, but now we know where and when they are functioning in the human brain," said study senior author Nenad Sestan, an associate professor of neurobiology and researcher for Yale's Kavli Institute for Neuroscience, in a university news release. "The complexity of the system shows why the human brain may be so susceptible to psychiatric disorders."

In conducting the study, researchers examined more than 1,300 tissue samples taken from 57 people at different stages of brain development, ranging from 40 days after conception to 82 years. They tracked thousands of human genes to determine which are involved in development, where they are located and when they are "expressed," or activated.

The study, published in the Oct. 27 issue of the journal Nature, revealed a significant amount of the human brain is shaped before birth. For instance, the researchers found proof that genes linked to autism and schizophrenia are activated while in the womb.

"We found a distinct pattern of gene expression and variations prenatally in areas of the brain involving higher cognitive function," said Sestan in the news release. "It is clear that these disease-associated genes are developmentally regulated."

The study also found distinct differences before birth in many genes shared by both sexes.

More information

The U.S. National Institute of Mental Health provides more information on the link between genetics and mental illness.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/diseases/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/20111026/hl_hsn/linkstomentalillnessseeninfetalbrainsstudy

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Big dinos hit the road when they needed food

What did giant plant-munching dinosaurs do when they couldn't find enough to eat in the parched American West? They hit the road.

An analysis of fossilized teeth adds further evidence that the long-necked dinosaurs called sauropods ? the largest land creatures ? went on road trips to fill their gargantuan appetites.

Scientists have long theorized that sauropods foraged for precious resources during droughts because of their preserved tracks and long limbs that were "ideal moving machines" and allowed them to cover long distances, said paleobiologist Matthew Bonnan of Western Illinois University.

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The latest study is the best evidence yet that at least one kind of sauropod "took to the hills in search of food when times got tough in the lowlands," said paleontologist Kristi Curry Rogers at Macalester College in Minnesota.

The new work, published online Wednesday by the journal Nature, was led by geologist Henry Fricke of Colorado College.

The researchers analyzed 32 sauropod teeth collected in Wyoming and Utah. The teeth came from massive plant-eaters that roamed a semi-arid basin in the American West during the late Jurassic period about 150 million years ago.

Scientists can get a glimpse into the source of the dinosaurs' drinking water by comparing the oxygen preserved in the tooth enamel to that found in ancient sediment.

A chemical analysis showed differences in the teeth and the basin where the dinosaurs were buried, meaning they must have wandered hundreds of miles from the flood plains to the highlands for food and water.

Fricke said the movement appeared to be tied to changing seasons. Sauropods left the basin in the summer for higher elevations ? a trek that took about five months ? and returned in the winter.

In lush times, sauropods would have feasted on a diversity of plants including ferns, horsetails, conifers and moss, said John Foster, a curator at the Museum of Western Colorado, who had no part in the research.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45049887/ns/technology_and_science-science/

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Rangers one win from title

Texas rallies past Cardinals late, gets winning run on Napoli double

Image: BeltreGetty Images

Adrian Beltre hits a solo home run against Chris Carpenter from one knee in the sixth inning of Game 5 of the World Series on Monday.

By BEN WALKER

updated 11:40 p.m. ET Oct. 24, 2011

ARLINGTON, Texas - A long drive by Mike Napoli, a lucky bounce near the mound and suddenly the Texas Rangers were on the brink of their first World Series championship.

Napoli delivered the biggest hit of his charmed season, lining a tiebreaking two-run double in the eighth inning that sent the Rangers past the St. Louis Cardinals 4-2 on Monday night for a 3-2 edge.

The slugging catcher then capped off his night of double duty, throwing out a would-be base stealer in the ninth as Albert Pujols struck out.

"Pujols is going to put it in play, he's a good contact hitter," Napoli said, "and they were just starting the runner, 3-2. As soon as I got it, I just got rid of it and put it on the bag."

Texas will try to wrap it up in Game 6 on Wednesday night in St. Louis.

If the Rangers eventually do win that elusive crown, the Texas fans who stood and chanted Napoli's name may forever remember his two-run hit.

"Just trying to get something to the outfield, you know, get a sac fly, get that run across the board," Napoli said. "I was trying to stay short and I got a pitch I could handle over the middle of the plate and put it in the gap."

If the Cardinals lose, there's no doubt which play will stick with manager Tony La Russa for a long, long time.

It was 2-all when Texas put runners on first and second with one out in the eighth, and reliever Marc Rzepczynski was summoned. David Murphy followed with a bouncer back to the mound, a possible inning-ending double play in the making.

But the ball appeared to glance off Rzepczynski's knee and trickled harmlessly away for a single that loaded the bases. In the dugout, La Russa immediately threw his hands to his head, a true "Oh, no!" moment.

La Russa elected to let his lefty stay in to face the right-handed Napoli, and it didn't work.

Napoli, who came close to a three-run homer in his previous at-bat, sent a drive up the alley against the pitcher with the nickname "Scrabble." The double off Rzepczynski sure spelled good things for Texas, with excitable manager Ron Washington waving the runners around from the dugout.

Darren Oliver earned the win and Neftali Feliz closed for his second save of the Series and sixth of the postseason.

After a travel day, the Series will resume at Busch Stadium with Colby Lewis facing Cardinals lefty Jaime Garcia. The weather forecast in St. Louis is daunting, calling for rain and temperatures around 50.

Adrian Beltre and Mitch Moreland hit solo home runs off Cardinals ace Chris Carpenter, helping Texas come back from an early 2-0 deficit.

Later, it became a battle of the bullpens and Texas prevailed.

Octavio Dotel gave up a leadoff double to Michael Young in the eighth, struck out Beltre and intentionally walked Nelson Cruz. That left it up to Rzepczynski, and the game quickly slipped away.

La Russa appeared stunned by the turnaround. Later in the eighth, he brought in reliever Lance Lynn and had him issue an intentional walk to the only batter he faced. Jason Motte eventually ended the inning, but it was too late.

Fittingly, Napoli had a role in the final play. Lance Berkman struck out and the ball hit Napoli's shin guard and trickled up the first base line, where the catcher picked it up and tossed to first base to end the game.

Pujols drew three intentional walks, including a pass with two outs and none on in the seventh. The St. Louis slugger then nearly used his legs to put his team ahead.

Pujols was running hard on a 3-2 pitch that Matt Holliday hit for a single to left-center. Pujols chugged around the bags and third base coach Jose Oquendo initially waved him home, only to put up a late stop sign.

Would Pujols have been safe on shortstop Elvis Andrus' wide throw to the plate? Maybe. But it became moot when Lance Berkman was intentionally walked to load the bases and David Freese flied out against Alexi Ogando.

Beltre's homer made it 2-all with two outs in the sixth. He dropped to one knee after following through on a meaty cut. He connected on a big curve from Carpenter, who had easily handled Josh Hamilton and Young to start the inning.

Beltre's other homers this October came in a bunch. He hit three in a first-round playoff game at Tampa Bay.

Napoli almost gave Texas a cushion later in the inning. With the crowd standing and chanting his name as "Nap-Oh-Lee" flashed on the scoreboard, the catcher's bid for a three-run homer was caught on the warning track in right-center field, just shy of the 407-foot mark.

The homer let Wilson avoid becoming the first pitcher to lose four times in a single postseason. The eccentric lefty who alternates red and blue gloves between starts had another uneven outing, working around five walks.

Wilson walked six while losing Game 1 to Carpenter and the Cardinals.

Moreland atoned for some glove woes with a home run in the third, hitting a drive halfway up the second deck in right field.

The Cardinals scored twice in the second, cashing in two leadoff walks sandwiched around a wild pitch.

Yadier Molina notched his fifth RBI of the Series with a single that left fielder Murphy overran and fumbled for an error. Skip Schumaker followed with an RBI grounder to first that Moreland boxed around, preventing any chance at a double play.

Murphy made a diving catch to end the inning, denying Nick Punto a run-scoring hit. Punto carried his bat all the way to first base and tried to break the wood by bending it over his right thigh.

Already ahead 2-0, the Cards threatened in the third after Wilson slipped coming off the mound trying to field Rafael Furcal's leadoff bunt and made a poor, backhanded flip that skittered past Moreland. But with runners at the corners, Wilson got Holliday to bounce into a quick double play. Not so surprising, really - Wilson induced the most DP grounders in the majors this year while St. Louis hit into an NL-record 169 double plays.

Holliday flied out with the bases loaded, after an intentional walk to Pujols, to finish the fifth.

NOTES: Playing on his 34th birthday, Furcal led off the game with a liner that 3B Beltre backhanded. Furcal started Game 4 the same way. ... Wilson matched the postseason record for walks - 19 - set by Cleveland's Jaret Wright in 1997. Wilson's 11 walks in the World Series are the most since Allie Reynolds in 1951. ... Pujols flied out on a 3-0 pitch to end the first. He swung at 15 of 37 pitches on 3-0 counts this season, going 4 for 8 on the balls he put in play. ... Cardinals reliever Arthur Rhodes turned 42. He's the oldest player to celebrate a birthday while playing in the Series. Jim Palmer was 38 in 1983.

? 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Rangers one win from title

??Mike Napoli hit a tiebreaking two-run double in the eighth inning against Marc Rzepczynski, and the Texas Rangers rallied from a two-run deficit to beat the St. Louis Cardinals 4-2 on Monday night and take a 3-2 World Series lead.

Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/45025730/ns/sports-baseball/

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Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Police, protesters clash in Oakland at Occupy camp

Oakland police fire tear gas as they prepare to move in to Frank Ogawa Plaza to disperse Occupy Oakland protesters on Tuesday. Oct. 25, 2011 in Oakland, Calif. Police in riot gear began clearing anti-Wall Street protesters on Tuesday morning from the plaza in front of Oakland's City Hall where they have been camped out for about two weeks. City officials had originally been supportive of the protesters, but the city later warned the protesters that they were breaking the law and could not stay in the encampment overnight. (AP Photo/Bay Area News Group, Jane Tyska)

Oakland police fire tear gas as they prepare to move in to Frank Ogawa Plaza to disperse Occupy Oakland protesters on Tuesday. Oct. 25, 2011 in Oakland, Calif. Police in riot gear began clearing anti-Wall Street protesters on Tuesday morning from the plaza in front of Oakland's City Hall where they have been camped out for about two weeks. City officials had originally been supportive of the protesters, but the city later warned the protesters that they were breaking the law and could not stay in the encampment overnight. (AP Photo/Bay Area News Group, Jane Tyska)

Oakland police search tents in Frank Ogawa Plaza as they disperse Occupy Oakland protesters on Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2011 in Oakland, Calif. City officials had originally been supportive of the protesters, but the city later warned the protesters that they were breaking the law and could not stay in the encampment overnight. (AP Photo/Bay Area News Group, Jane Tyska)

Oakland police search tents and remove debris in Frank Ogawa Plaza as they disperse Occupy Oakland protesters on Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2011 in Oakland, Calif. City officials had originally been supportive of the protesters, but the city later warned the protesters that they were breaking the law and could not stay in the encampment overnight. (AP Photo/Bay Area News Group, Jane Tyska)

Oakland Occupy protestors form a line opposing the police at the Frank Ogawa Plaza on Tuesday. Oct. 25, 2011 in Oakland, Calif. Police in riot gear began clearing anti-Wall Street protesters on Tuesday morning from the plaza in front of Oakland's City Hall where they have been camped out for about two weeks. City officials had originally been supportive of the protesters, but the city later warned the protesters that they were breaking the law and could not stay in the encampment overnight. (AP Photo/Bay Area News Group, Jane Tyska)

An American flag is left discarded on the ground as a remnant of the Occupy Oakland protests Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2011, in Oakland, Calif. Police in riot gear began clearing anti-Wall Street protesters on Tuesday morning from the plaza in front of Oakland's City Hall where they have been camped out for about two weeks. City officials had originally been supportive of the protesters, but the city later warned the protesters that they were breaking the law and could not stay in the encampment overnight. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

(AP) ? Dozens of police in riot gear and hundreds of protesters supporting the Occupy Wall Street movement engaged in a game of cat-and-mouse in downtown Oakland on Tuesday, with authorities using tear gas to respond to demonstrators' repeated agitations.

The latest such skirmish came around 11:15 PDT in front of City Hall, where a haze of chemical smoke still hung in the air following several similar clashes at the site over the course of the night.

It was the fifth time in about three hours that police a fired a volley of tear gas to disperse a crowd at the scene where ongoing tension has erupted into conflict throughout the day.

The number of protesters has diminished with each round of gas. About 200 remained late Tuesday, mostly young adults, some riding bicycles, protecting themselves from the noxious fumes with bandanas and scarves wrapped around their faces.

Police have established a presence in a plaza where a pre-dawn raid Tuesday dismantled an encampment of Occupy Wall Street protesters that had dominated the area for more than two weeks.

Authorities removed about 170 demonstrators who had been staying in the area overnight after repeatedly being warned that such a camp was illegal and they faced arrest by remaining. City officials said 97 people were arrested in the morning raid.

The first evening scuffle broke out after several hundred people made their way back to City Hall in an attempt to re-establish a presence in the area of the disbanded camp.

The protesters had gathered at a downtown library, marched toward City Hall and ultimately were met by police officers in riot gear. Several small skirmishes broke out and officers cleared the area by firing tear gas.

The scene has repeated itself several times since. But each time officers move to disperse the crowd, protesters quickly gather again in assemblies that authorities have declared illegal. Tensions rise as protesters edge closer to police line and climax when someone throws a bottle or rock and authorities response with volleys of gas.

Police have denied reports that they used flash bang canisters to help break up the crowds, saying the loud noises came from large firecrackers thrown at police by protesters.

Helicopters scanned the area late Tuesday and scores of officers wearing helmets and carrying clubs patrolled the streets. Fire crews responded to small blazes in trash containers.

Protesters moved about uneasily even as one used a bull horn to express his resolve.

"This movement is more than just the people versus the police," Mario Fernandez said. "It's about the people trying to have their rights to basic services."

He added, "This crowd isn't going anywhere anytime soon."

Acting Police Chief Howard Jordan told reporters at a late night news conference that authorities had no other choice, saying the protesters were throwing rocks and bottles at officers.

"We had to deploy gas to stop the crowd," he said, according to a KCBS report.

City officials say that two officers were injured. At least five protesters were arrested and several others injured in the evening clashes.

The Oakland site was among numerous camps that have sprung up around the country, as protesters rally against what they see as corporate greed and a wide range of other economic issues. The protests have attracted a wide range of people, including college students looking for work and the homeless.

In Oakland, tensions between the city and protesters have been escalating since last week as officials complained about what they described as deteriorating safety, sanitation and health issues at the site of the dismantled camp.

____

Associated Press reporter Marcus Wohlsen contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2011-10-26-Occupy%20Wall%20Street-Oakland/id-075f323a808d4f15a3b66e4f19ac60f8

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Nokia Lumia 800 hands-on (video)

Oh, Nokia. Earth mother and founding father of the mobile industry. At last, we have your newest creation nestled amidst our clammy palms: a 3.7-inch slab of polycarbonate Windows Phone wonderment, fronted by a ClearBlack AMOLED display. Has that sweet breeze off the Nokianvirta River worked its special magic? Or is this just another Windows Phone? Well, first impressions are that it... feels just like an N9. Read on for our detailed impressions.

Continue reading Nokia Lumia 800 hands-on (video)

Nokia Lumia 800 hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 26 Oct 2011 05:57:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jackson doctor's defense case expected to start (AP)

LOS ANGELES ? Defense attorneys for the doctor charged in Michael Jackson's death are expected to begin calling witnesses in their case Monday after they finish grilling a key prosecution expert.

The defense case will be Dr. Conrad Murray's opportunity to counter four weeks of damaging testimony about him from 33 prosecution witnesses who have cast him as an inept, distracted and opportunistic doctor who repeatedly broke legal, ethical and professional guidelines.

The defense case is expected to comprise of 15 witnesses, although Murray's attorneys have not publicly revealed whether they will call the Houston-based cardiologist to testify on his own behalf. Jurors have heard from the doctor through a more than two-hour interview with police, and it seems unlikely that Murray's attorneys would subject their client to what would be blistering questioning from prosecutors.

Monday will begin with lead defense attorney Ed Chernoff questioning Dr. Steven Shafer, the prosecution's final witness and an expert in the anesthetic propofol, which Murray had been giving Jackson as a sleep aid. Chernoff's questioning on Friday challenged Shafer's conclusions and comments he had made about colleague Dr. Paul White, who will testify for the defense team.

So far, Shafer has not retreated from his position that Murray is solely responsible for Jackson's death and that the cardiologist committed 17 egregious violations of medical practices that each could have either led to Jackson's serious injury or death.

After Shafer is done testifying, Murray's attorneys will likely ask a judge to dismiss the involuntary manslaughter case against the cardiologist. Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor will rule on the oral motion immediately and if he rejects it, the defense case will begin.

Defense attorneys have said they will call police detectives who prosecutors did not call, several character witnesses, White and possibly other experts. They expect their case will last through Thursday.

Murray has pleaded not guilty, and faces up to four years behind bars and the loss of his medical license if convicted.

The defense will have its work cut out for them to try to sway jurors to acquit Murray.

"He will have to change the landscape here and show some reasonable doubt, said Marcellus McRae, a former federal prosecutor and trial attorney who has been following the case closely. "The question is will this be enough."

McRae said calling Shafer as the prosecution's final witness was a master stroke.

"Brick by evidentiary brick, Shafer has built a wall of scientific reasons for the jury to conclude that Dr. Murray was criminally negligent," he said. "It allows the prosecution to tell the jury that their case is built on science rather than shifting theories."

Out of sight of the jury, the defense's theory has shifted in recent months from arguing that Jackson swallowed propofol and gave himself the fatal dose and more recently that the singer had swallowed several pills of the sedative lorazepam, which led to his death.

They may also argue that Jackson somehow gave himself a shot of propofol after Murray left the room, killing him quickly.

Prosecutors have sought to discredit all those theories through Shafer, who himself drank propofol before the trial in an attempt to confirm that it wouldn't induce sedation or other ill effects. He called the amount of lorazepam in Jackson's stomach "trivial" and last week said the only possible explanation for Jackson's death based on the evidence was that Murray put the singer on IV drip of propofol and left the room after the singer appeared to be asleep.

This week, it will be the defense's turn to either offer alternate theories or somehow pick apart the prosecution's case.

___

AP Special Correspondent Linda Deutsch contributed to this report.

___

McCartney can be reached at http://twitter.com/mccartneyAP

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/music/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20111024/ap_en_mu/us_michael_jackson_doctor

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Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Biologists unravel how plants synthesize their growth hormone

ScienceDaily (Oct. 24, 2011) ? Biologists at the University of California, San Diego have succeeded in unraveling, for the first time, the complete chain of biochemical reactions that controls the synthesis of auxin, the hormone that regulates nearly all aspects of plant growth and development.

Their discovery, detailed in a paper in this week's online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, will allow agricultural scientists to develop new ways to enhance or manipulate auxin production to improve the growth and yield of crops and other plants.

More than a century ago, Charles Darwin noticed that plants produced a substance that made them bend toward light, a hormone called auxin that biologists have since found to be essential not only in regulating plant growth but also in patterning their development.

In 2006, a team of San Diego researchers headed by Yunde Zhao, an associate professor of biology at UC San Diego, discovered a family of 11 genes involved in the synthesis of auxin. Building on that work, Zhao and his colleagues at UCSD, the Salk Institute for Biological Studies and RIKEN, Japan's natural sciences research institute, have now unraveled the main biochemical pathway leading to the synthesis of auxin.

"How plants synthesize this important hormone had remained a mystery for almost a century," said Zhao. "Several genes had been known to play important roles in auxin biosynthesis in plants, but the information was fragmented and no complete auxin biosynthesis pathways in plants were identified.'

In their study, Zhao and his colleagues used sophisticated genetic approaches in combination with analytical biochemistry to identify a simple two-step chain of biochemical reactions in the genetic model plant Arabidopsis that converts tryptophan to indole-3-acetic acid, the main auxin hormone synthesized in plants.

"The main reason that auxin biosynthesis mechanisms had evaded scientists is that each step in auxin biosynthesis involves many genes, making the genetic dissection of auxin biosynthesis very complicated," said Zhao. "Now that we've identified the main auxin biosynthesis pathway in plants, we will be able to regulate auxin levels in crops and other plants with temporal and spatial precision, providing useful tools for agricultural biotechnology."

"Auxin affects virtually every aspect of plant growth, including most traits that are important for agriculture," said Mark Estelle, a professor of biology at UC San Diego and one of the world's experts on auxin. "For example, auxin regulates plant stature, the number and shape of plant organs, as well as seed and fruit development."

"This discovery has many important implications," he added. "To the basic scientist, knowledge of auxin synthesis will aid in the understanding of many fundamental aspects of plant development. To the farmer, this advance will open up many new opportunities for crop improvement. This is particularly important as our society faces the daunting challenges of a growing global population and a changing climate."

Zhao's collaborators were Christina Won, Xiangling Shen, Xinhua Dai and Youfa Cheng of UC San Diego; Kiyoshi Mashiguchi, Hiroyuki Kasahara and Yuji Kamiya of RIKEN; and Zuyu Zheng and Joanne Chory of Salk. The study was supported by a grant from the National Institutes of Health.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of California - San Diego. The original article was written by Kim McDonald.

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


Journal References:

  1. Christina Won, Xiangling Shen, Kiyoshi Mashiguchi, Zuyu Zheng, Xinhua Dai, Youfa Cheng, Hiroyuki Kasahara, Yuji Kamiya, Joanne Chory, Yunde Zhao. Conversion of tryptophan to indole-3-acetic acid by TRYPTOPHAN AMINOTRANSFERASES OF ARABIDOPSIS and YUCCAs in Arabidopsis. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2011; DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1108436108
  2. Kiyoshi Mashiguchi, Keita Tanaka, Tatsuya Sakai, Satoko Sugawara, Hiroshi Kawaide, Masahiro Natsume, Atsushi Hanada, Takashi Yaeno, Ken Shirasu, Hong Yao, Paula Mcsteen, Yunde Zhao, Ken-Ichiro Hayashi, Yuji Kamiya, Hiroyuki Kasahara. The main auxin biosynthesis pathway in Arabidopsis. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2011; DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1108434108

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

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111024153401.htm

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