[More from Mashable: Facebook Hacks Its Employees to Teach Lessons on Cyberattacks [EXCLUSIVE]]
I am a copyright violator, and Facebook knows it. At least, I was up until early this morning, when Facebook took action to enforce the copyright on the cover photo I had uploaded the day before.
As a fan of the UK show Doctor Who, I was excited to see BBC America release a couple of preview photos from the program's Christmas special, including a compelling picture of a couple of scary-looking snowmen -- very Nightmare Before Christmas stuff. As with other notable pop culture events, I wanted to share my excitement on Facebook.
[More from Mashable: Radio Stations Offering to Split Powerball Winnings With Facebook Fans]
The thing that provoked the strongest reaction was the photo itself, and it happened to be the perfect dimensions as my cover photo, I chose to use it there. What better way to share my enthusiasm for the show, and maybe convince a few Facebook users to check it out?
The photo stayed put for the rest of the day I uploaded it. But when I woke up the next morning, it was gone.
I looked in the album of my cover photos. It was still there. I began to upload another photo and saw this message:
Pick a unique photo from your life to feature at the top of your timeline. Note: This space is not meant for banner ads or other promotions. Please don't use content that is commercial, promotional, copyright-infringing or already in use on other people's covers.
That message is the boilerplate that you see whenever your cover pic is empty. I don't believe I saw this when Facebook first introduced Timeline. Indeed, Facebook's Help page on cover photos doesn't mention copyright at all.
SEE ALSO: This Tool Perfectly Crops Your Cover Photo for Facebook Timeline
It's unlikely the BBC would take issue with the fact that I wanted to express my excitement about one of their shows to all my friends and followers. After all, this was a press photo -- one that the channel distributes for the express purpose of getting in front of as many potential viewers as possible.
I also manage a Facebook Page, the one for Mashable Tech. When the Page has no cover photo, and you try to add one, you see a slightly different message:
Pick a unique photo to feature at the top of your Page timeline. Note: This space is not meant for promotions, coupons, or advertisements. Your cover photo should not be primarily text-based or infringe on anyone else's copyright. Learn More about choosing a cover photo.
The difference in wording is subtle, but important. For any brand Page, it's hard to imagine the a cover photo that isn't at least a little bit "commercial" or "promotional." But brands are given some leeway -- a good thing for Mashable's Tech page since we often upload photos of gadgets we recommend.
Individuals, apparently, aren't granted such latitude.
I'm not taking serious issue with what Facebook is trying to do here, just the way in which they did it. Though the notion of a copyright violation in this case is ridiculous, I appreciate the spirit of what the policy upholds. If everyone were allowed to upload album covers or movie posters, Facebook cover photos (which are public and visible by anyone, whether they're on Facebook or not) would become a massive, tacky catalog of pop culture, the digital equivalent of the Las Vegas Strip. Or worse, MySpace.
Still, I never got so much as a note from Facebook about what they did. The only clue as to what happened came after the fact. The company also took the unusual liberty of deleting the caption I wrote for the pic. Clearly, the process has room for improvement.
Has Facebook ever removed your cover photo? What did you upload, and how did you feel about the removal? Share your experiences in the comments.
1. Ornamental by Fcoverphotos
This design's great grungy tones give it a contemporary feel.
Kaz Hirai has promised a "One Sony" that aligns its various capabilities in entertainment and electronics to work better together, and it seems we'll have one of the first examples in its launch of the 84-inch XBR-84X900 LED TV. We spoke to Sony Electronics COO Phil Molyneux about the 4K Ultra HD Video Player that's coming with each purchase of its (MSRP: $24,999.99) beast and why, as he says, it's something "only Sony can do." First, we finally have the confirmed details of this first ever 4K player for the home: it's a hard-disc server, available exclusively on no-additional cost lease to purchasers that's preloaded with 10 full-length feature films (including The Amazing Spider-Man, Total Recall (2012), Taxi Driver, Bridge Over the River Kwai -- see the press release for a full list), a number of short concert / action sports clips from Red Bull, and an Xperia Tablet S packing a special remote control app that's similar to its Movies Unlimited service.
This is the first time home viewers will be able to experience 4K video of this caliber at home, and from the cameras, to its Colorworks digital facility opened in 2009, to the special white glove service charged with periodically updating the hard-disc's content for well-heeled buyers, Sony plans on pushing more soon. Check after the break for more details on how that will happen.
MADELEINE McCarty knows just how confusing and, sometimes challenging, moving houses can be. So here are some tips to make that move easier.?
Photo: Uthor via Flickr
1. First, decide: do you want to move in to a place already being rented out by someone else? Or do you want to move into somewhere new with friends?
If you want to rent a property with your friends, the best thing to do is start by looking on different real estate websites like RealEstate.com.au,?Domain or Ray White.
If you?re looking to move in with in people you don?t know (a.k.a friends you just haven?t met yet), have a look at university notice boards or on Gumtree.
?2. Decide how much you are willing to pay per month.
The next thing you need to do is decide the price range for the places you are looking at. Ask yourself, ?Will I be able to comfortably afford the rent, plus bills and other necessities each month??
?3. Decide on your location
This will depend on where your place of work or study is, if you need public transport or if there is parking space available if you have a car.
?3.??Arrange an inspection
If you?re using Gumtree, set up a time to look at the property by either texting, calling or instant messaging the person who has put up the ad. Try to find a time that works for both of you and don?t rush it. You never know how many questions you might have.
If you are going through a real estate agency, then the property probably has a set time when it?s available for inspection, but you can always call your agent and ask them to show you around.
4. ?Things to look out for at an inspection:
For starters, have a look at whether the property ?has all the basic amenities and make sure everything is in working order before you commit to anything.
Secondly, have a look at the state of the place especially if you?re moving in with people you don?t know. Ask yourself, does it uphold an adequate state of cleanliness? Could I see myself living here long term?? A stay of six months to a year is a typical length of time you have to stay in a property, unless it says in the contract that it?s a short-term lease.
5.??Sign an expression of interest form or let the other tenants know your intentions
If you?re going to an inspection held by a real estate agency and decide you?re interested in the property, take an expression of interest form on your way out. Once you fill this in, send it back to the real estate agency by the due date and you are in with a chance of securing the property.
If you?re looking to move in with people, let the person who is showing you around the property know you?re interested in moving in. They?ll then contact you if they think you?re a good fit for their household.
6.??Be prepared not to get the first place you fall in love with
The housing market can be competitive at times, not only when you are buying, but when you?re renting too. In highly sought after areas, like the city, you could be looking for a while. Don?t lose heart though and consider expanding your options until you find a place. That might mean looking at places just outside the area you want or compromising on the size.
7.???Once you secure a place?
Before you move into your new abode, double check that everything is as it should be. Take a few photos before you start moving your stuff in. It?ll be much easier to get your bond (security deposit) back when you move out if you can show that the property is in the same condition it was when you moved in.
When you are sure that this is the place for you, you can sign the lease, pay the bond (usually a month?s rent) and then start paying rent.
DEAR ABBY: My wife and I have been married for five years. I recently discovered that she made between 10 and 20 porn videos when she was 19. We got married when she was 27. We have four kids from two previous marriages.I am devastated. When I confronted her about it, she cried harder than I had ever seen. She said she was lost, and it's the biggest regret of her entire life.I understand how hard it can be to tell someone you have done something like this. I haven't led a perfect life either, and I have my own skeletons and things that I would never mention. But still, I can't get over this. ...
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Windows users can expect a 15% increase in the cost of licensing key Microsoft products as the software giant raises its prices.
From December 1 2012, Microsoft will increase the price of per-user licensing of several products including Exchange, its Lync communications server, Windows Server and Terminal Services.
The change in price reflects change in usage, as more users access Windows software from several devices, rather than a single PC. But analyst Forrester believes the licence fee increase is flawed and will erode the value of its products against the likes of Google.
Forrester's Duncan Jones said Microsoft was struggling to decide how to shift from device Client Access Licences (CALs) to per-user CALs.?
?A lot of companies are on device licensing. Some have a mixture. If everyone has PC then per user makes sense, but if you are a company like a manufacturer where not all users have a PC, then per device is cheaper,? said Jones.
But per-device licensing for software is obsolete in the mobile and virtual world according to Jones.?
"It is impossible to control and not relevant to the app internet world. Gradually software companies will change licensing accordingly,? he said.
However Jones believes Microsoft?s approach to changing its client access licensing is flawed.?
He said: ?I told Microsoft it was a mistake to charge more for user CALs than device CALs.?It?s inside-out thinking.?
"There is no evidence that people are deriving more value from MS software and people will not be willing to pay 15% more because they can access it from a tablet.?
While Microsoft has increased the pricing of user CALs to address device proliferation, it has not added anything extra to justify the price increase. He said they should have cut the cost of device CALs rather than increase user CALs.?
?User CALs are not more valuable than device CALs. Device CALs now have less value,? said Jones.
He believes the change in pricing will affect how IT departments upgrade. If they have an Enterprise Agreement (EA), their organisation buys the right to upgrade to the newest product release, but businesses may consider they are happy with the current release.?
?Many will likely stay put on current versions,? he added, which will impact EA revenue.
Lack of communication
In a research paper on Microsoft's licensing price increase, analyst Gartner criticised Microsoft for not informing its customers directly. The supplier has relied on software resellers to explain to customers what the price increase will mean.?
In the report, Gartner research direct Frances O'Brien noted: ?Gartner agrees that some, but not all Microsoft customers may have received additional value from user-based CALs.?
"But we believe that Microsoft?s silence and lack of advance notice to its customers may prove problematic for some organisations that rush to renew early, simply to avoid a price increase.?
"These price hikes ? combined with licensing changes and the inherent cost implications for SQL 2012, System Center 2012, Windows Server 2012, and the price changes alluded to in Microsoft's 1 October 2012 Product Use Rights Document for SharePoint Server 2013 and Lync Server 2013 ? could add unexpected expenses to some customers' budgets.?
Phil Heap, head of products and services at Fast, the software asset management specialist, said: ?This adds another layer of complexity to Microsoft licensing and it?s obviously being driven by the need for flexible and mobile working scenarios.?
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Astronomers find traces of ancient light in the activity of bright, distant galaxies
Astronomers find traces of ancient light in the activity of bright, distant galaxies
By Stephen Ornes
Web edition: November 26, 2012
Enlarge
Blazars are bright galaxies that send high-powered radiation jets directly toward Earth. Here, the blazars appear as green dots; the Milky Way glows orange in the middle.
Credit: NASA, DOE, Fermi LAT Collaboration
A new light-detection technique will allow scientists to spot light from all stars in their field of view and going back to?early in the formation of the universe.
?[This way of looking] provides us with a review of the entire history of cosmic star formation, including the very first epochs of star formation in the very early universe,? says Volker Bromm of the University of Texas at Austin.
Visit the new?Science News for Kids?website?and read the full story:?Twinkle, twinkle oldest stars
Have you ever had that free-falling feeling, like someone has blindfolded you, pushed you out of an airplane door at 5,000 feet and all you can do is scream at the top of your lungs and wonder how long it will take before you hit the ground?
That?s what buying a foreclosure felt like.
I was counting on my real estate team, Bea Meriwether, my real estate agent, and Earnest S. Crowe, my mortgage guy, to guide me through the process. After all, they were the ones who had talked me into it. They said I would make eight percent or better and I would learn a lot. They were half right.
Bea had her eye on a sweet little bank-owned split-level not far from my home in Mirage Mills, a suburb widely known as the Chernobyl of American real estate because we live in the epicenter of the foreclosure crisis. I had to close out my 401K to pay for it and by the time the check arrived, the house was gone. So Ernest had another idea.
?Let?s play poker with the big boys,? he winked at me. ?That?s where the real deals are.?
That didn?t sound like a very good idea to me. I?m a terrible poker player. When I try to bluff, my voice turns squeaky and gives me away.
Ernest?s ?real deals? would be at the next sheriff?s auction of foreclosures, a popular event in Mirage Mills. In most counties, sheriff?s auctions are just a few guys meeting outside a courthouse once a month. But in Mirage Mills, dozens of people show up to watch serious investors spend tens of thousands of dollars on foreclosures they had seen only from the street. Most of the crowd consists of carpenters, plumbers, electricians, roofers and landscapers hoping to get hired to fix the messes that the new owners will soon discover.
Ernest got a list of the foreclosures to be in the next auction and the three of us toured the houses up for bid. To my way of thinking, if you?ve seen one house with a line of laundry out the back because the dryer is busted and a dirt yard packed hard by little bare feet and blistering sun, you?ve probably seen them all. Bea and Ernest, on the other hand, unanimously felt that 12765 Prosperity Way was the deal of the day, bound to make some smart guy a potful of money. The way they added it up on my kitchen table, I was going do a whole lot better than eight percent.
So when the big day came, I was standing at the courthouse steps with a cashier?s check for nearly all the money I had to my name. Both Bea and Ernest and other appointments that morning and were late. Felicity went to get coffee, leaving me alone with several other guys in the middle of the crowd, when a county bureaucrat appeared and started rattling off case numbers and addresses from a clipboard. When nobody bid on any of the homes, they all went ?back to the beneficiary,? whatever that meant. Things got boring. I really needed Felicia?s coffee.
Suddenly the bureaucrat said ?Prosperity Way.? My nerves kicked into overdrive. I knew my team would kill me if I missed this house.
She read the opening bid, which was the minimum amount the bank would take for the foreclosure and looked up.
?First bid?? she asked.
?Yes, please!? I squeaked as loudly as I could squeak.
At that very moment a police car sped past the courthouse with its siren blaring. She didn?t hear me even though I was less than ten feet away.
The siren was still sounding when she asked, ?Second bid??
A big man in sunglasses standing right next to her silently raised two fingers like he was Winston Churchill. Obviously, he was a regular who knew the secret code.
?Mr. Cameron bids two hundred thousand. Last bid. Anyone else?? she asked and quickly looked around. ?No??
Desperate to be heard, I pushed my way in front of her and squeaked into her face so loudly that she had to notice me. No sense playing around with a pro like Cameron, so I bid the limit we had agreed upon. ?Two fifty!?
Cameron took off his dark glasses, gave me a peeved look, laughed sarcastically and muttered ?You gotta be kidding me.? He shook his head at both me and the county bureaucrat to indicate he was done. She acknowledged me at last. She asked for my cashiers? check, took down my name and address, and gave me a receipt and some paperwork. I was the proud owner of a foreclosure that was going to change my life in ways I couldn?t imagine.
I stepped away from the circle of bidders and sighed. It felt good to best the big boys at their own game. Just then Felicity arrived with the coffee. As we sat on a bench and sipped, I told her the good news. Instead of being pleased she was concerned that I had spent so much, so I described my fierce bidding war with Cameron and how I crushed him into dust. ?He wanted it sooooo bad,? I gloated. ?That pretty much confirms that we got a great deal.?
?Oh, my God,? she shouted suddenly when she read the receipt. ?No, you didn?t!?
?Didn?t what??
?Homer, please dear God in heaven please tell me this is not the house you bought.?
?All sales are final. Why??
?You didn?t buy 12765 Prosperity Way. This is a receipt for 12675. Oh, Homer, that?s ten blocks away from the house we wanted!?
BANGKOK (AP) ? Lack of progress in negotiations for a deal to avoid a U.S. budget crisis before a January deadline sent world stock markets lower on Wednesday.
President Barack Obama and U.S. lawmakers have until Jan. 1 to reach a deal to trim the country's unwieldy deficit. Otherwise, a series of automatic tax increases and sharp spending cuts will take effect that could drag the world's No. 1 economy into recession.
A high-ranking member of the U.S. Senate unnerved investors and sent Wall Street lower on Tuesday after expressing frustration over the budget impasse and the looming "fiscal cliff."
In early European trading, Britain's FTSE 100 fell 0.3 percent to 5,784.61. Germany's DAX lost 0.2 percent to 7,316.69. France's CAC-40 fell 0.3 percent to 3,491.57.
Wall Street headed for a lower open, with Dow Jones industrial futures falling 0.1 percent to 12,850. S&P 500 futures were down 0.1 percent at 1,395.40.
Stock market losses began earlier in Asia. Japan's Nikkei 225 index fell 1.2 percent to close at 9,308.35, a day after closing at a seven-month high.
South Korea's Kospi shed 0.7 percent to 1,912.78 and Australia's S&P/ASX 200 lost 0.2 percent to 4,447.30. Hong Kong's Hang Seng fell 0.6 percent to 21,708.98.
Obama plans to make a public case this week for his strategy for dealing with the issue as he pressures opposing lawmakers to allow tax increases on the wealthy while extending tax cuts for families earning $250,000 or less.
On Wall Street, reports released Tuesday showing increases in U.S. consumer confidence and orders for machinery and equipment failed to boost stocks significantly.
"If one could just take politicians and the fiscal cliff out of the picture, an optimistic outlook would be far easier to cobble together. There's been depressingly little news of cliff breakthroughs, or even developments, of late," said analysts at DBS Bank Ltd. in Singapore in an email commentary.
Mainland China's Shanghai Composite Index fell 0.9 percent to 1,973.52, a four-year low. The smaller Shenzhen Composite Index tumbled 1.9 percent to 750.97.
Linus Yip, strategist at First Shanghai Securities in Hong Kong, said the steep drop in Shanghai can be attributed to the expiration of lock up periods for some investors, which allows them to sell their shares and creates a glut on the market for the stock.
Otherwise, the drop among Asian stock markets represents profit-taking by investors who've enjoyed substantial gains in the past two months, Yip said.
Among individual stocks, Australian flag carrier Qantas Airways fell 2.2 percent after ending its 40-year partnership with the tourist body Tourism Australia and suspending a $50 million marketing deal. Japan's Toshiba Corp. fell 4.1 percent. Kobe Steel Ltd. plunged 6.5 percent.
Benchmark oil for January delivery was down 12 cents to $87.03 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract fell 56 cents to finish at $87.18 per barrel on the Nymex on Tuesday.
In currencies, the euro fell to $1.2932 from $1.2939 on Tuesday in New York. The dollar fell to 81.80 yen from 82.17 yen.
___
Follow Pamela Sampson on Twitter at http://twitter.com/pamelasampson
Credit scores are essential to any person. They can help you get less expensive bargains on loans and credit contracts. Basically, the better your scores the much better the chances of you getting better offers. Bad scores can do nothing at all excellent to you particularly when dealing businesses that want to look at these scores and assess you from them.
Some would believe that it is difficult to repair or fix credit scores. This is not really that tough to do. There are numerous methods to increase your credit card scores and all that is needed is a little discipline and perseverance on your component. Here are some methods in which you can improve it.
The best way to increase your score is to spend your dues on time. This could seem straightforward and unhelpful to numerous but this is really the greatest way to improve it. Credit scores reflect your credit and your paying behavior that is why paying on time should be your priority.
Keeping track of your credit reports and score is also a way to increase on them. Understanding about them lets you know exactly where you stand financially. Also, you can maintain track of inconsistencies and discrepancies that would give you unfavorable comments that would affect your credit scores and credit reports.
You must use older credit accounts. An older credit card background is good factor when it comes to credit scores. Active accounts give a good effect it.
You require to be aware of the way you use your credit cards and your credit limits. Both of them are typically used to assess you as this ratio also affects the assessment of credit scores. The decrease this ratio, the better your scores.
Decide accounts that you have no use of. If you have accounts that you no longer use take the initiative of closing them yourself. This would look far better in credit reports and scores than if the businesses themselves had been the ones who closed your account for you.
Challenging faulty and unfavorable figures in credit reports could assist your scores. Credit reporting institutions get their data from credit agencies. If there is some thing wrong in the credit reports do your very best to appropriate it immediately.
There are several other things that could help your scores. There are also several other businesses that would supply to do this for you. Even though it is not impossible to do this, there are those that are simply taking advantage of your want. You want vigilance and the understanding that only you can alter it.
With divorce rates being what they are and people living well into their 70s, 80s, and 90s, tying the knot might seem more intimidating than ever. However, by understanding what marriage entails and clarifying your expectations, you can overcome your nuptial-phobia and make an informed decision on whether or not to get married.
1.? Try to determine what exactly are your fears of marriage
Most people don't fear marriage itself but rather, its implications and its potential failure. What are you worried will change? What's the worst possible scenario that's paralysing your views on marriage?
2.? Address your fears of marriage
If your parents had a bad marriage, understand that every marriage is different. If you're worried about your marriage falling apart, make a list in your mind of what you can and will do to make the marriage work. Imagine all the scenarios that make you scared and then, imagine what you will do in that specific situation to make it better.
Consider that if you allow your fear of marriage to prevent you from settling down, you might be single for the rest of your life. Make sure that's a risk you're willing to take, and accept responsibility for.
3.? Re-evaluate your failed past relationships
It can also help to re-evaluate your failed relationships. How or where did they go wrong? Talk with your significant other about their past relationships and try to determine why those did not work out. Understanding what went wrong in the past can help you avoid the same issues this time around.
4.? Chat with those in a successful marriage
Ask anybody in a successful marriage to tell you their secrets, and discuss this with your partner. This is the perfect opportunity to exercise the communication skills that are essential for any healthy relationship to last. An understanding and helpful partner will also help you to overcome your fear of marriage.
5.? Decide whether you?ve chosen the right person
Decide whether the person you have chosen is the one with whom you want to spend the rest of your life. Or, have they chosen you and you're now being pressured into marriage?
It might not be marriage itself that you fear, but marriage to this person. It?s wise not to marry the person you know you can live with for the rest of your life ? rather marry the one whom you can't imagine living without.
6.? Accept that marriage has its ups and downs
Realise that you are not going to live in harmony every second of every day. If this is your expectation, you'll never settle down or get married because no one will ever be able to live up to that illusion.
Marriage is hard work and no marriage is perfect. Too many people get married with the idea that, should things start to get tough, they'll just file for divorce and start all over again. Be prepared for the bumps in the road, and don't be surprised when you come across them.
7.? Plan your future life together to overcome your fear of marriage
Sit down and sort out some things before you get married. Will you have children? If so, how many? Who will manage the money? Will both spouses work? How much will you save for retirement? Where will you live? Who gets which responsibility? What about religion issues? If the husband can still go out to bars with his buddies, can the wife still do the same?
These are the difficult yet practical questions to ask before you commit yourself to somebody for the rest of your life. It's better to foresee conflict and prevent it. If you have a healthy relationship, the questioning process will bring you closer.
8.? Do some introspection about sexual exclusivity
Many people have healthy and happy committed relationships which include clear agreements on sexual privacy without sexual exclusivity. Don?t let societal standards dictate what makes you and your mate happy. Many people are afraid of the prospect of lifelong sexual exclusivity.
Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki building the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to overcome your fear of marriage. Content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons License.
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Exercise rate related to improvements in Parkinsons diseasePublic release date: 26-Nov-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Linda Brooks lbrooks@rsna.org 630-590-7762 Radiological Society of North America
CHICAGO People with Parkinson's disease benefit from exercise programs on stationary bicycles, with the greatest effect for those who pedal faster, according to a study presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). Functional connectivity magnetic resonance imaging (fcMRI) data showed that faster pedaling led to greater connectivity in brain areas associated with motor ability.
Parkinson's disease is a chronic, progressive disorder of the central nervous system. Early-stage symptoms like shaking and difficulty with walking eventually may progress to cognitive and behavioral problems such as dementia. An estimated 7 to 10 million people worldwide live with Parkinson's disease, according to the Parkinson's Disease Foundation, with most cases occurring after the age of 50.
As the disease progresses and the frequency of side effects increases, the therapeutic window begins to close. Deep brain stimulation is an effective therapy for late-stage Parkinson's disease, but is an invasive and costly procedure.
Exercise is thought to have beneficial effects on Parkinson's disease. Jay L. Alberts, Ph.D., neuroscientist at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Institute in Cleveland, saw this firsthand in 2003 when he rode a tandem bicycle across Iowa with a Parkinson's disease patient to raise awareness of the disease. The patient experienced improvements in her symptoms after the ride.
"The finding was serendipitous," Dr. Alberts recalled. "I was pedaling faster than her, which forced her to pedal faster. She had improvements in her upper extremity function, so we started to look at the possible mechanism behind this improved function."
As part of this inquiry, Dr. Alberts, researcher Chintan Shah, B.S., and their Cleveland Clinic colleagues, recently used fcMRI to study the effect of exercise on 26 Parkinson's disease patients.
"By measuring changes in blood oxygenation levels in the brain, fcMRI allows us to look at the functional connectivity between different brain regions," Shah said.
The patients underwent bicycle exercise sessions three times a week for eight weeks. Some patients exercised at a voluntary level and others underwent forced-rate exercise, pedaling at a speed above their voluntary rate. The researchers used a modified exercise bike to induce forced-rate activity.
"We developed an algorithm to control a motor on the bike and used a controller to sense the patient's rate of exertion and adjust the motor based on their input," Dr. Alberts said.
fcMRI was conducted before and after the eight weeks of exercise therapy and again as follow-up four weeks later. The research team calculated brain activation and connectivity levels from the fcMRI results and correlated the data with average pedaling rate. Results showed increases in task-related connectivity between the primary motor cortex and the posterior region of the brain's thalamus. Faster pedaling rate was the key factor related to these improvements, which were still evident at follow-up.
"The results show that forced-rate bicycle exercise is an effective, low-cost therapy for Parkinson's disease," Shah said.
Dr. Alberts noted that that while faster pedaling led to more significant results, not all Parkinson's patients need to do forced-rate exercise to see improvement.
"We're now looking at this phenomenon in patients with exercise bikes in their home," he said, "and other exercises like swimming and rowing on tandem machines may provide similar benefits."
###
Coauthors are Micheal D. Phillips, M.D. (principal investigator), Erik B. Beall, Ph.D., Anneke M.M. Frankemolle, B.S., Amanda Penko, M.A., and Mark J. Lowe, Ph.D.
Note: Copies of RSNA 2012 news releases and electronic images will be available online at RSNA.org/press12 beginning Monday, Nov. 26.
RSNA is an association of more than 50,000 radiologists, radiation oncologists, medical physicists and related scientists, promoting excellence in patient care and health care delivery through education, research and technologic innovation. The Society is based in Oak Brook, Ill.
Editor's note: The data in these releases may differ from those in the published abstract and those actually presented at the meeting, as researchers continue to update their data right up until the meeting. To ensure you are using the most up-to-date information, please call the RSNA Newsroom at 1-312-949-3233.
For patient-friendly information on functional MRI, visit RadiologyInfo.org.
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Exercise rate related to improvements in Parkinsons diseasePublic release date: 26-Nov-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Linda Brooks lbrooks@rsna.org 630-590-7762 Radiological Society of North America
CHICAGO People with Parkinson's disease benefit from exercise programs on stationary bicycles, with the greatest effect for those who pedal faster, according to a study presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). Functional connectivity magnetic resonance imaging (fcMRI) data showed that faster pedaling led to greater connectivity in brain areas associated with motor ability.
Parkinson's disease is a chronic, progressive disorder of the central nervous system. Early-stage symptoms like shaking and difficulty with walking eventually may progress to cognitive and behavioral problems such as dementia. An estimated 7 to 10 million people worldwide live with Parkinson's disease, according to the Parkinson's Disease Foundation, with most cases occurring after the age of 50.
As the disease progresses and the frequency of side effects increases, the therapeutic window begins to close. Deep brain stimulation is an effective therapy for late-stage Parkinson's disease, but is an invasive and costly procedure.
Exercise is thought to have beneficial effects on Parkinson's disease. Jay L. Alberts, Ph.D., neuroscientist at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Institute in Cleveland, saw this firsthand in 2003 when he rode a tandem bicycle across Iowa with a Parkinson's disease patient to raise awareness of the disease. The patient experienced improvements in her symptoms after the ride.
"The finding was serendipitous," Dr. Alberts recalled. "I was pedaling faster than her, which forced her to pedal faster. She had improvements in her upper extremity function, so we started to look at the possible mechanism behind this improved function."
As part of this inquiry, Dr. Alberts, researcher Chintan Shah, B.S., and their Cleveland Clinic colleagues, recently used fcMRI to study the effect of exercise on 26 Parkinson's disease patients.
"By measuring changes in blood oxygenation levels in the brain, fcMRI allows us to look at the functional connectivity between different brain regions," Shah said.
The patients underwent bicycle exercise sessions three times a week for eight weeks. Some patients exercised at a voluntary level and others underwent forced-rate exercise, pedaling at a speed above their voluntary rate. The researchers used a modified exercise bike to induce forced-rate activity.
"We developed an algorithm to control a motor on the bike and used a controller to sense the patient's rate of exertion and adjust the motor based on their input," Dr. Alberts said.
fcMRI was conducted before and after the eight weeks of exercise therapy and again as follow-up four weeks later. The research team calculated brain activation and connectivity levels from the fcMRI results and correlated the data with average pedaling rate. Results showed increases in task-related connectivity between the primary motor cortex and the posterior region of the brain's thalamus. Faster pedaling rate was the key factor related to these improvements, which were still evident at follow-up.
"The results show that forced-rate bicycle exercise is an effective, low-cost therapy for Parkinson's disease," Shah said.
Dr. Alberts noted that that while faster pedaling led to more significant results, not all Parkinson's patients need to do forced-rate exercise to see improvement.
"We're now looking at this phenomenon in patients with exercise bikes in their home," he said, "and other exercises like swimming and rowing on tandem machines may provide similar benefits."
###
Coauthors are Micheal D. Phillips, M.D. (principal investigator), Erik B. Beall, Ph.D., Anneke M.M. Frankemolle, B.S., Amanda Penko, M.A., and Mark J. Lowe, Ph.D.
Note: Copies of RSNA 2012 news releases and electronic images will be available online at RSNA.org/press12 beginning Monday, Nov. 26.
RSNA is an association of more than 50,000 radiologists, radiation oncologists, medical physicists and related scientists, promoting excellence in patient care and health care delivery through education, research and technologic innovation. The Society is based in Oak Brook, Ill.
Editor's note: The data in these releases may differ from those in the published abstract and those actually presented at the meeting, as researchers continue to update their data right up until the meeting. To ensure you are using the most up-to-date information, please call the RSNA Newsroom at 1-312-949-3233.
For patient-friendly information on functional MRI, visit RadiologyInfo.org.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
ROME (Reuters) - Italian center-left voters head to the polls on Sunday to choose the candidate who will be the leading contender to succeed Mario Monti as prime minister after a general election in March.
Opinion surveys show Democratic Party leaderPier Luigi Bersani is front-runner among five candidates, followed by youthful Florence mayor Matteo Renzi, who has vowed to shake up Italy's political establishment if he is chosen.
Voting booths will be open from 08:00 to 20:00 local time (07:00 GMT to 19:00 GMT) with results due around midnight (23:00 GMT). About 3 million party and non-party voters are expected to take part.
Bersani may fail to secure the 50 percent he needs for a first-round victory, which will mean a second round run-off will be held on December 2 to decide who will lead an alliance that is well ahead in opinion polls for the next election.
In a second round Bersani is likely to pick up the votes of third-placed left-winger Nichi Vendola, the openly gay governor of the southern Puglia region.
The party vote will eliminate a major element of uncertainty in Italian politics ahead of the national poll to choose a successor to Monti's technocrat government.
While the slick and dynamic Renzi, 37, is much more popular across the general population, canny career politician Bersani, 61, is favored by party supporters who will decide the primary.
Both men reject the idea encouraged by international markets that the respected and sober Monti should return after the vote to continue his economic policies that have so far included unpopular spending cuts, tax rises and labor reform.
Protests on Saturday by tens of thousands of students and workers from across the political spectrum highlighted the levels of discontent among Italians grappling with recession and rising unemployment in the euro zone's third biggest economy.
With Silvio Berlusconi's center-right People of Freedom (PDL) party slumping in opinion polls to less than half its support in the last election in 2008, the center-left has a clear field to win the general election.
However there are still several elements of uncertainty presented by the dramatic rise of the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement, which is now second in polls for the next election, and the around 50 percent of Italians who say they are either undecided or will abstain.
The center-right is due to hold its own primaries on Dec 16, but PDL secretary Angelino Alfano said on Saturday that may no longer make sense after Berlusconi told reporters he was again thinking about running, deepening chaos in his party.
It is also still unclear what electoral system will be used for the national vote now expected on March 10-11, as politicians have been arguing for months over how to reform an unpopular electoral law that allows party leaders to hand-pick members of parliament.
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It just may take a village to combat childhood obesity.
That?s why institutions as diverse as Nemours Children?s Hospital, Rollins College, Winter Park Health Foundation, ?Sesame Street? and nearly two dozen local child-care centers have joined to tackle the problem in Central Florida.
They believe the best way to address the obesity epidemic is to nip the problem early. So, they start in preschool.
The effort began in 2009 when Nemours, through its Childcare Obesity Prevention Initiative, teamed with ?Sesame Street? to develop a program for child-care centers. The goal was to get tots and teachers thinking about eating more fresh foods (and less food from boxes), drinking water instead of juice and sugar-sweetened beverages and moving a lot more.
The program used wellness guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Institute of Medicine, said Jessica Mills, program and policy analyst for Nemours? Florida prevention initiative.
?By the time American kids reach age 5, 20 percent of them are overweight or obese,? said Mills, explaining her reasons for targeting kids early. ?We?re hoping to change those statistics.?
Last year the program got a boost from the Winter Park Health Foundation, which gave it a $50,000 grant. The foundation topped that this year with a $90,000 grant.
The funds help get teaching tools into preschools in Winter Park, Eatonville, and Maitland ? all of which feed into elementary schools that have a similar, coordinated health and wellness program, said Lynn Carolan, spokeswoman for the health foundation.
Southern California wide receiver Marqise Lee, left, can't hold on to a pass in the end zone as UCLA cornerback Sheldon Price defends during the first half of their NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 17, 2012, in Pasadena, Calif. Price was called for pass interference on the play. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Southern California wide receiver Marqise Lee, left, can't hold on to a pass in the end zone as UCLA cornerback Sheldon Price defends during the first half of their NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 17, 2012, in Pasadena, Calif. Price was called for pass interference on the play. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o, right, pats coach Brian Kelly on the back after Te'o left the game during the second half of an NCAA college football game in South Bend, Ind., Saturday, Nov. 17, 2012. Notre Dame defeated Wake Forest 38-0. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o acknowledges the applause of fans as he leaves his final home game late in the fourth of an NCAA college football against Wake Forest game in South Bend, Ind., Saturday, Nov. 17, 2012. Notre Dame defeated Wake Forest 38-0. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Notre Dame running back Cierre Wood (20) cuts around Wake Forest defenders as he picks up 42 yards during the second half of an NCAA college football game in South Bend, Ind., Saturday, Nov. 17, 2012. Notre Dame defeated Wake Forest 38-0. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
LOS ANGELES (AP) ? Not many young quarterbacks would even have the audacity to imagine making their first career starts under the circumstances surrounding Max Wittek on Saturday.
The freshman is replacing Matt Barkley, an injured senior who has claimed most of the career passing records at Southern California. He's facing Notre Dame (11-0), a storied football power with a No. 1 ranking and the nation's most feared defense.
The Irish need just one more win to book a spot in the national title game, and the struggling Trojans (7-4) have lost three of four. Yet Wittek also has arguably the best receiving duo in the nation catching his passes and a sold-out Coliseum firmly at his back.
If the enormity of this occasion is scaring Wittek, he hasn't shown it a bit.
LAS VEGAS (AP) ? As if a weekend in Las Vegas isn't wild enough for Southern Californians, a Nevada entrepreneur is about to add five more hours of party to either end.
After striking an agreement with Union Pacific Railroad last week, the Las Vegas Railway Express is one step closer to bringing to life the X Train, a luxurious "party train" complete with big screen TVs, recliners and two ultra lounges.
"The whole idea is when you get on a train, you feel like you're in Las Vegas," said Michael Barron, president and CEO of the $100 million venture that hopes to launch its maiden voyage on New Year's Eve 2013. "It's essentially a nightclub on wheels."
Tourists can't get from Southern California to Las Vegas by rail alone, and Barron's company isn't the first to try and fix that. The much-talked-about XpressWest project proposes a high-speed train connecting Sin City to the region from which it draws 25 percent of its tourists.
But it's a multi-billion-dollar proposal that would require setting new tracks, and it's often panned as a "train to nowhere" because the first phase would start in relatively obscure Victorville, about 100 miles outside of Los Angeles.
The X Train proposal calls for an Amtrak crew aboard a 576-passenger train that runs at standard speeds on traditional tracks.
It would start in Fullerton, Calif. ? already home to an Amtrak station and part of Southern California's Metrolink commuter train network ? and end in downtown Las Vegas.
A conditional agreement with Union Pacific, approved Nov. 16, will allow the company to use a rail line that's currently limited to freight trains and hasn't served passengers since Amtrak discontinued its Desert Wind service in 1997 due to low ridership.
Tickets for the adults-only train would cost $99 each way and include a meal and beverage, with plenty more alcohol available for purchase. To keep ticket prices low, the company would try to make money booking Las Vegas hotels and entertainment for passengers.
With initial plans for one trip a day on Thursday, Friday, Sunday, and Monday, Barron believes he can attract tourists weary of the weekend traffic gridlock and perhaps hung over from their weekend revelry.
"Sunday is horrific," Barron said of the Interstate 15 corridor that links Las Vegas and its neighbor. "So now you've been up for 40 hours gambling and you have to drive for seven hours ? that's just horrible. But people do it in spite of that!"
John Lawson, who was in Las Vegas from Orange County for a few days over Thanksgiving, said he'd like the option of hopping on a train rather than braving bumper-to-bumper traffic on the way back.
"If you party really hard, it sucks driving back," said Lawson, 28.
Vegas visitor Christina Bojorquez, 25, said she'd have to weigh the cost of the train ride against other cheap options, including discounted flights and sharing the expense of driving to Vegas.
"For special occasions it would be good, but not all the time," she said.
Tom Skancke, a transportation consultant for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, pointed to the proposed trains and other alternatives to personal cars as options that could entice a new generation of tourists. A new Greyhound Express nonstop bus route between L.A. and Las Vegas launched earlier this month.
"These modes of transportation do appeal to a younger, more eco-friendly traveler," Skancke said. "This generation is more interested in passenger rail, transit and high-speed rail than previous generations."
There's still work to be done on the X Train to get it running by late 2013. The sixteen cars the company has purchased need to be renovated, and a station needs to be completed in downtown Vegas.
"We're four years and $12 million into it. It's a lot of infrastructure building," Barron said. "This is a simple concept in discussion, but it's complicated to do."
A lot of states need you to carry liability coverage in your insurance coverage policy. Liability insurance covers the costs incurred for the damages for yet another car with your personal if you are at fault. So generally if you are in an accident and you caused the damage, then the liability of you auto insurance coverage will cover damages according to the terms that are in your policy. voice over internet protocol Collision co?
Car insurance essentially covers you, your passengers and your car in case of an accident.
A lot of states demand you to carry liability coverage in your insurance coverage policy. Liability insurance covers the expenditures incurred for the damages for another vehicle with your own if you are at fault. So basically if you are in an accident and you triggered the damage, then the liability of you car insurance coverage will cover damages according to the terms that are in your policy.
Collision coverage is when your car insurance will spend for the repairs or replace your auto in the case of an accident.
Thorough coverage aids you pay for damages to your automobile that happens with undesirable weather, theft and vandalism.
As you would will all insurances, your vehicle insurance coverage will also a deductible. The deductible quantity of the claim is your responsibility to pay. Auto insurance costs go up as you reduced your deductible. If you want to have a larger deductible you auto insurance will be much less costly.
Also hold in thoughts that as your auto ages your auto insurance premium will reduce in price. Of course that is if you have a great driving record and dont get any tickets or get into any accidents. Also you can contemplate the amount of coverage you get as your auto ages. Some feel only obtaining liability coverage on your cat that is old is far better. Of course it is up to you whatever you want.
I hope this clears up a few issues about car insurance for you. If you would like more details do a small bit of analysis on your own and see what you come up with. Or ask questions when you are inquiring about a specific insurance policy. It is often better to know each and every aspect ahead of getting insurance coverage and signing the dotted line. Great Luck!
Last Updated on Wednesday, 14 November 2012 05:31Written by EbizFriday, 23 November 2012 05:30
Consumers on the west coast and in other states are getting stung by a payday loan scam. More than 300 people have been victim to several payday loan companies with the same Las Vegas address and with identical websites.
Apparently, consumers looked into a payday loan site without really officially signing for the loan and found out that $30 was taken from their checking account without their authorization. Another case stated that, after merely checking out one payday loan lender online, they received over 100 offer from other payday lenders and had $30 taken from their checking account.
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The companies named in these accusations are Capital Advance Capital, Pacific Advance, Ideal Advance Loan Tree Advance, Palm Loan Advance, Vantage Funding and Your Loan Funding. The BBB says many of these companies already had bad ratings and complaints; although some of these companies try to make amends, most people just want their money back.
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A lesson to the wise, do not share your personal information so readily on the internet. Definitely do more research on the loan company before you give out any information, especially bank account and credit card numbers? What has happened to these consumers is identity theft in a sense, but because the information was freely given, it is hard to prove.
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Payday lending and auto title lending businesses can be unscrupulous, as it is. Many short term lenders will prey on the unfortunate poverty stricken consumer by giving them hope of urgently needed money. The promise of instant cash to a paycheck to paycheck survivor is overwhelming and hard to resist. The details involved in such a venture are often overlooked by the borrower in their haste to obtain the much needed funds. The borrower is so anxious to receive any type of loan, that he volunteers personal information readily without forethought.
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A payday loan and a car title loan are necessary for some people but the consumer still needs to take precaution. The cost of these loans are high, but the consumer with a poor credit rating needs a place to be able to find finds, when? they are living from pay check to paycheck and an emergency arises. Checking out the various lenders on the internet is the ideal way to precede, however, the consumer should not give out his personal financial information to all the lenders that they are purveying.
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The potential borrower should proceed by taking notes on the various lenders fees and interest rates and repayment offers without giving back information other than an email address. Only after the potential borrower decides on which lender is legitimate and would suit his/her needs the best, should he /she give out the financial information asked for. An honest lender will keep this all this knowledge confidential and use this information only with the borrower?s consent, after all the terms and conditions of the loan are disclosed and agreed upon.
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The consumer need not fear or avoid the payday lender or the auto title lender altogether, the consumer just needs to be aware and informed of what is true and what is false in the industry. It takes patience and knowledge. All the information needed is out there; you must find it and utilize it to your best ability.
ove it.
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Public release date: 26-Nov-2012
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