Sheep’s mucosa shows the way to more effective medicine for severe neurological diseases

New Danish/Italian research shows how medicine for the brain can be absorbed through the nose. This paves the way to more effective treatment of neurological diseases like Alzheimer's and tumors in the brain.

A big challenge in medical science is to get medicine into the brain when treating patients with neurological diseases. The brain will do everything to keep foreign substances out and therefore the brains of neurological patients fight a constant, daily battle to throw out the medicine prescribed to help the patients.

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Turning plastic bags into high-tech materials

University of Adelaide researchers have developed a process for turning waste plastic bags into a high-tech nanomaterial.

The innovative nanotechnology uses non-biodegradable plastic grocery bags to make 'carbon nanotube membranes' ‒ highly sophisticated and expensive materials with a variety of potential advanced applications including filtration, sensing, energy storage and a range of biomedical innovations.

"Non-biodegradable plastic bags are a serious menace to natural ecosystems and present a problem in terms of disposal," says Professor Dusan Losic, ARC Future Fellow and Research Professor of Nanotechnology in the University's School of Chemical Engineering.

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Fetching Faces and Friendly Foxes: Selective Breeding of Foxes Reveals Why with Humans, Beauty Rules

“What is beautiful is good”—but why? A recent article in The Quarterly Review of Biology provides a compelling physiological explanation for the “beauty stereotype”: why human beings are wired to favor the beautiful ones.

Studies have shown that humans subconsciously attribute positive social qualities (such as integrity, intelligence, and happiness) to physically attractive individuals. Even across cultures there exists a significant consensus on relative beauty: youthful facial features, including, for women, relatively large eyes, a relatively high craniofacial ratio, and a relatively small jaw. In an article published in the September 2013 issue of The Quarterly Review of Biology, Dr. I. Elia, an independent scholar at Cambridge University, bridges genetics, physical and social anthropology, and psychology to interpret the findings of the “farm fox experiment” in Russia to reveal “a possible and replicable demonstration of the origin of beauty while inadvertently illuminating its ancient philosophical connection to goodness via a plausible neurohormonal pathway.”

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ŠKODA is the largest manufacturing company in Central Europe

ŠKODA AUTO is the largest manufacturing company in Central Europe for the third time in a row. These are the results from the Deloitte CE Top 500 report. The study carried out by the auditing firm Deloitte is the largest study of its kind on the Central European economy. ŠKODA comes in at third place among all companies in the total rankings for the third time in a row. This current ranking is based on the company’s sales figures from 2012.

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New application for the Electronic Flight Bag (EFB)

“Every drop counts” is the motto. In future, new software will help to save fuel by optimising the flight profile and speed of aircraft during flight operations. Energy-efficient flight operations are a key success factor for the Lufthansa Group, and at the same time an important pillar of the Group’s environmental management activities. During a flight, the program processes the latest aircraft and weather data in order to calculate in real time the most economical flight curve for the remainder of the flight. A first prototype is due to undergo trials and will initially be tested on Lufthansa’s long-haul fleet.

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Zytronic reveals a new dimension in touchscreens for gaming machines

At the G2E exhibition in Las Vegas [Booth # 4012], Zytronic is showcasing touchscreen technology that is enabling the next generation of gaming machines for casinos and other entertainment venues. Zytronic’s touch sensors have been widely used in the gaming and leisure industries for many years, in slot machines, video juke boxes, wagering and video lottery terminals (VLT’s) and more recently in multiplayer gaming tables, but the company’s latest multi-touch projected capacitive (MPCT™) touch technology, together with other innovations, are enabling the development of new machines that deliver an exciting player experience. The demonstration at G2E of a customized curved 32-inch multi-touch screen hints at the possibilities game hardware designers have with the technology.

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Coal-fired gas plants could be China’s latest greenhouse

Synthetic gas plants approved by Chinese government would produce seven times more emissions than conventional plants

Nine coal-fired gas plants recently approved by the Chinese government could prove an environmental disaster, locking the country into a high carbon future and undoing the progress made from renewable energy.

The coal-fired synthetic gas power stations are capable of producing more than 37 billion cubic metres of gas annually, but at a cost.

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Duke Un. report >>

journal reference (Nature Climate Change) >>

BMW M3 M4 Technology Days

The launch of the new BMW M3 Sedan and new BMW M4 Coupe sees BMW M GmbH revealing an all-new interpretation of the high-performance sports car – and carrying the BMW M philosophy over into the fifth generation of the M3. More than 40,000 examples of the fourth-generation BMW M3 Coupe were built, and now the BMW M4 Coupe is poised to continue this history of success. The “M4” badge is a reference to the model series that provides the basis for the new M model. And for the first time, the Coupe will be introduced at the same time as the four-door variant, which logic dictates will be christened the BMW M3.

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Epson Unveils PrecisionCore Technology to Drive Industrial and Office Inkjet Printing Innovation

- New MicroTFP printheads build on Epson's renowned quality –

Epson global president, Minoru Usui, today announced PrecisonCore, a next-generation inkjet printing technology poised to transform the printing business, providing the company with an unparalleled level of manufacturing efficiency to expand into high-potential new global markets. PrecisionCore builds on Epson's longstanding reputation for output quality, at the speeds required for industrial and commercial printing. The technology will also be extended into the company's office printing range.

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Can You Hear Me Now? Researchers Use Smart Phone Photography to Diagnose Eye Disease

Retinal (or fundus) photography is an essential part of any ophthalmology practice. Commercial fundus cameras can cost tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars, making the technology out of reach for smaller ophthalmic practices and to physicians in third-world countries. In a recent study now on line, Massachusetts Eye and Ear researchers describe the relatively simple technique of fundus photography in human and rabbit eyes using a smartphone, an inexpensive app for the smartphone, and instruments that are readily available in an ophthalmic practice.

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Older Is Wiser, At Least Economically

Brains of old people are slowing, but experience more than makes up for the decline, study finds

The brains of older people are slowing but experience more than makes up for the decline, a University of California, Riverside assistant professor of management and several colleagues found when asking the participants a series of financially related questions.

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Iowa State, Ames Lab chemists help find binding site of protein that allows plant growth

Using a new and super-sensitive instrument, researchers have discovered where a protein binds to plant cell walls, a process that loosens the cell walls and makes it possible for plants to grow.

Researchers say the discovery could one day lead to bigger harvests of biomass for renewable energy.

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Living better with heart failure by changing what you eat

University of Michigan Cardiovascular study shows DASH diet improves heart function, lowers blood pressure

Diet can dramatically lower hypertension and improve heart function in patients with a common type of heart failure, according to research presented at today’s Heart Failure Society of America meeting in Orlando, Fla.

After 21 days of following a low-sodium Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) eating plan, patients saw a drop in blood pressure similar to taking anti-hypertension medicine.

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New CU-Boulder-led study finds ‘microbial clock’ may help determine time of death

An intriguing study led by the University of Colorado Boulder may provide a powerful new tool in the quiver of forensic scientists attempting to determine the time of death in cases involving human corpses: a microbial clock.

The clock is essentially the lock-step succession of bacterial changes that occur postmortem as bodies move through the decay process. And while the researchers used mice for the new study, previous studies on the human microbiome – the estimated 100 trillion or so microbes that live on and in each of us – indicate there is good reason to believe similar microbial clocks are ticking away on human corpses, said Jessica Metcalf, a CU-Boulder postdoctoral researcher and first author on the study.

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Bell Helicopter to Equip New Short Light Single Aircraft with Garmin G1000H Integrated Avionics System

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Bell Helicopter, a Textron Inc. company (NYSE: TXT), announced today a long-term contract with the global leader in satellite navigation, Garmin International Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ: GRMN), to provide the G1000H Integrated Avionics Suite for Bell Helicopter's new short light single (SLS) aircraft. The all-glass avionics system digitally presents critical flight information to the pilot via high-resolution LCD displays and reduces overall pilot workload.

"Our customers are demanding the state-of-the-art Garmin G1000H, and we are excited to bring the system's proven capabilities to our new SLS helicopter," said Danny Maldonado, Bell Helicopter's executive vice president of Commercial Sales and Marketing. "When we first began development of the new aircraft, we wanted to improve situational awareness for pilots with an advanced glass cockpit that would be the first of its kind in the short light single class. After considering both our own experience and customer feedback, we believe Garmin's is the perfect solution to deliver on this promise."

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ABB receives CE marking for EV fast-charging multi-standard solutions

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Terra 53 is the industry’s first CCS compatible DC fast charging station to pass independent European compliance testing.

ABB, the leading power and automation technology group, today announced that it has received CE marking approval for its 50 kilowatt (kW) Terra 53 CCS DC fast charging station for electric vehicles. The certification demonstrates compliance with the relevant European Union directives for safety.

ABB is the first supplier of CCS DC fast charging solutions to pass CE testing by an independent notified conformity assessment body. ABB’s Terra 53 systems are fully compliant with the requirements of the electromagnetic compatibility and low voltage directives, which were designed to ensure safety of electrical equipment and its users. The Terra 53 will also be available in dual and triple outlet configurations, serving all electric vehicles present on the European roads, supporting CCS, CHAdeMO and AC Type 2, Mode 3.

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All-new Mazda3 to Offer Next-generation Car Connectivity System 'Mazda Connect'

- Global partnership with Aha™ by HARMAN cloud-based web content platform for vehicles –

Mazda Motor Corporation today announced that the all-new Mazda3 (Axela in Japan) will feature a next-generation car connectivity system, Mazda Connect*1, when it goes on sale this autumn. The new system will increase the scope of driving pleasure and engender a deeper relationship between car and driver. To enable the driver to enjoy the wide range of content on offer while keeping their attention focused on the road ahead, Mazda has developed a brand new Human Machine Interface (HMI), based on its unique Heads-Up Cockpit concept. As the amount of information presented to drivers behind the wheel increases, the new HMI creates an environment in which the driver is consistently looking at the road ahead and can concentrate on the safe operation of the vehicle.

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see also (press release of AHA)

Suzuki introduces new overseas motorcycle models for 2014

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Suzuki Motor Corporation has introduced new overseas motorcycle models for 2014 during the 36th Le Mans 24-hours endurance race (24 Heures Moto), which was held at the Bugatti Circuit, located near Le Mans, France from 21 to 22 September, 2013.

The Sport Adventure Tourer, the V-Strom 1000 ABS

The V-Storm 1000 ABS is a production model based on a concept model exhibited at the INTERMOT International Motorcycle, Scooter and Bicycle Fair held in Cologne, Germany in October 2012. The styling design of the V-Strom 1000 ABS is inspired by the 1988 DR750S, Suzuki’s first big on/off-road machine. It was developed to offer some of the best parts of the Sport Adventure Tourer such as the versatility, the fun of riding, and comfortable long distance travel.

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The dragon awakes - colossal explosion from supermassive black hole at centre of galaxy revealed

Two million years ago a supermassive black hole at the heart of our galaxy erupted in an explosion so immensely powerful that it lit up a cloud 200,000 light years away, a team of researchers led by the University of Sydney has revealed.

The finding is an exciting confirmation that black holes can 'flicker', moving from maximum power to switching off over, in cosmic terms, short periods of time.

"For 20 years astronomers have suspected that such a significant outburst occurred, but now we know when this sleeping dragon, four million times the mass of the sun, awoke and breathed fire with 100 million times the power it has today," said Professor Joss Bland-Hawthorn, lead author of an article on the research to be published in The Astrophysical Journal, from the University's School of Physics.

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Siberian hamsters show what helps make seasonal clocks

Many animals, including humans, have internal clocks and calendars to help them regulate behavior, physiological functions and biological processes. Although scientists have extensively studied the timekeeping mechanisms that inform daily functions (circadian rhythms), they know very little about the timekeeping mechanisms that inform seasonal functions.

New research to be published this week in the online early edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences shows, for the first time, that this measurement of seasonal time has an epigenetic component. Epigenetics refers to an alteration in gene expression that occurs without a change in the sequence of DNA molecules.

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Spinning CDs to Clean Sewage Water

Scientists find a potential new use for old music CDs: coating disks in photocatalytic compounds and spinning them to clean water

Audio CDs, all the rage in the ‘90s, seem increasingly obsolete in a world of MP3 files and iPods, leaving many music lovers with the question of what to do with their extensive compact disk collections. While you could turn your old disks into a work of avant-garde art, researchers in Taiwan have come up with a more practical application: breaking down sewage. The team will present its new wastewater treatment device at the Optical Society's (OSA) Annual Meeting, Frontiers in Optics (FiO) 2013, being held Oct. 6-10 in Orlando, Fla.

“Optical disks are cheap, readily available, and very commonly used,” says Din Ping Tsai, a physicist at National Taiwan University. Close to 20 billion disks are already manufactured annually, the researchers note, so using old disks for water treatment might even be a way to cut down on waste.

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Brain may rely on computer-like mechanism to make sense of novel situations, says CU-Boulder study

Our brains give us the remarkable ability to make sense of situations we’ve never encountered before—a familiar person in an unfamiliar place, for example, or a coworker in a different job role—but the mechanism our brains use to accomplish this has been a longstanding mystery of neuroscience.

Now, researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder have demonstrated that our brains could process these new situations by relying on a method similar to the “pointer” system used by computers. “Pointers” are used to tell a computer where to look for information stored elsewhere in the system to replace a variable.

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Researchers publish enormous catalog of more than 300,000 nearby galaxies

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More than 83,000 volunteer citizen scientists participated in the crowdsourcing project

More than 83,000 volunteer citizen scientists. Over 16 million galaxy classifications. Information on more than 300,000 galaxies. This is what you get when you ask the public for help in learning more about our universe.

The project, named Galaxy Zoo 2, is the second phase of a crowdsourcing effort to categorize galaxies in our universe. Researchers say computers are good at automatically measuring properties such as size and color of galaxies, but more challenging characteristics, such as shape and structure, can currently only be determined by the human eye.

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Warning of Potential Side Effects of a Product Can Increase Its Sales

Drug ads often warn of serious side effects, from nausea and bleeding to blindness, even death. New research suggests that, rather than scaring consumers away, these warnings can improve consumers’ opinions and increase product sales when there is a delay between seeing the ad and deciding to buy or consume the product.

“Messages that warn consumers about potentially harmful side effects — presumably with the intent to nudge them to act more cautiously — can ironically backfire,” says psychological scientist Ziv Carmon of INSEAD in Singapore.

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Why do you want to eat the baby?

What woman has not wanted to gobble up a baby placed in her arms, even if the baby is not hers? This reaction, which everyone has noticed or felt, could have biological underpinnings related to maternal functions. For the first time, an international team of researchers has found evidence of this phenomenon in the neural networks associated with reward.

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Chasing the black holes of the ocean

According to researchers from ETH Zurich and the University of Miami, some of the largest ocean eddies on Earth are mathematically equivalent to the mysterious black holes of space. These eddies are so tightly shielded by circular water paths that nothing caught up in them escapes.

The mild winters experienced in Northern Europe are thanks to the Gulf Stream, which makes up part of those ocean currents spanning the globe that impact on the climate. However, our climate is also influenced by huge eddies of over 150 kilometres in diameter that rotate and drift across the ocean. Their number is reportedly on the rise in the Southern Ocean, increasing the northward transport of warm and salty water. Intriguingly, this could moderate the negative impact of melting sea ice in a warming climate.

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First steps towards achieving better and cheaper biodiesel

Is there any connection between wine and biodiesel? The answer is yes, however surprising it may seem. Acetals are chemical compounds found in many wines, like port, for example, which give it a unique, sweet smell. However if acetals are blended with biodiesel, they improve its properties. The SUPREN research group of the Department of Chemical Engineering and the Environment of the Faculty of Engineering in Bilbao (UPV/EHU) is working on a project that is seeking to encourage the use of this rare fuel. The idea is to produce acetals more easily and more cheaply. The starting point is the alcohol obtained from sugar-rich plants, or glycerol, a bi-product of biodiesel which is also a kind of alcohol. The aim is to come up with an industrial process to obtain the supplements that will improve the biodiesel we will eventually be putting into our vehicles.

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Smart Vehicle Mobility

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With the rapid growth of vehicles occupying the streets in Indonesia, the strategy of fuel-efficient, low-emission mobility becomes a crucial aspect. Smart mobility solution is the most appropriate choice for today’s urban society. With the support from stakeholders, industry players, and private organizations, the government has put a tremendous effort to encourage environmentally friendly lifestyle to the nation, including on the issues of energy efficiency.

Automotive industry as part of the biggest pillars of industry in Indonesia is among the vanguards of those who advocate various environmentally friendly programs. The latest program formulated by the government and the automotive industry is the Low Carbon Emission Program (LCEP). The program, which is planned to be inaugurated by the President of the Republic of Indonesia in near future, will be the umbrella for various environmentally programs such as Low Cost Green Car (LCGC), hybrid vehicles, bio-fuel vehicles and electric vehicles.

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Crossing the Himalayas through memory to Ladakh

Lesley Downer retraces a journey she made 30 years ago to one of the most unspoiled, remote and welcoming corners of the world

I’m in a small van careering along a rough and narrow road beside a rushing river with brightly painted temples along its banks and craggy peaks towering overhead. We’re traveling in the prescribed Indian fashion — drive as fast as you can and hope for the best or, better still, pray.

One of our group jokes that the driver risks developing RSI (repetitive strain injury) from pressing his horn. Swerving around a hairpin bend directly above a ravine, we overtake at high speed, the wheels skidding along the fatal edge. Rain slicks the road and cloud hangs low in the valleys. I shut my eyes. It’s better not to look.

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U.S. Futenma base relocation hits new stumbling block: dugongs

Dugongs, an endangered marine species, in 2012 were inhabiting the reclamation site in Okinawa chosen for the relocation of the U.S. Futenma base, the first time their presence has been confirmed there in three years, a survey by the Okinawa Defense Bureau revealed Saturday.

Only a small number of dugongs live in waters near the Japanese archipelago. But a survey report obtained by Kyodo News through a freedom of information request confirmed seaweed had been eaten by dugongs at the planned reclamation site between April and June last year.

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Giant snails invade suburb of Nanning

Giant Snail invaded suburb of China's Nanning recently. These giant African snails are extremely harmful for vegetables and other crops.

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UN Broadband Commission releases latest country-by-country data on state of broadband access worldwide

Broadband goes wireless – but poorer countries being left behind

Mobile broadband is the fastest growing technology in human history, according to the 2013 edition of the State of Broadband report.

Released in New York at the 8th meeting of the Broadband Commission for Digital Development, the report reveals that mobile broadband subscriptions, which allow users to access the web via smartphones, tablets and WiFi-connected laptops, are growing at a rate of 30% per year. By the end of 2013 there will be more than three times as many mobile broadband connections as there are conventional fixed broadband subscriptions.

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Covert operations: Your brain digitally remastered for clarity of thought

Neurofeedback can enhance the signal-to-noise ratio in thought, enabling a sharper focus on tasks—and a better understanding of brain-computer interfaces.

The sweep of a needle across the grooves of a worn vinyl record carries distinct sounds: hisses, scratches, even the echo of skips. For many years, though, those yearning to hear Frank Sinatra sing “Fly Me to the Moon” have been able to listen to his light baritone with technical clarity, courtesy of the increased signal-to-noise ratio of digital remasterings.

Now, with advances in neurofeedback techniques, the signal-to-noise ratio of the brain activity underlying our thoughts can be remastered as well, according to the recent discovery of a research team led by Stephen LaConte, an assistant professor at the Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute.

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Research Project: Robotic Fabrication in Timber Construction

Researchers at the University of Stuttgart develop a lightweight timber construction system combining robotic prefabrication with computational design and simulation processes, as well as three-dimensional surveying technologies used in engineering geodesy. In collaboration with Kuka, a manufacturer of industrial robot arms, and the timber construction and engineering company MüllerBlaustein, the partners investigate the potentials of robotic prefabrication in timber construction. Their goal is to develop innovative, performative and sustainable construction systems made from wood, which also expand the repertoire of architectural expression in timber construction.

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The 2014 Toyota Tundra Helps Drivers 'Build Anything'

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Pickup truck drivers can build what matters most—not just “things,” but more importantly, family, community, character and legacy—with the redesigned third-generation Toyota Tundra.

An integrated marketing campaign, developed in partnership with Saatchi & Saatchi LA, will encourage them to do exactly that. On Sunday, September 22, the 2014 Tundra has a new consumer target—the “Evolved Trucker.” This generation of full-size pickup truck drivers’ main priority is enhancing the life of their entire family.

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The new BMW Motorrad Navigator V. The state-of-the-art, safe and reliable guide.

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BMW Motorrad presents the new Navigator V featuring a large and bright 5" TFT Display as well as functions precisely tailored to the rider's needs. The premium-class, Bluetooth capable GPS navigation system is not only a reliable guide on and off the roads of Europe, but also when not in use on the motorcycle. With an automobile mounting kit the powerful GPS unit can also be used as a navigator in the car. The navigation system can be used as a hands-free speaker phone for Bluetooth mobiles thanks to the loudspeaker and microphone integrated into the holder.

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BUILDING BRIDGES BETWEEN NANOWIRES

He isn't just occupied crafting ultra-thin gold and iridium wires: Tijs Mocking, researcher at the University of Twente's MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, manages to bridge the 'gap' between two gold nanowires, each just a few atoms high, with a single molecule. This bridge can serve to detect new physical effects or may act as a switch. Tijs Mocking obtained his PhD degree on 19 September.

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Why don't trees bleed to death when they get injured?

Researchers from Virginia Tech; George-August University in Gottingen, Germany; and the Jackson Laboratory in Bar Harbor, Maine, have discovered how “check valves” in wood cells control sap flow and protect trees when they are injured.

A powerful new type of microscope, the 4Pi, has allowed scientists to see nanostructures inside of microscopic structures known as bordered pits within wood fiber cells. Previously, wood had to be dried, coated with carbon, and put under a high vacuum to be studied at the nanolevel. But the 4Pi, combined with an optical imaging technique called confocal laser scanning microscopy, makes it possible to see the wood cells in a more natural state, which has led to some interesting discoveries.

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CLIMATE CHANGE: POLAR BEARS CHANGE TO DIET WITH HIGHER CONTAMINANT LOADS

Over the past 30 years, polar bears have increasingly exchanged ringed seal with harp seal and hooded seal in their diet. This change exposes the polar bear to more contaminants, according to a recent international study.

Researchers expect the climate to become warmer in the future and predict that climate change will have a significant impact on the Arctic. How will a warming Arctic affect the polar bears?

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A Clean Energy Revolution – Now

For decades, America has chased after the promise of clean, domestic energy. But even as costs fell and technology matured, that clean energy future seemed to linger just beyond our reach. Critics often said this new world would “always be five years away.” Today, that is changing.

In recent years, costs for numerous critical clean energy technologies -- wind power, solar panels, super energy-efficient LED lights and electric vehicles -- have fallen significantly. The accompanying surge in deployment has been truly spectacular. Such a surge is tantamount to topping the barricades -- a level of cost reduction and market penetration that will enable a full scale revolution in the relatively near term. A new Department of Energy report, "Revolution Now: the Future Arrives for Four Clean Energy Technologies" documents this transformation and what it means for America’s energy economy. The clean technology revolution is upon us.

While these technologies still represent a small percentage of their respective markets, that share is expanding at a rapid pace and influencing markets. For instance:

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Fuel-efficient cars & planes cheaper with magnesium drawn from ocean

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PNNL's new Mg production process to lower cost, energy use and emissions

A lightweight metal that reduces fuel use in cars and planes could be extracted from the ocean through a unique process being developed at the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. The process could ultimately make fuel-efficient transportation more affordable and expand the American magnesium market.

PNNL is leading a $2.7 million, three-year project to develop a novel method that removes naturally occurring magnesium from seawater. The project was announced today by DOE's Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy, also known as ARPA-E.

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Teaching computers to see — by learning to see like computers

 

By translating images into the language spoken by object-recognition systems, then translating them back, researchers hope to explain the systems’ failures.

Object-recognition systems — software that tries to identify objects in digital images — typically rely on machine learning. They comb through databases of previously labeled images and look for combinations of visual features that seem to correlate with particular objects. Then, when presented with a new image, they try to determine whether it contains one of the previously identified combinations of features.

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NASA Curiosity Rover Detects No Methane on Mars

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Data from NASA's Curiosity rover has revealed the Martian environment lacks methane. This is a surprise to researchers because previous data reported by U.S. and international scientists indicated positive detections.

The roving laboratory performed extensive tests to search for traces of Martian methane. Whether the Martian atmosphere contains traces of the gas has been a question of high interest for years because methane could be a potential sign of life, although it also can be produced without biology.

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Study could help improve nuclear waste repositories

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Here’s the question faced by a team of Sandia National Laboratories researchers: How fast will iodine-129 released from spent nuclear fuel move through a deep, clay-based geological repository?

Understanding that process is crucial as countries worldwide consider underground clay formations for nuclear waste disposal, because clay offers low permeability and high radionuclide retention. Even when a repository isn’t sited in clay, engineered barriers often include a compacted buffer of bentonite, a common type of clay, to improve waste isolation.

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BMW to Take Part in Fleet Week at the Coronado Speed Festival on September 21-22, 2013 in San Diego, Ca.

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BMW Offers Public Ride and Drive and Leads Special Race Track Events at Festival.

BMW will take part in the 16th annual Coronado Speed Festival on September 21-22, at San Diego’s Naval Air Station North Island.  The military base opens its door to the public and gives the community the opportunity to meet the officers stationed in the area and thank them for their service.

Race car driver Scott Pruett, who currently races in the Rolex Sports Car Series circuit in the No. 01 Dinan-Prepared BMW Riley, will be at the festival on behalf of San Diego County BMW dealers.  He will be participating in a BMW drive event and signing autographs for fans on Saturday and Sunday from 11:30 am – 1pm.

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Overfishing of sharks is harming coral reefs

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A team of scientists from Canada and Australia has discovered that a decline in shark populations is detrimental to coral reefs.

“Where shark numbers are reduced due to commercial fishing, there is also a decrease in the herbivorous fishes which play a key role in promoting reef health,” said Jonathan Ruppert, a recent University of Toronto PhD graduate. Ruppert was part of a team engaged in long-term monitoring of reefs off Australia’s northwest coast.

Team leader Mark Meekan, of the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS), said that the results might, at first glance, seem strange.

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Classic road-trip: Classic car.

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Joining the sixth “Hamburg-Berlin Classic” 2013 rally for vintage and classic cars organised by “Auto Bild Klassik” magazine, will be three of BMW Group Classic’s more unusual representatives from the small British car collection: a 1981 Mini Clubman Estate, a Riley Elf, first registered in 1969, and a Mini Wildgoose “Brent” Super V. E. B., one of the few surviving Mini-based campers, developed in the 1960’s.

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GE Infusion™ LED Modules Deliver Maximum Flexibility in an Energy-Efficient Lighting Solution

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Today’s fast-changing retail environments require innovative ideas to make the most of all sales tools and customer interactions, and lighting plays a vital role, maximizing shopping experiences and making merchandise appear at its best.

GE’s Infusion™ LED Module product line has expanded to provide a comprehensive, energy-saving solution for retail lighting applications and now includes the new Infusion Gen3 Spot Light Module, the Infusion Down Light Module (DLM) and the Infusion Narrow Punch Module (NPM).

Offering significant wattage reductions and improved levels of efficacy through a variety of platforms, the Infusion LED Module is a versatile LED lighting solution that allows for direct replacement as technology and efficiencies continually improve. Additionally, the modules provide highly flexible LED lighting options—which are critical for retailers who want to highlight certain products or create emphasis through a display.

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Disarming HIV With a "Pop"

Pinning down an effective way to combat the spread of the human immunodeficiency virus, the viral precursor to AIDS, has long been a challenge for scientists and physicians, because the virus is an elusive one that mutates frequently and, as a result, quickly becomes immune to medication. A team of Drexel University researchers is trying to get one step ahead of the virus with a microbicide they’ve created that can trick HIV into “popping” itself into oblivion.

Its name is DAVEI - which stands for “Dual Action Virolytic Entry Inhibitor”- and it can pull a fast one on HIV. DAVEI was invented and tested by scientists from Drexel’s College of Engineering; School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems; and College of Medicine, and is the latest in a new generation of HIV treatments that function by specifically destroying the virus without harming healthy cells.

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Mazda earns ‘Monodzukuri Nippon Grand Award’ in Japan

Mazda's 'Monotsukuri Innovation' programme receives official Japanese METI award

* The Japanese Prime Minister acknowledges substantial benefits of Mazda’s manufacturing reforms

* Monodzukuri promotes ‘the art, science and craft of making things’

For the first time, the Mazda Motor Corporation has received an official METI (Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry) award from the county’s Prime Minister at the 5th Monodzukuri Nippon Grand Award ceremony held recently in Japan.

The award acknowledges the numerous benefits of Mazda's ‘Monotsukuri Innovation’ programme which has helped to revolutionise manufacturing ideas and processes in the automotive industry. The Japanese word ‘monodzukuri’ translates as “the art, science and craft of making things with a dedication to continuous improvement”.

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