Friday, February 1, 2013

Some Highlights For Marketers From Facebook's Earnings ...

Facebook, as you may know, released its Q4 and full-year earnings on Wednesday. Between the release and the earnings call, the company provided plenty of info for us all to absorb, including various statements made by CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

COO Sheryl Sandberg had plenty to say during the conference call as well, discussing Facebook?s focus on building products and tools for brand marketers, direct marketers, local businesses and developers.

There are some key points Facebook wants marketers to take away from what she talked about, so here are the highlights, via an email from the company:

  • For brand marketers, Facebook is now working with every one of the Ad Age Global 100 advertisers. Wal-mart used this target block over the Thanksgiving weekend to deliver 50 million mobile ads to their existing and potential customers. Michael Kors used Facebook to launch a new line of sneakers. Many of the sneakers sold out online and in stores, and they achieved a 16-point increase in awareness of the new sneaker among the 36 million people that the campaign reached on Facebook. That?s the equivalent of 5.8 million new people in the brand?s target audience who are now aware of the new line of shoes.
  • For direct marketers, tools including Offers, Custom Audiences and FBX are fueling growth. Nearly 42 million unique users are claiming an Offer. Costs per redemption compare favorably to those from email, newspaper, paid search, and display media based on data from the Direct Marketing Association. JackThreads, an online shopping site for men, used Custom Audiences to target specific segments of its customer database and target them with ads for products in categories the company knew were most relevant to them such as sneakers. As a result, the company achieved a 30% lower cost per acquisition than other platforms and saw a 6x return on advertising spend. And despite only becoming available to all marketers in September, by December, FBX served nearly one billion impressions daily and supported over 1,300 advertisers each day.
  • Revenue from local businesses was particularly strong in the fourth quarter: local business Pages that advertise on Facebook nearly doubled since the beginning of 2012, fueled by Promoted Posts, which makes it easier for businesses to create and purchase ads directly from their Facebook Page. Almost 500,000 Pages have used Promoted Posts. About 30% of those are new advertisers to Facebook and more than 70% have become repeat customers.
  • Developers are seeing success with mobile app install ads, launched in October and already being used by 20% of the top 100 grossing iOS apps to accelerate growth. According to research conducted by comScore in December, Facebook is the top driver of awareness of new mobile app downloads and, among people who learn about new apps on Facebook, 48% click directly from the Facebook app to download new mobile apps. A new game, Car Town Streets broke into the Top 10 Games list on iOS in many countries while achieving a 40% lower cost per installation compared to their other advertising with mobile app install ads.
  • Research from Aggregate Knowledge showed that Facebook is an increasingly powerful tool to help marketers reach more people and drive sales. In a study of fourth quarter marketing campaigns, they found that media plans that included Facebook reached people who would not have seen the campaigns otherwise. In fact, 45% of those reached were reached exclusively through Facebook. The study also found that Facebook had a 68% lower cost per acquisition and drove 24% more new sales than other online channels.
  • Facebook built a deep relationship with PepsiCo, working with its Lay?s brand to drive sales significantly ahead of plan and a 5x return on advertising spend for their ?Do Us A Flavor? campaign on Facebook.

According to Sandberg, 65% of Facebook?s advertisers are using ads in News Feed (mobile and desktop). That?s a 50% increase from the end of the third quarter. News Feed ads drive over eight times the incremental offline sales than ads on the right hand side, according to the company.

Source: http://www.webpronews.com/some-highlights-for-marketers-from-facebooks-earnings-2013-01

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Genetically modified tobacco plants produce antibodies to treat rabies

Genetically modified tobacco plants produce antibodies to treat rabies [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 1-Feb-2013
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Contact: Cody Mooneyhan
cmooneyhan@faseb.org
301-634-7104
Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology

New research in The FASEB Journal shows that transgenic tobacco plants can be used to produce safe, protective antibodies against rabies and to benefit patients in developing countries

Bethesda, MDSmoking tobacco might be bad for your health, but a genetically altered version of the plant might provide a relatively inexpensive cure for the deadly rabies virus. In a new research report appearing in The FASEB Journal, scientists produced a monoclonal antibody in transgenic tobacco plants that was shown to neutralize the rabies virus. This new antibody works by preventing the virus from attaching to nerve endings around the bite site and keeps the virus from traveling to the brain.

"Rabies continues to kill many thousands of people throughout the developing world every year and can also affect international travelers," said Leonard Both, M.Sc., a researcher involved in the work from the Hotung Molecular Immunology Unit at St. George's, University of London, in the United Kingdom. "An untreated rabies infection is nearly 100 percent fatal and is usually seen as a death sentence. Producing an inexpensive antibody in transgenic plants opens the prospect of adequate rabies prevention for low-income families in developing countries."

To make this advance, Both and colleagues "humanized" the sequences for the antibody so people could tolerate it. Then, the antibody was produced using transgenic tobacco plants as an inexpensive production platform. The antibody was purified from the plant leaves and characterized with regards to its protein and sugar composition. The antibody was also shown to be active in neutralizing a broad panel of rabies viruses, and the exact antibody docking site on the viral envelope was identified using certain chimeric rabies viruses.

"Although treatable by antibodies if caught in time, rabies is bad news," said Gerald Weissmann, M.D., Editor-in-Chief of The FASEB Journal. "This is especially true for people in the developing world where manufacturing costs lead to treatment shortages. Being able to grow safe, humanized antibodies in genetically modified tobacco should reduce costs to make treatments more accessible, and save more lives."

###

Receive monthly highlights from The FASEB Journal by e-mail. Sign up at http://www.faseb.org/fjupdate.aspx. The FASEB Journal is published by the Federation of the American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB). It is among the most cited biology journals worldwide according to the Institute for Scientific Information and has been recognized by the Special Libraries Association as one of the top 100 most influential biomedical journals of the past century. FASEB is composed of 26 societies with more than 100,000 members, making it the largest coalition of biomedical research associations in the United States. Its mission is to advance health and welfare by promoting progress and education in biological and biomedical sciences through service to its member societies and through collaborative advocacy.

Details: Leonard Both, Craig van Dolleweerd, Edward Wright, Ashley C. Banyard, Bianca Bulmer-Thomas, David Selden, Friedrich Altmann, Anthony R. Fooks, and Julian K.-C. Ma. Production, characterization, and antigen specificity of recombinant 62-71-3, a candidate monoclonal antibody for rabies prophylaxis in humans. FASEB J doi:10.1096/fj.12-219964 ; http://www.fasebj.org/content/early/2013/01/31/fj.12-219964.abstract.


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Genetically modified tobacco plants produce antibodies to treat rabies [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 1-Feb-2013
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Cody Mooneyhan
cmooneyhan@faseb.org
301-634-7104
Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology

New research in The FASEB Journal shows that transgenic tobacco plants can be used to produce safe, protective antibodies against rabies and to benefit patients in developing countries

Bethesda, MDSmoking tobacco might be bad for your health, but a genetically altered version of the plant might provide a relatively inexpensive cure for the deadly rabies virus. In a new research report appearing in The FASEB Journal, scientists produced a monoclonal antibody in transgenic tobacco plants that was shown to neutralize the rabies virus. This new antibody works by preventing the virus from attaching to nerve endings around the bite site and keeps the virus from traveling to the brain.

"Rabies continues to kill many thousands of people throughout the developing world every year and can also affect international travelers," said Leonard Both, M.Sc., a researcher involved in the work from the Hotung Molecular Immunology Unit at St. George's, University of London, in the United Kingdom. "An untreated rabies infection is nearly 100 percent fatal and is usually seen as a death sentence. Producing an inexpensive antibody in transgenic plants opens the prospect of adequate rabies prevention for low-income families in developing countries."

To make this advance, Both and colleagues "humanized" the sequences for the antibody so people could tolerate it. Then, the antibody was produced using transgenic tobacco plants as an inexpensive production platform. The antibody was purified from the plant leaves and characterized with regards to its protein and sugar composition. The antibody was also shown to be active in neutralizing a broad panel of rabies viruses, and the exact antibody docking site on the viral envelope was identified using certain chimeric rabies viruses.

"Although treatable by antibodies if caught in time, rabies is bad news," said Gerald Weissmann, M.D., Editor-in-Chief of The FASEB Journal. "This is especially true for people in the developing world where manufacturing costs lead to treatment shortages. Being able to grow safe, humanized antibodies in genetically modified tobacco should reduce costs to make treatments more accessible, and save more lives."

###

Receive monthly highlights from The FASEB Journal by e-mail. Sign up at http://www.faseb.org/fjupdate.aspx. The FASEB Journal is published by the Federation of the American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB). It is among the most cited biology journals worldwide according to the Institute for Scientific Information and has been recognized by the Special Libraries Association as one of the top 100 most influential biomedical journals of the past century. FASEB is composed of 26 societies with more than 100,000 members, making it the largest coalition of biomedical research associations in the United States. Its mission is to advance health and welfare by promoting progress and education in biological and biomedical sciences through service to its member societies and through collaborative advocacy.

Details: Leonard Both, Craig van Dolleweerd, Edward Wright, Ashley C. Banyard, Bianca Bulmer-Thomas, David Selden, Friedrich Altmann, Anthony R. Fooks, and Julian K.-C. Ma. Production, characterization, and antigen specificity of recombinant 62-71-3, a candidate monoclonal antibody for rabies prophylaxis in humans. FASEB J doi:10.1096/fj.12-219964 ; http://www.fasebj.org/content/early/2013/01/31/fj.12-219964.abstract.


[ Back to EurekAlert! ] [ | E-mail | Share 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.


Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-02/foas-gmt020113.php

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French, Mali Troops Make Gains against Islamists

French and Mali army troops made key gains against Islamic operatives in northern Mali in recent days.

The troops now control the Kidal airport in the provincial capital of Kadul, although the fight to control the city is ongoing, France's military spokesman reported.

The forces also re-captured the cities of Timbuktu and Gao. However, a lack of funds and troops is slowing down the French initiative.

The African Union recently pledged $450 million in aid to fight the operatives but says an additional $500 million is needed.

Source: http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2013/January/French-Mali-Troops-Make-Gains-against-Islamists/

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Bioelectric signals can be used to detect early cancer

Feb. 1, 2013 ? Biologists at Tufts University School of Arts and Sciences have discovered a bioelectric signal that can identify cells that are likely to develop into tumors. The researchers also found that they could lower the incidence of cancerous cells by manipulating the electrical charge across cells' membranes.

"The news here is that we've established a bioelectric basis for the early detection of cancer," says Brook Chernet, doctoral student and the first author of a newly published research paper co-authored with Michael Levin, Ph.D., professor of biology and director of the Center for Regenerative and Developmental Biology.

Levin notes, "We've shown that electric events tell the cells what to do. The voltage changes are not merely a sign of cancer. They control and direct whether the cancer occurs or not."

Bioelectric signals underlie an important set of control mechanisms that regulate how cells grow and multiply. Chernet and Levin investigated the bioelectric properties of cells that develop into tumors in Xenopus laevis frog embryos.

In previous research, Tufts scientists have shown how manipulating membrane voltage can influence or regulate cellular behavior such as cell proliferation, migration, and shape in vivo, and be used to induce the formation or regenerative repair of whole organs and appendages. In this study, the researchers hypothesized that cancer can occur when bioelectric signaling networks are perturbed and cells stop attending to the patterning cues that orchestrate their normal development.

Tumor Cells Exhibit a Bioelectric Signature

The researchers induced tumor growth in the frog embryos by injecting the samples with mRNAs (messenger RNA) encoding well-recognized human oncogenes Gli1, KrasG12D, and Xrel3. The embryos developed tumor-like growths that are associated with human cancers such as melanoma, leukemia, lung cancer, and rhabdomyosarcoma (a soft tissue cancer that most often affects children).

When the researchers analyzed the tumor cells using a membrane voltage-sensitive dye and fluorescence microscopy, they made an exciting discovery. "The tumor sites had unique depolarized membrane voltage relative to surrounding tissue," says Chernet. "They could be recognized by this distinctive bioelectric signal.

Changing Electrical Properties Lowers Incidence of Tumors

The Tufts biologists were also able to show that changing the bioelectric code to hyperpolarize tumor cells suppressed abnormal cell growth. "We hypothesized that the appearance of oncogene-induced tumors can be inhibited by alteration of membrane voltage," says Levin, "and we were right."

To counteract the tumor-inducing depolarization, they injected the cells with mRNA encoding carefully-chosen ion channels (proteins that control the passage of ions across cell membranes).

Using embryos injected with oncogenes such as Xrel3, the researchers introduced one of two ion channels (the glycine gated chloride channel GlyR-F99A or the potassium channel Kir4.1) known to hyperpolarize membrane voltage gradients in frog embryos. In both cases, the incidence of subsequent tumors was substantially lower than it was with embryos that received the oncogene but no hyperpolarizing channel treatment.

Experiments to determine the cellular mechanism that allows hyperpolarization to inhibit tumor formation showed that transport of butyrate, a known tumor suppressor, was responsible

The research was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health (awards AR061988, AR055993) and the G. Harold and Leila Y. Mathers Charitable Foundation.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Tufts University, via Newswise.

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


Journal Reference:

  1. Chernet, B. T. and Levin, M. Transmembrane voltage potential is an essential cellular parameter for the detection and control of tumor development in a Xenopus model. Disease Models & Mechanisms, 8 February 2013 DOI: 10.1242/dmm.010835

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

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/most_popular/~3/OUvNh7wQr4Y/130201090812.htm

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10 Things to Know for Thursday

Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about Thursday:

1. A WINDOW INTO HOW GIFFORDS IS FARING

She gives powerful testimony before Congress on gun control, despite some speech and other physical problems.

2. ISRAELI WARPLANES STRIKE WITHIN SYRIA

The Syrians say a military research center was hit ? but many observers believe the Israelis targeted a shipment of weapons bound for Hezbollah.

3. WHAT SHAPED HAGEL'S MILITARY VIEWS

On the eve of his confirmation hearing, the defense secretary nominee says his experience fighting in Vietnam will inform his decisions.

4. INSIDE THE ALABAMA GUNMAN'S BUNKER

Underground hideaway at the center of a hostage drama outfitted with electricity, TV and foodstuffs.

5. HOW A WEEK OF UNREST HAS WEAKENED EGYPT'S PRESIDENT

Morsi is now facing opposition from liberals and ultra-conservatives alike.

6. WALL STREET GIVES NEW BLACKBERRY A LUKEWARM RECEPTION

Some investors think the smartphone makeover may not be enough to turn the company's fortunes around.

7. FABLED CITY'S PAPERS SAFE

Islamist extremists damaged or stole only a limited number of rare African manuscripts before fleeing Timbuktu, contrary to earlier reports.

8. WHY IT'S NOT CALLED 'SEXERCISE'

One activity you thought might be doing you some good and burning extra calories probably isn't.

9. LAST OF THE ANDREWS SISTERS DIES

Patty Andrews outlived LaVerne and Maxene. The trio captured the home-front spirit of World War II with their swing-era hits.

10. BET ON IT: BALTIMORE WILL WIN THE SUPER BOWL

The AP's Barry Wilner favors the Ravens because of their tough defense and underappreciated QB, Joe Flacco.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/10-things-know-thursday-104756375.html

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Post-Election Environmental Update: Preparing for 2013 and ...

WASHINGTON, D.C. ? January 30, 2013 ? (RealEstateRama) ? Looking ahead, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has committed to an aggressive regulatory agenda and is poised to take action in all program areas?taking up issues like stormwater runoff, fly ash reuse, and the disturbance of lead paint in buildings.? The rulemaking pipeline is full, and the construction and real estate industries are positioned to feel the brunt over the next four years. ?Fortunately, AGC is working year round to keep EPA in check and remains closely engaged with the Agency on nearly a dozen pending rules, all projected to have significant impacts on construction jobs and the economy.? AGC will continue to push for sound, fact?based, decision?making at all levels of government.

During the Obama administration?s first term, EPA issued the 2012 Construction General (Stormwater) Permit, tighter national air standards for particulates and nitrogen dioxide, first-time controls on greenhouse gas emissions from mobile and stationary sources, and new federal emission/notification requirements for stationary Reciprocating Internal Combustion Engines (RICE).? AGC represented the construction industry?s interests in all of these legal proceedings and provided contractors with information on how to get into compliance, once the rules went final.

Moreover, at a time of great economic stress, AGC was successful in pushing the administration to re-examine (and slow down on promulgating) a host of additional environmental rules that would have increased the cost of critical construction projects and threatened jobs ? without commensurate environmental benefits.? (Most notably, EPA delayed implementation of a ?numeric limit? on the amount of dirt the federal government will allow in stormwater from construction sites.) ?In the months heading to the election, movement on much-anticipated national rulemakings ? like requirements on the use/disposal of fly ash ? was slowed to a halt.

Now that the election is past us, EPA has reactivated its regulatory efforts.? ?Following are some of the most significant rulemakings in the works.? Click here for a PowerPoint slide view of this list.??

  • Effluent Limits for Construction Site Runoff ? The original effluent limitations guidelines rule for the ?Construction and Development Industry? (C&D ELG) was issued in December 2009 and contained a controversial numeric discharge limit for turbidity. ?EPA subsequently stayed this requirement. EPA recently announced that it will propose a new rule by April 2013 (final by Feb. 2014) to formally withdraw the turbidity limit and to clarify the ?non-numeric? portion of the 2009 C&D ELG rule. ?New construction activities can expect evolving requirements governing stormwater discharges; any new C&D ELG requirements would be incorporated on a rolling basis into state permits as they expire and are renewed.? See related Observer article.
  • Stormwater Discharges from Developed Sites ? EPA has long regulated stormwater discharges from active construction sites but most recently has begun to focus its attention on stormwater discharges from already developed sites. EPA is on track to propose a national rule that would set new performance standards for managing stormwater discharges from newly developed and re-developed sites; require first time retrofit requirements on stormwater systems ? which could include mandates on cities to change existing buildings, stormwater sewers, and streets; and mandate the use of ?green infrastructure? techniques (like ?green roofs,? rain gardens, permeable pavement) to replace conventional stormwater management practices. There remain questions about EPA?s authority to mandate restrictions on stormwater flow (as opposed to limits on pollutants in stormwater), but we can expect to see a proposed rule by the summer of 2013 and a final rule is due out by December 2014.? See related Observer article.
  • Definition of ?Waters of the United States? ? After the U.S. Supreme Court decisions in SWANCC and Rapanos, the scope of ?waters of the US? subject to federal control and permitting under the Clean Water Act (CWA) has been an issue of considerable debate and uncertainty. In May 2011, EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued draft guidance on the courts? decisions that would effectively increase the agencies? jurisdiction over construction work in nearly all ?wet? areas. ?AGC expressed concerns over the scope of the guidance and urged the agencies to pursue a rulemaking.? A proposed rule is in the works that would revise the regulations that define ?waters of the Unites Sates? and, as such, clarify which bodies of water (or their conveyances) are subject to CWA Section 404 permitting provisions.? It is not clear when, or if, this proposed rule or the guidance document will be published. ?See related Observer article.
  • Chesapeake Bay Clean-up Plan ? EPA has been working with the states to implement an extensive clean-up plan (Total Maximum Daily Load or TMDL) for the Chesapeake Bay, finalized back in 2010.? Key components of that plan are water quality trading programs to be in place by the end of 2013.? EPA will likely use the Bay TMDL and associated trading programs ?model? in the Mississippi River Basin and in other areas with impaired waterbodies; therefore, every step taken in the Bay will determine how similar programs will be adopted nationwide.? Farming and development groups have joined wastewater agencies in defending EPA against recent threats to the legality of its water quality trading (cap and trade) programs.? Industry, state and agency representatives as well as many environmental groups support these trading programs, mostly because of their potential to manage the costs of the Bay clean-up plan while still seeing reductions in pollutants entering the Bay. ?See related Observer article.
  • Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) ? EPA is scheduled to tighten the ozone (smog) NAAQS in 2013.? By EPA?s own estimates, the ozone standard the agency is considering would cost $90 billion a year and would push a large portion of the country into non-attainment status for the first time.? A nonattainment status under the Clean Air Act carries serious repercussions for construction in the area(s) so designated ? including potential restriction on the use and operation of equipment, the loss of federal highway funding and the loss of economic development opportunities. See related Observer article.
  • Revised PM2.5 NAAQS ? EPA recently revised the fine particulate matter (PM2.5) NAAQS.? These changes to the PM2.5 NAAQS come on top of the recent years? tightening of the SO2 and NO2 NAAQS. Combined, these new and stricter standards are likely to increase the difficulty of permitting new and expanded facilities.? EPA anticipates attainment/nonattainment designations to be in place by early 2015.? State-level clean-up plans will include enforceable emission reduction requirements that will increase compliance costs for both mobile and stationary sources.? See related Observer article.
  • Fly Ash Reuse? EPA continues to evaluate whether or not to regulate coal combustion residuals (CCRs) as hazardous waste, which could cost industry $79 to $110 billion over 20 years.? EPA?s latest reports are that it cannot finalize a rule on how it will regulate coal ash until at least 2014. Industry also awaits the results of EPA?s investigation into the beneficial use of coal ash in construction?in response to an Inspector General report that found EPA promoted recycling of the waste without assessing the potential risks of using those materials.? In 2012, EPA faced pressure both from Congress and the courts.? Lawmakers tried unsuccessfully to pass legislative that would require EPA to regulate the waste as nonhazardous, and two groups initiated lawsuits urging EPA action. See related Observer article.
  • Lead-Paint Work Practice Rules ? EPA is currently considering how to expand and strengthen the federal ?Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting? (LRRP) rule to cover construction work that disturbs lead paint in/on the exteriors and interiors of public and commercial buildings. ?EPA plans to finalize its approach by the end of 2016.? EPA recently published a request for information and notice of a public hearing to gather information on renovation activities and possible lead hazards in public and commercial buildings. The hearing will be held on June 26, 2013.? Comments are due by April 1st.? See related Observer article.
  • Climate Change ? According to the Agency?s ?regulatory plan? released in late 2012, EPA will continue to use the Clean Air Act to develop greenhouse gas (GHG) standards for both mobile and stationary sources ? against AGC?s objections. The Administration also has renewed its commitment to explore what actions it can take to reduce GHG emissions across the board.? EPA currently regulates the largest facilities that emit GHGs, but the Agency will consider regulations of medium-sized and smaller facilities by 2016.? Critics argue that the regulatory requirements are strict enough to stop the building of any new facilities, especially power plants.? What is more, the rules would cause the prices for any kind of power to skyrocket.? Many are concerned that EPA will proceed to issue regulations, industry by industry, until virtually every aspect of the American economy is constrained by strict regulatory requirements and high energy prices. See related Observer article.

Significantly, many of the pending rules listed above are the result of ?sue and settle? agreements ? i.e., out of court ?closed door? settlements between EPA and environmental/activist groups.? Such agreements recently have come under fire for going around the public participation and transparency protections of the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) and for prompting EPA to issue more economically significant regulations than would otherwise be written.

Also worth noting is that President Obama?s environmental agenda will face budget cuts for the third straight year.? The proposed EPA budget for fiscal year 2013 is $8.3 billion, down from $9 billion last year. This year?s request represents a 1.2 percent decrease, or $105 million, from the 2012 enacted level.

For an at-a-glance look at the developing issues above, as well as information on AGC?s other environmental services, click here.

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    WASHINGTON, D.C. - January 08, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- In a victory for the environment, affordable housing and the nation?s energy infrastructure, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), Utility Water Act Group (UWAG) and Wisconsin Builders Association have settled a longstanding lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency after the agency agreed to withdraw the numeric limit it developed to...
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    WASHINGTON, D.C. - March 29, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Barry Rutenberg, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and a home builder from Gainesville, Fla., today issued the following statements regarding S. 2245, the Preserve Waters of the United States Act. Introduced by Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) and 29 other Senators from across the country, this legislation will...
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    WASHINGTON, D.C. - August 17, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Environmental Protection Agency's decision today to reconsider the imposition of a nationwide cap on how much sediment can be part of the stormwater draining from a construction site is a nod to the importance of sound science ? and a big victory for home buyers, according to the National Association...
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Source: http://www.realestaterama.com/2013/01/30/post-election-environmental-update-preparing-for-2013-and-beyond-ID018527.html

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Astrobites: Students Making Astrophysics Accessible

Logo of AstrobitesUnderstanding science is hard. ?This is true even for well educated and highly motivated readers, like college students earning science degrees. ?These students may have all the technical knowledge they need to absorb and even reproduce cutting-edge research in their field, but I can tell you from experience that when an undergraduate picks up a peer-reviewed journal paper for the first time, they might as well be reading in another language.

For scientists, graduate school is like the immersion method for teaching the foreign language of science. ?At the end, students come our fully versed in the historical context, methodology, and jargon needed to parse journal articles. ?Until then, as I described in my previous post on this blog, we can ?translate? scientific writing for young scientists to help them reach their full capability as researchers sooner.

Two years ago, in my first year as a graduate student in astronomy at Harvard and having made it much of the way across this language barrier, several of my classmates and I banded together to help others cross with us. ?We founded a website called Astrobites, where each day we take one new research paper in astrophysics and translate it in the way I?ve described.

Our translations are short and sweet?they provide visitors the context for the work, the methods the authors used, and the key results in about five minutes of reading. ?And they?re no longer written by just a few of us at Harvard, but by a collaboration of more than three dozen graduate students around the world.

At Astrobites, we don?t write in exactly the same way as most science writers do. We cheat a little?and we do it to make things easier on our target audience. ?We assume a readership with about a first-year undergraduate level of scientific knowledge. ?We take for granted that our readers are familiar with technical concepts like blackbody radiation and Kepler?s laws, which may take hundreds of words to elucidate in publications for mainstream audiences. ?Our readers benefit from seeing terminology like these in use, by saving a few minutes of unnecessary reading and by immersion in the concepts.

But while Astrobites articles are aimed at undergraduate students, we?ve been delighted to find that readers with vastly different levels of training visit our site as well. ?Our readership has as many professors, graduate students, and non-scientists as it does undergraduates.

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Astrobites' homepage

Homepage of Astrobites

We want to see this model of translation spread to other fields, and we?re happy to help other graduate students found ?-bites? sites in their fields of research. ?Chemistry graduate students at MIT have already founded Chembites. ?If you would like to apply this model to your own field, we would love to help?please contact us!

We?re all volunteering our time as Astrobites authors, but we get important pedagogical, writing, and editing experience in return. ?I think that practice interpreting research and explaining it clearly to others is invaluable for scientists in training. ?It?s also what science writers do professionally, and I?m eager to see the bonds between these two communities strengthened. ?If you?re of the same mind, I invite you to read more about the Communicating Science workshop we?re organizing, to be held in June.

Source: http://rss.sciam.com/click.phdo?i=48f927d2aea0ee569a77ee29cf50eade

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