Fetal exposure to tributyltin linked to obesity

Jan. 24, 2013 ? Exposing pregnant mice to low doses of the chemical tributyltin (TBT) -- which was used in marine antifouling paints and is used as an antifungal agent in some paints, certain plastics and a variety of consumer products -- can lead to obesity for multiple generations without subsequent exposure, a UC Irvine study has found.

After exposing pregnant mice to TBT at low concentrations, similar to those found in the environment and in humans, researchers observed increased body fat, liver fat and fat-specific gene expression in liver and stem cells in mouse "children," "grandchildren" and "great-grandchildren." The "children" were exposed as embryos, while the "grandchildren" may have been exposed as germ cells within the "children." The "great-grandchildren" had never been exposed to TBT. Such effects without exposure are termed transgenerational and thought to be permanently transmitted to future generations.

These findings demonstrate that early-life exposure to endocrine-disrupting compounds such as TBT can have permanent effects on fat accumulation, gene expression and stem cell programming without further exposure, said study leader Professor Bruce Blumberg with the UC Irvine Departments of Developmental & Cell Biology, Pharmaceutical Sciences and Biomedical Engineering.

The study appeared online Jan. 15 in Environmental Health Perspectives, a publication of the National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences.

Human exposure to TBT and related organotins can occur in a variety of ways. TBT contaminates particles derived from such products as shower curtains, vinyl flooring, carpet fibers, polyurethane foams, mold-resistant paints and other consumer products, where it is used as an antifungal agent. As a result, noteworthy levels of TBT have been reported in house dust, which may be particularly relevant for young children who can spend significant time on floors and carpets.

Although TBT is now largely banned for use in marine hull paints, it remains pervasive in the environment, and people can be exposed by ingesting TBT-contaminated seafood. Organotins may also leach into liquids that come into contact with organotin-containing plastic pipes, containers and packaging materials.

Blumberg categorizes TBT as an obesogen, a class of chemicals that promote obesity by increasing the number of fat cells and the storage of fat in existing cells or by altering metabolic regulation of appetite and satiety. He and his colleagues identified TBT as an obesogen in a 2006 publication and showed in 2010 that TBT acts in part by modifying the fate of mesenchymal stem cells during development, predisposing them to become fat cells.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of California - Irvine.

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

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Journal Reference:

1. Raquel Chamorro-Garc?a, Margaret Sahu, Rachelle J. Abbey, Jhyme Laude, Nhieu Pham, Bruce Blumberg. Transgenerational Inheritance of Increased Fat Depot Size, Stem Cell Reprogramming, and Hepatic Steatosis Elicited by Prenatal Obesogen Tributyltin in Mice. Environmental Health Perspectives, 2013; DOI: 10.1289/ehp.1205701

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/~3/mNTx2QccY3c/130124163412.htm

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What's the threat? North Korean rhetoric, reality

TOKYO (AP) ? According to its official statements, North Korea is ready to go to the brink. But how serious are Pyongyang's threats?

This week, new U.N. sanctions punishing the North's successful December rocket launch have elicited a furious response from Pyongyang: strong hints that a third nuclear test is coming, along with bigger and better long-range missiles; "all-out action" against its "sworn enemy," the United States; and on Friday, a threat of "strong physical countermeasures" against South Korea if Seoul participates in the sanctions.

"Sanctions mean war," said a statement carried by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency.

In the face of international condemnation, North Korea can usually be counted on for such flights of rhetorical pique. In recent years it threatened to turn South Korea into a "sea of fire," and to wage a "sacred war" against its enemies.

If the past is any indication, its threats of war are overblown. But the chances it will conduct another nuclear test are high. And it is gaining ground in its missile program, experts say, though still a long way from seriously threatening the U.S. mainland.

"It's not the first time they've made a similar threat of war," said Ryoo Kihl-jae, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul. "What's more serious than the probability of an attack on South Korea is that of a nuclear test. I see very slim chances of North Korea following through with its threat of war."

Although North Korea's leadership is undeniably concerned that it might be attacked or bullied by outside powers, the tough talk is mainly an attempt to bolster its bargaining position in diplomatic negotiations.

The impoverished North is in need of international aid and is eager to sign a treaty bringing a formal end to the Korean War, which ended nearly 60 years ago in a truce. It uses its weapons program as a wedge in the ever-repeating diplomatic dance with the U.S.-led international community, and there is no reason to believe this time is different.

"I see this as their way of testing the water," said Narushige Michishita, a North Korea expert at Tokyo's Graduate Institute of Policy Studies. "North Korea will probably never be able to defeat the United States in a war. But they are getting stronger."

In 2006 and 2009, North Korea carried out underground nuclear tests just after receiving U.N. sanctions for launching long-range rockets. The latest barrage of rhetoric comes after the U.N. Security Council voted unanimously on Tuesday to condemn the successful Dec. 12 rocket launch and further expand sanctions against Kim Jong Un's regime. Pyongyang replied with its threat of more launches and possibly another nuclear test.

"Settling accounts with the U.S. needs to be done with force, not with words," said Thursday's statement from the National Defense Commission, which promised "a new phase of the anti-U.S. struggle that has lasted century after century."

North Korea has long insisted that its rocket launches were peaceful attempts to put a satellite in orbit, while the U.S. and United Nations consider them illegal tests of missile technology. This week, however, Pyongyang, made it clear that one goal of its rocket program is to attack the United States.

But its ability to do so is limited, say experts who believe North Korea still has technological kinks to work out in its nuclear devices. It is thought to be unable to make a nuclear weapon small enough to be mounted on a missile, so it needs to test that technology as well.

Another big issue is money.

In his first speech to his people, the young leader, Kim, who is still believed to be in his 20s, said North Korea will continue its "military first" policy. But for a nation that chronically struggles to feed its own people, resources are limited. And because of trade restrictions, acquiring parts for its weapons from abroad is increasingly difficult.

Despite December's successful launch, North Korea's ability to get missiles off the launch pad is less than reliable. In April, a similar rocket splintered into pieces over the Yellow Sea. Days later, North Korea showed off what appeared to be an intercontinental ballistic missile, but many experts who reviewed footage of the rockets said they were clearly fakes.

The North does, however, appear to be making some progress.

Japan's Defense Ministry, in an assessment of the December launch presented to the prime minister on Friday, said the North's best designs probably give its missiles a range of more than 10,000 kilometers (6,200 miles), according to Japan's Kyodo news service. That would be enough to reach the West Coast of the United States. A South Korean defense official said Friday that Seoul agrees with that assessment.

The Japanese report warned that Pyongyang's missile technology has "entered a new stage" that is of serious concern to the international community. Japan is particularly wary of North Korea's capabilities because all of its islands are well within striking distance. Japan also hosts about 50,000 U.S. troops, whose bases would be a tempting target if Pyongyang were to try to make good on its threats.

"There has been a tendency to underestimate what North Korea can do in the space and missile field, and possibly with technology in general," U.S. nuclear expert Jeffrey Lewis wrote recently on his Arms Control Wonk blog. He noted that debris recovered from the wreckage of the December rocket's first stage indicates that most of it was made in North Korea.

North Korea claims the right to build nuclear weapons as a defense against the United States, which stations more than 28,000 troops in South Korea.

It is believed to have enough weapons-grade plutonium for about four to eight bombs, according to nuclear scientist Siegfried Hecker, who visited North Korea's nuclear complex in 2010. And in 2009, Pyongyang also declared that it would begin enriching uranium, giving it a second way to make atomic weapons.

U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said Thursday that he has seen no outward sign that North Korea will follow through soon on its plan to conduct a test, but added that doesn't mean preparations aren't under way.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/whats-threat-north-korean-rhetoric-reality-095710945.html

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10 years in mobile gaming ? Nokia Conversations : the official Nokia ...

Industry veteran Herocraft has just celebrated its tenth anniversary of creating games for mobile phones. But what made them get started and what have they learned about mobile gaming in the last decade? We asked company spokesperson Alexey Sazonov to tell us all.

?In 2002 the concept of mobile gaming was very new, and quite revolutionary. But when the founders looked around, they couldn?t see enormous potential for growth in traditional gaming. For mobiles, on the other hand ? well, we?d already seen the rise of PDA gaming and the success of sites like PocketGear. It seemed very likely to us that we?d see a similar explosion in mobile.

?And we?ve been developing for Nokia since day one, with tens of millions of downloads!?

So, after ten years in the industry, you must have a very good idea of what makes a good game?

?Hah. I wish someone would tell us!

?We try not to follow any formulas, because that would stifle innovation. Instead, we experiment a lot.

?I?d have to say that there are two secret ingredients: passion and good ideas.?

Herocraft is quite unusual in the breadth of its offering. Instead of specialising in one operating system, the company supports a wide cross-section of platforms, and in more than a dozen different languages.

?We?re dedicated to being cross-platform ? we?ll support any device so long as it makes money for us.

?In fact, one part of our business is to take games developed for other platforms and migrate them to new ones. An example of that is Contre Jour, which we?ve just released for Symbian.

?When it comes to choosing platforms, well, we don?t want to miss out on any big new success stories.?

What are the trends Alexey is seeing in mobile gaming?

?Well, the market is mature now, so it?s becoming necessary to find your niche and become expert in it. Herocraft always seeks to have a broad portfolio of different titles in its catalogue. But over time, we?ve come to specialise in strategy titles. Partly because they?re the sort of game we like to play ourselves. Our biggest title, Majesty, fits into that genre.?

Thank you, Alexey for your time, and here?s to ten more years in the business!

NB: HeroCraft is currently having a 10th-anniversary sale on some of its most successful titles for Symbian and Series 40 devices.

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Source: http://conversations.nokia.com/2013/01/23/10-years-in-mobile-gaming/

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At Long Last, Samsung?s ATIV Odyssey Will Make Its Verizon Debut On Jan. 24

Well, after being teased at presentations and making brief appearances at football-themed trade show events, Samsung's elusive ATIV Odyssey finally has a price and a release date. According to a recent update from Verizon, the humble Windows Phone will make its debut on January 24 (i.e. tomorrow), and will set prospective buyers back $50... eventually. As usual, Verizon is sticking to their obnoxious mail-in rebate tendencies, so those who take the leap will actually shell out $100 at time of purchase.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/cPGFCCj73jA/

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Liquid crystal's chaotic inner dynamics

Jan. 24, 2013 ? Scientists have unearthed a new dynamic process induced by strong electric fields in thin liquid crystal cells.

Liquid crystal displays are ubiquitous. Now, Polish physicists have demonstrated that the application of a very strong alternating electric field to thin liquid crystal cells leads to a new distinct dynamic effect in the response of the cells. The theory of spatio-temporal chaos explains this effect. It was elucidated by Wojciech Je?ewski and colleagues from the Institute of Molecular Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, in Pozna?, Poland, and is about to be published in EPJ E. This effect has implications for the operation of liquid-crystal devices because their operation is based on the electro-optic switching phenomenon, subject to the newly discovered effect.

The authors first applied an alternating electric field to semi-transparent, conducting plates of cells containing a liquid crystal substance. Such systems are characterised by a spontaneous electric polarisation that can be reversed by the application of an external electric field.

The Je?ewski team then registered the resulting molecular reorientations by recording changes in the intensity of light transmitted by the liquid crystal sample, or spectra. In particular, the authors experimentally identified a distinct high-frequency band in the response, reflecting the activation of a specific dynamic process inside the sample.

Theoretical studies of the complex molecular reorientation dynamics confirmed experimental observations. The team explained the response of the sample by numerically solving the equation describing the motion of molecules subjected to very strong alternating fields. Unlike previous approaches, these simulations did not make any assumption about the sample dynamics.

The effect they showed was associated with a chaotic molecular reorientation induced by a strong field of sufficiently high frequency. Furthermore, a unique experimental setup led to signals, due to strong excitations of liquid crystals at frequencies less than the frequency of the external electric field, being registered.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Springer Science+Business Media.

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

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Journal Reference:

1. W. Je?ewski, I. ?liwa, W. Kuczy?ski. Strongly nonlinear dynamics of ferroelectric liquid crystals. The European Physical Journal E, 2013; 36 (1) DOI: 10.1140/epje/i2013-13002-7

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

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

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/~3/Nxk9J0IXCzw/130124092147.htm

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Today on New Scientist: 23 January 2013

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Source: http://feeds.newscientist.com/c/749/f/10897/s/27d33999/l/0L0Snewscientist0N0Cblogs0Cshortsharpscience0C20A130C0A10Ctoday0Eon0Enew0Escientist0E230Ejanu0E10Bhtml0Dcmpid0FRSS0QNSNS0Q20A120EGLOBAL0Qonline0Enews/story01.htm

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Home improvement project story ideas sought | The Morrison ...

Posted on January 22, 2013 at 1:13 pm

The Record publishes a spring home and garden section in March and again in April.

If you, or someone you know in the Morrison County area, has completed or started a home improvement project (including landscaping projects) that might make an interesting story or offer helpful advice for readers, please call Terry at the Record office, 320-632-2345 or e-mail terry.lehrke@mcrecord.com.

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Source: http://mcrecord.com/2013/01/22/home-improvement-project-story-ideas-sought/

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