Primates too can move in unison

Jan. 28, 2013 ? Japanese researchers show for the first time that primates modify their body movements to be in tune with others, just like humans do. Humans unconsciously modify their movements to be in synchrony with their peers. For example, we adapt our pace to walk in step or clap in unison at the end of a concert. This phenomenon is thought to reflect bonding and facilitate human interaction. Researchers from the RIKEN Brain Science Institute report that pairs of macaque monkeys also spontaneously coordinate their movements to reach synchrony.

This research opens the door to much-needed neurophysiological studies of spontaneous synchronization in monkeys, which could shed light into human behavioral dysfunctions such as those observed in patients with autism spectrum disorders, echopraxia and echolalia -- where patients uncontrollably imitate others.

In the research, recently published in the journal Scientific Reports, the team led by Naotaka Fujii developed an experimental set-up to test whether pairs of Japanese macaque monkeys synchronize a simple push-button movement.

Before the experiment, the monkeys were trained to push a button with one hand. In a first experiment the monkeys were paired and placed facing each other and the timing of their push-button movements was recorded. The same experiment was repeated but this time each monkey was shown videos of another monkey pushing a button at varying speeds. And in a last experiment the macaques were not allowed to either see or hear their video-partner.

The results show that the monkeys modified their movements -- increased or decreased the speed of their push-button movement -- to be in synchrony with their partner, both when the partner was real and on video. The speed of the button pressing movement changed to be in harmonic or sub-harmonic synchrony with the partners' speed. However, different pairs of monkeys synchronized differently and reached different speeds, and the monkeys synchronized their movements the most when they could both see and hear their partner.

The researchers note that this behavior cannot have been learnt by the monkeys during the experiment, as previous research has shown that it is extremely difficult for monkeys to learn intentional synchronization.

They add: "The reasons why the monkeys showed behavioral synchronization are not clear. It may be a vital aspect of other socially adaptive behavior, important for survival in the wild."

The study was partly supported by Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Innovative Areas 'Neural creativity for communication' (22120522 and 24120720) of MEXT, Japan.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by RIKEN.

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. Yasuo Nagasaka, Zenas C. Chao, Naomi Hasegawa, Tomonori Notoya, Naotaka Fujii. Spontaneous synchronization of arm motion between Japanese macaques. Scientific Reports, 2013; 3 DOI: 10.1038/srep01151

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/strange_science/~3/AMbAPs6-r80/130128081952.htm

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Lawyers for 9/11 suspects ask military judge to ... - NBC News

Brennan Linsley / AP file

In this photo, reviewed by a U.S. Dept of Defense official, a detainee shields his face as he peers out through the so-called "bean hole" which is used to pass food and other items into detainee cells, at Camp Delta detention center, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, on Dec. 4. 2006.

By Jane Sutton, Reuters

GUANTANAMO BAY U.S. NAVAL BASE, Cuba - Lawyers for five alleged conspirators who attacked America on September 11 and say they were tortured in secret CIA prisons have asked a U.S. military judge to order that the prisons be preserved as evidence.

The issue is one of more than two dozen on the docket for a week of pretrial hearings that began on Monday in the war crimes tribunal at the Guantanamo Bay U.S. Naval Base in Cuba.

The defendants include Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the accused mastermind of the hijacked plane attacks that killed 2,976 people on September 11, 2001. He wore a camouflage jacket to court over his white tunic and defiantly refused to answer the judge's questions.

---

Defense lawyers also have asked the judge to order the U.S. government to turn over all White House or Justice Department documents authorizing the CIA to move suspected al-Qaida captives across borders without judicial review and hold and interrogate them in secret prisons after the September 11 attacks.

President George W. Bush announced in 2006 that the September 11 defendants were among a group of "high-value" captives sent to Guantanamo from the secret prisons.

The CIA has acknowledged that Mohammed was subjected to the simulated drowning technique known as waterboarding. The defendants said they were also subjected to sleep deprivation, threats, and being chained in painful positions.

The defense lawyers will argue that their clients' treatment was illegal pretrial punishment and constituted "outrageous government misconduct" that could justify dismissal of the charges, or at least spare the defendants from execution if convicted.

"By its nature, torture affects the admissibility of evidence, the credibility of witnesses, the appropriateness of punishment and the legitimacy of the prosecution itself," the defense lawyers wrote in court documents.

At least one potential witness was also held in the CIA prisons and his treatment could raise questions about the admissibility of his testimony, said James Connell, defense attorney for Mohammed's nephew, defendant Ali Abdul-Aziz Ali.

The chief prosecutor, Brigadier General Mark Martins, said the prosecution does not plan to introduce any evidence obtained from the defendants or anyone else via torture, cruelty or inhuman treatment - which is prohibited by U.S. law and international treaty.

In a departure from the Bush administration, the Obama administration has made it clear that any interrogation techniques must adhere to those long established in the army field manual, which prohibits torture.

The defendants have been in U.S. custody for a decade, but there are still numerous legal and evidentiary issues that must be resolved before their trial begins on charges that include murder, hijacking, terrorism and attacking civilians.

Abu Ghraib as 'crime scene'
The judge presiding over the September 11 trial, Army Colonel James Pohl, ordered in 2004 that the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq be preserved as a "crime scene." He was at the time presiding over the trial of U.S. military police officers accused of torturing and photographing prisoners at Abu Ghraib.?

Iraq was then under U.S. occupation. It was unclear whether Pohl had authority to order the preservation of the CIA prisons, whose location the government has kept secret, arguing that disclosure could threaten U.S. national security and put allies at risk.

Polish prosecutors are investigating allegations that one of the sites was in Poland, and there is evidence the CIA set up others in Romania, Lithuania and Thailand, according to reports by the Council of Europe and the United Nations.

Lawyers for the September 11 defendants first made the request for preservation of the secret CIA prisons under seal in September of last year. The request was unsealed about a month later. But this week's pre-trial hearing marks the first time it has been presented in the Guantanamo court.

Before considering the CIA prisons issue, the court on Monday began slogging through issues such as whether the defendants had agreed to add lawyers to two defense teams and drop one from another and whether they must show up in court for pretrial hearings.

When two of them refused to answer whether they had approved the personnel changes, the judge took their lawyers' word for it that they had.

But he said he would not grant their request to skip some court sessions unless they first acknowledged vocally that they understood they had the right to be present for discussions that could affect their legal rights.

"They're going to have to tell me out of their own mouths, or they'll be here," Pohl said.

After a chaotic May 2012 arraignment session that dragged on for 13 hours, the defendants have alternated between refusing to speak to the judge and making accusatory statements against the United States. Although they largely ignored the judge on Monday, they whispered to their lawyers and appeared to be reading legal documents.

Mohammed and his nephew are Pakistani citizens. The other defendants are Walid bin Attash and Ramzi Binalshibh, both Yemenis, and Mustafa al Hawsawi, a Saudi.

Family members of 9/11 victims have traveled to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to watch the arraignment of alleged 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, who reportedly refused to listen to the judge or answer questions during Saturday's proceedings. NBC's Michael Isikoff reports.

Copyright 2013 Thomson Reuters. Click for restrictions.

Source: http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/01/28/16741196-lawyers-for-911-suspects-ask-military-judge-to-preserve-secret-cia-prisons-as-evidence

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GOP looks to fight Dems, not negotiate with Obama

FILE - In this Dec. 21, 2012 file photo, Speaker of the House John Boehner, R-Ohio, speaks to reporters about the fiscal cliff negotiations at the Capitol in Washington. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

FILE - In this Dec. 21, 2012 file photo, Speaker of the House John Boehner, R-Ohio, speaks to reporters about the fiscal cliff negotiations at the Capitol in Washington. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Is Washington's backroom dealing dead?

House Speaker John Boehner says he no longer wants to negotiate deficit reduction with President Barack Obama. The president says he won't negotiate raising the government's borrowing authority. Rank and file lawmakers say they're tired of being left out of the loop and insist on the regular legislative process.

If those are New Year's resolutions, they can certainly be broken. But at the start of a second presidential term, cutting a secret, late night fiscal bargain with the White House on the phone and with a handshake suddenly seems so yesterday.

"No more brinkmanship," Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell declared. "No more last-minute deals."

What's in, for the moment at least, is a more deliberative legislative process. House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan, last year's Republican vice presidential nominee, says it's all about "prudence."

For the nation, that could mean less manufactured drama like the New Year's deal that averted the once-dreaded "fiscal cliff." For the stock market, it might mean less political volatility. And for the economy, it could provide a dash of needed stability.

The reasons for this turn are fundamentally political.

Republicans are less interested in battling a re-elected Obama, with his higher popularity ratings, than they are in confronting Senate Democrats. Last week's tactical retreat by House Republicans from a clash over the nation's borrowing authority is forcing the Senate's Democratic majority to assemble a budget, making Democratic senators accountable for a series of specific policies and clarifying differences between the parties ahead of the 2014 midterm elections.

Unlike the emerging bipartisanship on an overhaul of immigration laws, conflicts over budgets and deficits frequently have been resolved in a crisis atmosphere. And while immigration changes have been pushed by a changing political landscape, issues of spending and taxing define the core of both parties.

Republicans and the White House have tried twice in two years to reach a "grand bargain" to reduce the long-term deficit only to settle for a smaller incremental deal. The process has tested the relationship between Obama and Boehner and created tensions for Boehner with his own Republican lawmakers. In the process, lawmakers had to vote urgently on deals many had barely seen.

"Cooling your heels for 72 hours or 48 hours while there's some backroom deal going on that cannot be discussed is not exactly why people ran for the Senate," said Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., who had unveiled his own 10-year, $4.5 trillion solution for averting the end-of-year fiscal cliff.

What's more, Republican officials have complained that Obama lectured congressional leaders during their meetings, trying to persuade rather than negotiate. White House officials, for their part, complain that Boehner was an uncertain negotiator, never able to guarantee that his party would stand by an agreement.

As Boehner himself confessed last week in a speech to the Republican Ripon Society: "The last two years have been pretty rough." He said newer Republicans lawmakers have come to think of him as "some kind of a squish, ready to sell them out in a heartbeat."

"It really has in fact caused somewhat of breach that I've been in the middle of trying to repair," Boehner said.

While the fight over the government's borrowing limit is now likely to be put off until May, Obama and the Congress still face two upcoming fiscal deadlines that could test this unwillingness for 11th-hour White House negotiations. Tough new spending cuts -- about $85 billion from this year's budget -- are scheduled to kick in on March 1. On March 27, the government faces a potential shutdown if Congress doesn't extend a temporary budget measure.

But at the White House and in Congress, both are seen as far less cataclysmic than failure to raise the nation's debt ceiling. And Republican lawmakers who once shuddered at the idea of massive cuts, especially to defense programs, now see the automatic reductions on March 1 as the only recourse to reduce spending.

"It's the bird in hand when it comes to cuts," said Sen. John Cornyn, the second ranking Republican leader in the Senate.

More unclear is how Republicans intend to deal with the debt ceiling in May, when Congress again will have to act to raise it or extend it.

The White House is no more enthusiastic for last-minute deal making than Republicans are. Fiscal negotiations have been time consuming events that have left Obama with little time to pursue other aspects of his agenda.

If freed from such talks, he can now push his proposals for overhauling immigration laws and combating gun violence.

"Going regular order slows things down and takes the president out of a central role but it's still an influential one if he wants it," said Patrick Griffin, White House legislative director under President Bill Clinton. "The more it looks like he's winning, the better the next battle goes for him."

What's more, White House officials say, Obama's negotiating stance is now well known after he made a public offer to Boehner in December that Boehner turned down. That offer, White House officials say, still stands: Lower cost-of-living adjustments for Social Security recipients and other beneficiaries of government programs, $400 billion in reduced spending in Medicare and other health care programs over 10 years, and $600-$700 billion in tax revenue from closing loopholes and deductions by rewriting the tax code.

In a memorandum to her colleagues, the new Senate Budget Committee chair, Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., emphasized that "we could raise hundreds of billions of dollars by making sure the rich no longer benefit disproportionately from deductions and other tax preferences." The letter did not specify an amount of revenue. Republicans say any new tax revenue is out of the question.

In 2014, there are 35 Senate seats up for election, 21 held by Democrats. Republicans see that as an opportunity to pick up some seats and they see a clash over taxes as a winning proposition, especially in states Obama lost.

Moreover, a Democratic budget will test whether Democrats will embrace the Medicare cuts and Social Security changes that Obama proposed privately in previous unsuccessful talks with Republicans.

"The president hasn't offered any of those kinds of plans in public," Ryan said Sunday on Meet the Press. "They try to do back room deals, but those always seem to fall apart. We want to have a debate in public so we can contrast these visions."

Associated Press White House Correspondent Julie Pace contributed to this article.

___

Follow Jim Kuhnhenn on Twitter: http://twitter.com/jkuhnhenn

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2013-01-28-US-Obama-Congress-Deals/id-8bdbc743c22c4303aa7c76efcae667e2

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How to make your iPhone password better: Use an accent

10 hrs.

Thorin Klosowski , Lifehacker

We've?talked before?about using a longer passcode on your iPhone instead of a 4-digit pin, but as the tech blog Digital Inspiration points out, adding in accented characters adds yet another level of security.

The idea is that most people aren't going to bother dealing with accented characters (if you hold down on a letter, the available accented characters show up) when they're trying to guess your password. To use these, you first have to turn on the alphanumeric passcode. Just head into Settings > General > Passcode Lock, and turn off Simple Passcode. You'll be asked to enter in a new password, so throw in a few accented characters. It might make it a bit of a pain to enter in your passcode, but at least it's more secure.

[via Digital Inspiration]

More from Lifehacker:

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/technolog/use-accented-characters-make-your-ios-password-even-stronger-1C8120707

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Inmates moved after bloody Venezuela prison riot

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) ? Venezuelan authorities on Sunday finished evacuating inmates from a prison where 61 were reported killed in one of the deadliest prison clashes in the nation's history.

Penitentiary Service Minister Iris Varela said in a message on Twitter that the evacuation of Uribana prison in the city of Barquisimeto was completed on Sunday morning. Inmates were loaded aboard buses and driven to other prisons.

Varela posted photos of inmates filing out led by authorities, and said that what will come next for the prison is "now the reconstruction!"

Two days after the violence, government officials had yet to provide an official death toll from the fierce gunbattles, which pitted armed inmates against National Guard troops.

Dr. Ruy Medina, director of Central Hospital in the city, told The Associated Press on Saturday that the death toll had risen to 61, while about 120 were wounded in the violence.

Medina said that nearly all of the injuries were from gunshots and that 45 of the estimated 120 people who were wounded remained hospitalized.

Relatives wept outside the prison during the violence, and cried at the morgue as they waited to identify bodies.

The riot was the latest in a series of deadly clashes in Venezuela's overcrowded and often anarchical prisons, where inmates typically obtain weapons and drugs with the help of corrupt guards. Critics called it proof that the government is failing to get a grip on a worsening national crisis in its penitentiaries.

The gunbattles seized attention amid uncertainty about President Hugo Chavez's future, while he remained in Cuba recovering and undergoing treatment more than six weeks after his latest cancer surgery.

Government officials pledged a thorough investigation, while some critics said there should have been ways for the authorities to prevent such bloodshed.

The riot was the deadliest in nearly two decades. In January 1994, more than 100 inmates died in the country's bloodiest prison violence on record when a riot and fire set by inmates tore through a prison in the western city of Maracaibo. In 1992, about 60 inmates were killed in a riot in a Caracas prison.

Varela said that the violence erupted on Friday when groups of inmates attacked National Guard troops who were attempting to carry out an inspection. She said the government decided to send troops to search the prison after reports of clashes between groups of inmates during the past two days.

"No one doubts that inspections are necessary procedures to guarantee prison conditions in line with international standards, but they can't be carried out with the warlike attitude as (authorities) have done it," said Humberto Prado, an activist who leads the Venezuelan Prisons Observatory, a watchdog group.

"It's clear that the inspection wasn't coordinated or put into practice as it should have been. It was evidently a disproportionate use of force," Prado said.

In 2011, when Chavez had been in office for 12 years, he created a Cabinet ministry to focus on prisons and appointed Varela to lead it. The president made that decision following a deadly, weekslong armed uprising at the prisons El Rodeo I and El Rodeo II outside Caracas.

Chavez at the time acknowledged that his government's previous initiatives to improve the prisons hadn't worked, and he pledged changes including building new prisons, improving conditions and speeding trials. Since then, Chavez has approved funds to repair and renovate prisons. But opponents and activists say the government hasn't made real progress at penitentiaries where hundreds continue to die each year.

Venezuela has 33 prisons built to hold about 12,000 inmates. Officials have said the prisons' population is currently about 47,000.

___

Associated Press writers Vivian Sequera in Bogota, Colombia, and Jorge Rueda in Caracas contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/inmates-moved-bloody-venezuela-prison-riot-143402197.html

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92% Amour

All Critics (138) | Top Critics (38) | Fresh (127) | Rotten (11)

As remarkable as Haneke's films are, not a one has been as transcendently generous as Amour, which is nominated for five Academy Awards, including best picture, best director and best foreign-language film.

"Amour" isn't just a great movie, it's a movie that may actually do you some good.

Shot in long, static takes, Amour stares directly into the indignities of old age and the curse of a slow death.

Each actor draws on a lifetime's worth of experience, performing with grace and rare, uncompromising realism.

There's nowhere to hide: The film cuts no corners and stings with the authenticity of life's fragility.

Amour may not inspire the kind of emotional epiphany that similar illness-driven dramas tend to, the results are still riveting.

Death is part of love's bargain, and Haneke lays this fact bare.

It is hard to recommend Amour. Austrian director Michael Haneke's film cannot justly be described as entertaining, and it will likely leave you sad and weary. But it is a film you must see.

"Amour" isn't easy to watch, but its rewards are many.

"Amour" isn't a fun time out at the movies, and I kind of doubt I'll ever see it again. But it's an amazingly act, absolutely heartbreaking film.

A viewer may want to watch Amour, because it is a work of art.

Relativamente doce para os padr?es de um cineasta acostumado a torturar seu p?blico e a encarar a humanidade com imenso ceticismo, representa uma experi?ncia dif?cil por nos lembrar o tempo inteiro de que todos dividiremos o mesmo desfecho.

A bitter, pitiless piece of work. We can admire its components, but we're repulsed by its vision.

Haneke's self-indulgent approach is getting old to me. His devoted fans will like it, but others will most likely be scratching their heads trying to figure out how this got a Best Picture nomination.

It's upsetting material lined with lead by Haneke, who searches for the meaning of love but can't help but dwell on the details of decay.

Amour is as heartbreaking and real as it gets.

Tough and beautiful, it secures Haneke's reputation as one of the world's best.

Two of the world's best actors, Jean-Louis Trintignant and Emmanuelle Riva, play Amour's octogenarian couple, so it's surprising that the characters aren't very interesting.

Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/771307454/

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California Intends to Declare BPA a Reproductive Health Hazard

California today is announcing its intent to declare bisphenol A a reproductive hazard. Under a state law known as Proposition 65, items that contain a certain level of BPA would need warning signs for consumers. Pictured: California's Sacramento State Capitol Image: Flickr/Franco Folini

California today is announcing its intent to declare bisphenol A a reproductive hazard.

Under a state law known as Prop. 65, warning signs would be required for consumer items that contain a certain high level of BPA. BPA is used to make polycarbonate plastic, and also is found in liners of food and beverage cans and some thermal receipts.

Scientists say BPA is an estrogen-like substance that can alter reproductive hormones. California's Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment said it based its decision to list BPA as a Prop. 65 chemical on a 2008 report by the National Toxicology Program.

?"Bisphenol A meets the criteria for listing as known to the State to cause reproductive toxicity (developmental endpoint) under Proposition 65, based on findings of NTP [the National Toxicology Program]," according to the state agency.

"OEHHA is relying on the NTP?s conclusion in the report that there is clear evidence of adverse developmental effects in laboratory animals at 'high' levels of exposure," according to the state's decision.

The decision was based on laboratory tests by scientists that have shown effects on the body weight and reproductive development of the pups of pregnant rats and mice exposed to high levels of BPA.

The state agency is proposing to set an acceptable level of exposure that is considered fairly high, 290 micrograms per day. As a result, Sarah Janssen of the Natural Resources Defense Council wrote on her blog that the decision ?is not likely to trigger any warning labels on canned food or beverages.? The same is probably true for receipts and most other consumer products.

"However," she added, "a listing alone is quite significant and makes official what parents have known for years ? BPA is harmful and should be avoided."

Plastics and chemical manufacturers say the compound, which has been used in polycarbonate plastic for 50 years, is safe at levels people are exposed to

The intent of the law, passed by voters in 1986, is to require manufacturers to warn consumers whenever a chemical is used that has been linked to cancer or reproductive effects. In some cases, companies decide to avoid using the compound rather than put up warning signs in stores or other public places.

BPA already has been banned from baby bottles, and removed from most hard-shell water bottles. It also has been replaced with another chemical in most thermal receipts, although that chemical, known as BPS, also has been linked to estrogen-like effects.

The state agency will accept public comments for one month before making a final decision listing BPA.

This article originally ran at Environmental Health News, a news source published by Environmental Health Sciences, a nonprofit media company.

Source: http://rss.sciam.com/click.phdo?i=0b7cea1657e01f480b127129949a4586

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Court says Obama appointments violate constitution

Richard Cordray stands left as President Barack Obama announces in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, Thursday, Jan. 24, 2013, that he will re-nominate Cordray to lead the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, a role that he has held for the last year under a recess appointment, and nominate Mary Joe White to lead the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC). (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Richard Cordray stands left as President Barack Obama announces in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, Thursday, Jan. 24, 2013, that he will re-nominate Cordray to lead the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, a role that he has held for the last year under a recess appointment, and nominate Mary Joe White to lead the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC). (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? President Barack Obama violated the Constitution when he bypassed the Senate last year to appoint three members of the National Labor Relations Board, a federal appeals court ruled Friday in a far-reaching decision that could severely limit a chief executive's powers to make recess appointments.

The decision of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit marked a victory for Republicans and business groups critical of the labor board. If it stands, it could invalidate hundreds of board decisions over the past year, including some that make it easier for unions to organize.

When Obama filled the vacancies on Jan. 4, 2012, Congress was on an extended holiday break. But GOP lawmakers gaveled in for a few minutes every three days just to prevent Obama from making recess appointments. The White House argued that the pro forma sessions ? some lasting less than a minute ? were a sham.

The court rejected that argument, but went even further, finding that under the Constitution, a recess occurs only during the breaks between formal year-long sessions of Congress, not just any informal break when lawmakers leave town. It also held that presidents can bypass the Senate only when administration vacancies occur during a recess.

White House press secretary Jay Carney said the administration strongly disagrees with the decision and that the labor board would continue to conduct business as usual, despite calls by some Republicans for the board members to resign.

"The decision is novel and unprecedented," Carney said. "It contradicts 150 years of practice by Democratic and Republican administrations."

Under the court's decision, 285 recess appointments made by presidents between 1867 and 2004 would be invalid.

The Justice Department hinted that the administration would ask the Supreme Court to overturn the decision, which was rendered by three conservative judges appointed by Republican presidents. "We disagree with the court's ruling and believe that the president's recess appointments are constitutionally sound," the statement said.

The court acknowledged that the ruling conflicts with what some other federal appeals courts have held about when recess appointments are valid, which only added to the likelihood of an appeal to the high court.

"I think this is a very important decision about the separation of powers," said Carl Tobias, a constitutional law professor at Virginia's University of Richmond. "The court's reading has limited the president's ability to counter the obstruction of appointments by a minority in the Senate that has been pretty egregious in the Obama administration."

The ruling also threw into question the legitimacy of Obama's recess appointment of Richard Cordray to head the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Cordray's appointment, made on the same date, has been challenged in a separate case.

Carney insisted the court's ruling affects only a single case before the labor board and would have no bearing on Cordray's appointment. Obama on Thursday renominated Cordray for the job.

The case challenging the recess appointments was brought by Noel Canning, a Washington state bottling company that claimed an NLRB decision against it was not valid because the board members were not properly appointed. The D.C. Circuit panel agreed.

Obama made the recess appointments after Senate Republicans blocked his choices for an agency they contended was biased in favor of unions. Obama claims he acted properly because the Senate was away for the holidays on a 20-day recess. The Constitution allows for such appointments without Senate approval when Congress is in recess.

But during that time, GOP lawmakers argued, the Senate technically had stayed in session because it was gaveled in and out every few days for so-called pro forma sessions.

GOP lawmakers used the tactic ? as Democrats had done in the past ? specifically to prevent the president from using his recess power to install members to the labor board and the consumer board. They had also vigorously opposed the nomination of Cordray.

The three-judge panel flatly rejected arguments from the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel, which claimed that the president has discretion to decide that the Senate is unavailable to perform its advice and consent function.

"Allowing the president to define the scope of his own appointment power would eviscerate the Constitution's separation of powers," Chief Judge David Sentelle wrote in the 46-page ruling. He was appointed by President Ronald Reagan.

The court ruled that during one of those pro forma sessions on Jan. 3, 2012, the Senate officially convened its second session of the 112th Congress, as required by the Constitution.

Sentelle's opinion was joined by Judge Thomas Griffith, appointed to the court by President George W. Bush, and Karen LeCraft Henderson, who was appointed by President George H.W. Bush.

"With this ruling, the D.C. Circuit has soundly rejected the Obama administration's flimsy interpretation of the law, and (it) will go a long way toward restoring the constitutional separation of powers," said Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah.

GOP House Speaker John Boehner welcomed the ruling as "a victory for accountability in government."

If the ruling stands, it would invalidate more than 600 board decisions issued over the past year. It also would leave the five-member labor board with just one validly appointed member, effectively shutting it down. The board is allowed to issue decisions only when it has at least three sitting members.

Obama used the recess appointment to install Deputy Labor Secretary Sharon Block, union lawyer Richard Griffin and NLRB counsel Terence Flynn to fill vacancies on the labor board, giving it a full contingent for the first time in more than a year. Block and Griffin are Democrats, while Flynn is a Republican. Flynn stepped down from the board last year.

All three vacancies on the labor board had been open for months before Obama acted to fill them.

Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa called the ruling "a radical departure from precedent" and argued that Obama had no choice but to act.

"Throughout his presidency, Republicans have employed unprecedented partisan delay tactics and filibusters to prevent confirmation of nominees to lead the NLRB, thus crippling the board's legal authority to act," Harkin said.

If Obama's recess appointment of Cordray to the newly created consumer board is eventually ruled invalid, it could nullify all the regulations the consumer board has issued, many of which affect the mortgage business.

___

Follow Sam Hananel on Twitter: http://twitter.com/SamHananelAP

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2013-01-25-Obama-Recess%20Appointments/id-0ddef8e066f84e06a514d7849005ce9d

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Kyle Busch signs multi-year deal to stay with JGR

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. (AP) ? Joe Gibbs Racing announced Thursday that Kyle Busch has signed a long-term extension to continue driving the No. 18 Toyota Camry.

In addition, JGR will field the No. 54 Monster Energy Toyota in the Nationwide Series for at least 25 races with Busch as the primary driver. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Busch, who has won 24 NASCAR Sprint Cup races and made the Chase for the Cup five times since 2005, said he chose to stay with JGR after weighing offers from two other ownership groups.

"It's something that is really exciting that we've been working on for a long time," Busch said. "I probably took a few years off coach's life, but hopefully not. I'll repay him somehow, maybe with some championships."

Busch has 105 career wins spanning all three NASCAR series, including 51 in the Nationwide Series. However, the 27-year-old Busch is coming off a disastrous season by his own standards.

He finished 13th in the Sprint Cup standings and missed the Chase. And while he ranked second in the Cup in laps led, he only found Victory Lane once and finished the year with 13 top-five finishes after winning a combined 19 races the previous four years.

Busch ran his own car in the Nationwide Series and was winless in 22 races, posting three seconds and two thirds after winning 40 races in the previous four seasons. He competed in three events on the Camping World Truck series but failed to win there, too.

He called it his "worst season ever."

During negotiations, Busch said, Gibbs was "adamant" about Busch racing JGR cars during the Nationwide series, which he feels will give him a better chance to win.

"So I will be rejoining forces here and running about 25 races and then filling out the rest of the races with some younger talent in the non-companion races," Busch said.

Busch said he feels comfortable working for Gibbs, which made the decision to return fairly easy. Of course, the lucrative contract didn't hurt either.

"The good news is we signed him to a long-term deal, the bad news is we now work for him ? and we're broke," Gibbs joked.

With Matt Kenseth joining Busch and Denny Hamlin on the Sprint Cup Series, Gibbs said this is the most excited he's been entering a season.

He expects his Sprint Cup team to be competitive every week and also is excited about the prospect of running four cars on the Nationwide Series with Brian Vickers joining Kenseth, Busch and Hamlin.

While his drivers are friends and teammates, Gibbs said he expects some of that to wear off when February arrives.

"I was thinking this whole offseason they got along great and everything, but that's going to last until about the first time they get alongside each other up front," Gibbs said. "And I'm going to be ducking and dodging. All of these guys driving for us, we know each one is going to be going after (a championship)."

The good-natured jabs heated up at Thursday's Sprint Cup Series media day.

While on stage with his teammates, Busch was asked when Hamlin will get to sign a long-term extension with JGR.

"Well, we already gave him all of the best stuff," Busch cracked. "He had the fastest Toyota car down at Daytona in testing. What else do we gotta do? He's already got all of the good stuff."

Hamlin jabbed back, "I make up for it in talent."

Hamlin admittedly is a little sleep-deprived of late. He and his longtime girlfriend, Jordan Fish, welcomed their first child, a daughter named Taylor James Hamlin, born on Jan. 20 at 8:20 p.m. (20:20 military time) and she was 20 inches long.

"We squelched the rumor that Denny will now be driving the No. 20 car," joked JGR president J.D. Gibbs.

Kenseth brings a winning resume to Gibbs Racing. A two-time Daytona 500 winner and the 2003 Sprint Cup champion, Kenseth has won 24 Cup races including three last year for Roush Fenway Racing.

"It sounds like Kyle and Denny are already tied for the championship this year, but I'm looking forward to this anyway," Kenseth joked as he looked over at his teammates. He called it a "new beginning" and said sometimes change is good.

"I feel like it's a great opportunity to go and hopefully compete for some wins and try to compete for a championship," Kenseth said.

Said Gibbs: "It's great having Matt on board. He's somebody that we all respect. It's a thrill for us to have him."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/kyle-busch-signs-multi-deal-stay-jgr-220108791--spt.html

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Wayward dolphin makes splash in polluted NYC canal

AAA??Jan. 25, 2013?4:29 PM ET
Wayward dolphin makes splash in polluted NYC canal
AP

A dolphin surfaces in the Gowanus Canal in the Brooklyn borough of New York, Friday, Jan. 25, 2013. The New York City Police Dept. said animal experts were waiting to see if the dolphin would leave on its own during the evening's high tide. If not, they plan to lend a hand on Saturday morning. According to authorities at the scene, the dolphin appeared to be adventurous, rather than stranded.(AP Photo/Richard Drew)

A dolphin surfaces in the Gowanus Canal in the Brooklyn borough of New York, Friday, Jan. 25, 2013. The New York City Police Dept. said animal experts were waiting to see if the dolphin would leave on its own during the evening's high tide. If not, they plan to lend a hand on Saturday morning. According to authorities at the scene, the dolphin appeared to be adventurous, rather than stranded.(AP Photo/Richard Drew)

A dolphin surfaces in the Gowanus Canal in the Brooklyn borough of New York, Friday, Jan. 25, 2013. The New York City Police Dept. said animal experts were waiting to see if the dolphin would leave on its own during the evening's high tide. If not, they plan to lend a hand on Saturday morning. According to authorities at the scene, the dolphin appeared to be adventurous, rather than stranded. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

A dolphin surfaces in the Gowanus Canal with debris on its nose, in the Brooklyn borough of New York, Friday, Jan. 25, 2013. The New York City Police Dept. said animal experts were waiting to see if the dolphin would leave on its own during the evening's high tide. If not, they plan to lend a hand on Saturday morning. According to authorities at the scene, the dolphin appeared to be adventurous, rather than stranded.(AP Photo/Richard Drew)

A dolphin surfaces in the Gowanus Canal in the Brooklyn borough of New York, Friday, Jan. 25, 2013. The New York City Police Dept. said animal experts were waiting to see if the dolphin would leave on its own during the evening's high tide. If not, they plan to lend a hand on Saturday morning. According to authorities at the scene, the dolphin appeared to be adventurous, rather than stranded.(AP Photo/Richard Drew)

A dolphin surfaces in the Gowanus Canal in the Brooklyn borough of New York, Friday, Jan. 25, 2013. The New York City Police Dept. said animal experts were waiting to see if the dolphin would leave on its own during the evening's high tide. If not, they plan to lend a hand on Saturday morning. According to authorities at the scene, the dolphin appeared to be adventurous, rather than stranded.(AP Photo/Richard Drew)

NEW YORK (AP) ? A wayward dolphin has been making a splash in a polluted New York City canal.

Friday's deep-freeze weather didn't seem to faze the dolphin as it swam around in the Gowanus (guh-WAH'-nuhs) Canal, which runs 1.5 miles through a narrow industrial zone near some of Brooklyn's wealthiest neighborhoods.

Bundled-up onlookers took cellphone photos. A news helicopter hovered overhead.

The dolphin appears to be about 7 feet long. It has surfaced periodically and shaken black gunk from its snout in the polluted water.

The New York Police Department says animal experts are waiting to see if the dolphin leaves the canal on its own during the evening's high tide. If not, they plan to lend a hand Saturday.

The filthy canal was named a Superfund site in 2010, meaning the government can force polluters to pay for its restoration.

Associated PressNews Topics: General news, Dolphins, Animals, Pollution, Marine mammals, Marine animals, Living things, Mammals, Environmental concerns, Environment, Environment and nature

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/aa9398e6757a46fa93ed5dea7bd3729e/Article_2013-01-25-Dolphin%20in%20Canal/id-e7d7db74977144df8b53758bef3efee6

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10 Reasons Dating In High School Is Overrated

We know, we know. The pressure to date in high school is overwhelming and often all-consuming, particularly for those who have not had your first BF/GF yet. If you find yourself regularly feeling left behind, or like you're the only one without a siggo, we have two secrets to share with you:

1. Everyone in your grade is just as stressed as you about dating. The guys, the girls... everyone. Even the ones paired off are stressed about being paired off.

2. This one is important, so pay close attention: flying through high school solo can actually be a much more fun experience.

You may not even realize how many ways you have it better than your paired-off friends, but there are a ton. Click through the slideshow below for 10 reasons to enjoy your current life as part of a non-couple -- and feel free to re-visit this every time you find yourself thinking, "OMG WHY AM I STILL SINGLE?"

You are single because you're awesome. And also, because dating in high school is way, way overrated.

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/24/10-reasons-why-dating-in-_n_2543186.html

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NCAA announces problems with Miami investigation

FILE - In this Jan. 17, 2013, file photo, NCAA President Mark Emmert speaks at the organization's annual convention in Grapevine, Texas. The NCAA is revealing that it has found "an issue of improper conduct" within its own enforcement program during its investigation into the compliance practices of Miami's athletic department. Emmert has ordered an external review of the enforcement program. Miami will not receive its notice of allegations until that review is complete. (AP Photo/LM Otero, File)

FILE - In this Jan. 17, 2013, file photo, NCAA President Mark Emmert speaks at the organization's annual convention in Grapevine, Texas. The NCAA is revealing that it has found "an issue of improper conduct" within its own enforcement program during its investigation into the compliance practices of Miami's athletic department. Emmert has ordered an external review of the enforcement program. Miami will not receive its notice of allegations until that review is complete. (AP Photo/LM Otero, File)

CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) ? After nearly two years, the NCAA has finally announced some of the wrongdoing discovered during the investigation of Miami's athletic compliance practices.

The alleged rule-breakers: former NCAA employees.

NCAA President Mark Emmert revealed Wednesday that the Miami investigation is on hold after the governing body for college sports in this country discovered "a very severe issue of improper conduct" ? specifically that the attorney for former booster and convicted Ponzi scheme architect Nevin Shapiro was used to "to improperly obtain information ... through a bankruptcy proceeding that did not involve the NCAA."

The NCAA does not have subpoena power. At least one of the people deposed by attorney Maria Elena Perez ? who represented Shapiro ? as part of his bankruptcy case appeared under subpoena, and his testimony would not have been otherwise available to NCAA investigators. The investigators who were involved are no longer with the NCAA, Emmert said.

"How in the world can you get this far without it being recognized that this was an inappropriate way to proceed?" Emmert asked.

That's the question that the NCAA wants answered, and fast.

Miami has been bracing for the arrival of its notice of allegations ? the charges it will have to defend itself against during the sanctioning phase of the NCAA probe.

Those allegations are now on hold until an outside review of the NCAA's procedures, specifically in this case, are completed.

"As we have done since the beginning, we will continue to work with the NCAA and now with their outside investigator hoping for a swift resolution of the investigation and our case," Miami President Donna Shalala said.

It was part of a stunning day for Hurricane athletics: The 25th-ranked men's basketball team beat No. 1 Duke later Wednesday, 90-63.

Emmert said the NCAA was trying to find out why part of the investigation was based on depositions specific to the bankruptcy case against Shapiro, who will have to repay $82.7 million to his victims as part of his sentence. One of those depositions was given Dec. 19, 2011 by former Miami equipment-room staffer Sean Allen ? who has been linked to Shapiro and many of the allegations that he made against the university.

During that deposition done as part of Shapiro's bankruptcy proceeding, the phrase "University of Miami" was uttered at least 58 times either in questions or answers. Miami was not part of the Ponzi scheme that led to Shapiro's legal downfall.

And the timing of this also is curious. Several people who were to be named in the NCAA's notice of allegations against Miami have been told that the document was in the final stages of preparation ? and one person who spoke with AP said at least one person who was to have faced a charge of wrongdoing was told the letter was scheduled for delivery to Miami on Tuesday.

Now it's anyone's guess when that will happen.

"We cannot have the NCAA bringing forward an allegation that's predicted on information that was collected by processes none of us could stand for," Emmert said. "We're going to move it as fast as possible, but we have to get this right."

Emmert spoke angrily at times during a half-hour conference call to discuss the findings, in which he revealed that he briefed the NCAA's executive committee and the Division I board presidents with some information about the Miami matter. He said he developed a better understanding of what went on in the days that followed, which led to the hiring of Kenneth L. Wainstein of the firm Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP to conduct the external review of what happened.

Wainstein, Emmert said, will begin his probe on Thursday, with the NCAA hoping that he can finish within two weeks.

"We want to make sure that any evidence that's brought forward is appropriately collected and it has the integrity that we expect and demand," Emmert said.

Perez, a Miami graduate, did not immediately return a request for comment from the AP on Wednesday. A person in Perez's office said that the attorney was working in New York and that she would be forwarded all messages.

Emmert said the NCAA learned of the alleged misconduct, in part, through legal bills presented by Shapiro's attorney for work that was not properly approved by the organization's general counsel's office. Emmert did not specify Perez by name, only referring to the attorney as "she," and the NCAA refused to confirm that Perez was the attorney in question.

"One of the questions that has to be answered, unequivocally, is what was the nature of that contractual arrangement and what was all the activity that that individual was involved with," Emmert said. "There is some uncertainty about all of that and it's one of the first orders of business for the firm that we've hired to investigate."

The Hurricanes' athletic compliance practices have been probed by the NCAA for nearly two years. Allegations of wrongdoing involving Miami's football and men's basketball programs became widely known in August 2011 when Yahoo Sports published accusations brought by Shapiro, who is serving a 20-year term in federal prison for masterminding a $930 million Ponzi scheme.

Miami has self-imposed two postseason bans in response to the investigation. The Hurricanes also would have played in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game this past season, meaning they could have qualified for the Orange Bowl.

This would figure to be another significant issue for the NCAA and its enforcement department. Among the others pending:

? A California case filed by former Southern Cal assistant football coach Todd McNair, who said the NCAA was "malicious" in its investigation into his role in the benefits scandal surrounding Heisman Trophy winner Reggie Bush. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Frederick Shaller said he was convinced the actions of NCAA investigators were "over the top."

? Earlier this month, the NCAA was sued by Pennsylvania Gov. Thomas W. Corbett, who claimed the sports governing body overstepped its authority and "piled on" when it penalized Penn State for the Jerry Sandusky scandal last summer. The governor asked a federal judge to throw out the sanctions, arguing that the measures ? which include a four-year bowl ban and $60 million fine ? have harmed students, business owners and others who had nothing to do with Sandusky's crimes.

And now comes Miami, an investigation that has taken a most bizarre turn.

"In my two-and-a-half years I've certainly never seen anything like this, and don't want to see it again," Emmert said.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-01-23-Miami-NCAA%20Investigation/id-9e3b91e489fc4b52bed7dc1e1a4a31de

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Patient Wait Times for Appointments Cut by More Than 80 Percent

Jan. 22, 2013 ? Practical changes to patient scheduling have been shown to reduce the time it takes to get a doctor's appointment by more than 80 percent, according to a study published in the journal Pediatrics. Researchers at The Children's Hospital at Montefiore (CHAM) found that modest changes like revamping scheduling systems, balancing supply and demand, and developing contingency plans to handle high demand can significantly reduce patient wait times for appointments with subspecialty healthcare providers without adding more physicians.

In some parts of the nation, it can take as long as nine weeks to see a family practitioner, according to a 2012 report that compared wait times in 15 states. Access to specialty care providers often takes even longer.

"By making practical changes to scheduling and managing patient workflow, we were able to reduce the average wait for a new patient appointment from 11 week to two weeks, even with a complex patient population," said Rubina Heptulla, M.D., lead study author and chief of the division of pediatric endocrinology and diabetes at CHAM and Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University.

Dr. Heptulla treats children with type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, hyperlipidemia, and precocious puberty, a complex matrix of conditions that are associated with pediatric obesity. "With obesity at epidemic levels, we are seeing an increase in referrals for treatment. That's why it's important to cut wait times so that we can diagnose and deliver treatment -- some of which may be life-saving -- as soon as possible."

"Our findings also suggest that the quality improvement tools we utilized could have a significant role in addressing the national problem of healthcare access," said Dr. Heptulla.

Researchers analyzed appointment data from January 2008 to November 2011 and conducted detailed reviews of operational data, the scheduling system and the call center that schedules appointments. Each doctor had an allotment of new appointments, but they were often used for follow-up appointments, leaving new patients waiting longer for their appointments. To break this bottleneck, researchers ensured that doctors used the new appointments for new patients and had other staff members manage follow-up appointments.

By keeping the physicians and staff on track with regular team meetings, and monthly meetings with the Medical Director of the Pediatric Ambulatory Sub-specialty Services Dr. Peter Belamarich and The Children's Hospital Montefiore's Medical Director of Quality Dr. Steven Choi, there was a significant improvement and an increase in new patient's visits. There was also a reduction in the time it took to get a follow-up appointment from eight to two weeks.

Dr. Heptulla said this improved efficiency model could be implemented across the health care delivery system to help alleviate barriers and improve access for all patients.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Montefiore Medical Center, via Newswise.

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

---

Journal Reference:

1. R. A. Heptulla, S. J. Choi, P. F. Belamarich. A Quality Improvement Intervention to Increase Access to Pediatric Subspecialty Practice. Pediatrics, 2013; DOI: 10.1542/peds.2012-1463

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/~3/2xWE1L6R-xs/130122142847.htm

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Be Careful When Rekindling a Relationship | Psych Central News

By Rick Nauert PhD Senior News Editor
Reviewed by John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on January 23, 2013

Apparently getting back together with an old boyfriend or girlfriend is a relatively common occurrence. Unfortunately, the practice could lead to problems.

A new study of relationship patterns finds that nearly half of older teenagers and young adults break up and get back together with previous dating partners.

Additionally, over half of this group have sex as part of the reconciliation process.

In the study, published in the Journal of Adolescent Research, Sarah Halpern-Meekin, Wendy Manning, Peggy Giordano and Monica Longmore studied data on 792 daters and cohabiters ages 17 to 24.

This age cohort is also known as ?emerging adults.? The researchers studied two relationship patterns specifically ? reconciliation with an ex, or breaking up and getting back together, and ?sex with an ex,? when couples break up, yet remain sexually involved.

Investigators found that approximately 44 percent of emerging adults who had been in a romantic relationship in the past two years had experienced at least one reconciliation with an ex-romantic partner.

Moreover, 53 percent of those who reported reconciliations also reported having sex with their ex.

Furthermore, racial minorities in particular were even more likely to experience reconciliation or sexual relationships with previous romantic partners.

These findings led study authors to discuss the implications of reconciliations with previous romantic partners. In their analysis, researchers warn that emerging adults who reconcile may be prone to a behavior pattern that involves cycling through relationship formation.

?Furthermore, having sex with an ex may be problematic because former partners can have difficulty moving on from an old relationship or building new romantic attachments,? they said.

Source: SAGE Publications

APA Reference
Nauert PhD, R. (2013). Be Careful When Rekindling a Relationship. Psych Central. Retrieved on January 23, 2013, from http://psychcentral.com/news/2013/01/23/be-careful-when-rekindling-a-relationship/50696.html

?

Source: http://psychcentral.com/news/2013/01/23/be-careful-when-rekindling-a-relationship/50696.html

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Bacterial supplement could help young pigs fight disease

Public release date: 22-Jan-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Madeline McCurry-Schmidt
madelinems@asas.org
217-898-4777
American Society of Animal Science

Extra energy can help animals fight infections

Jan. 22, 2013 - A common type of bacteria may help pigs stay healthy during weaning.

In a study of 36 weanling-age pigs, researchers found that a dose of lipid-producing Rhodococcus opacus bacteria increased circulating triglycerides. Triglycerides are a crucial source of energy for the immune system.

"We could potentially strengthen the immune system by providing this bacterium to animals at a stage when they are in need of additional energy," said Janet Donaldson, assistant professor in Biological Sciences Mississippi State University. "By providing an alternative energy source, the pigs are most likely going to be able to fight off infections more efficiently."

Donaldson and other researchers tested R. opacus because the bacterium naturally makes large amounts of triglycerides. Normally, R. opacus would use the triglycerides for its own energy, but a pig can use the triglycerides too.

Jeff Carroll, research leader for the USDA Agricultural Research Service Livestock Issues Research Unit in Lubbock, Texas, said R. opacus could be used sort of like an energy producing probiotic. He said weanling pigs are more susceptible to pathogens and stress because they have to adjust to a new diet and a new environment. To add to the risk, weaning comes at a time when a pig's immune system is immature. The stress of weaning can lead to reduced feed intake, less available energy and an increased risk of infection.

With an oral supplement of live R. opacus, weanling pigs would have an alternative source of energy. Even if pigs ate less feed, they would still have access to the triglycerides produced by these bacteria. The triglycerides could be used as an energy source during this critical stage of development.

Throughout the experiment, the researchers kept watch for any potential side effects. Donaldson said they saw no negative side effects in the pigs given R. opacus. Because of this success, Donaldson said pig producers might someday use R. opacus on their own farms. She said the bacteria could be provided to pigs through existing watering systems.

The next step in the experiment is to test how pigs given R. opacus react to an immune challenge such as Salmonella. Carroll said he is also curious to see if R. opacus can help calves stay healthy during transport.

"This could potentially be carried over to human health as well," Donaldson said.

###

This study was a collaboration between Janet Donaldson at Mississippi State University; Jeff Carroll at USDA-ARS' Livestock Issues Research Unit; Ty Schmidt at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln; Todd Callaway at USDA-ARS' Food and Feed Safety Research Unit; Jessica Grissett at Mississippi State University; and Nicole Burdick Sanchez at USDA-ARS' Livestock Issues Research Unit.

The abstract from this project, titled "Novel Use of Lipid-Producing Bacteria to Increase Circulating Triglycerides in Swine," is the 2013 recipient of the National Pork Board Swine Industry Award for Innovation. The award will be presented at the 2013 American Society of Animal Science Southern Section Meeting in Orlando, Florida.

Media Contact:

Madeline McCurry-Schmidt
American Society of Animal Science
Scientific Communications Associate
217-689-2435 / madelinems@asas.org

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Public release date: 22-Jan-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Madeline McCurry-Schmidt
madelinems@asas.org
217-898-4777
American Society of Animal Science

Extra energy can help animals fight infections

Jan. 22, 2013 - A common type of bacteria may help pigs stay healthy during weaning.

In a study of 36 weanling-age pigs, researchers found that a dose of lipid-producing Rhodococcus opacus bacteria increased circulating triglycerides. Triglycerides are a crucial source of energy for the immune system.

"We could potentially strengthen the immune system by providing this bacterium to animals at a stage when they are in need of additional energy," said Janet Donaldson, assistant professor in Biological Sciences Mississippi State University. "By providing an alternative energy source, the pigs are most likely going to be able to fight off infections more efficiently."

Donaldson and other researchers tested R. opacus because the bacterium naturally makes large amounts of triglycerides. Normally, R. opacus would use the triglycerides for its own energy, but a pig can use the triglycerides too.

Jeff Carroll, research leader for the USDA Agricultural Research Service Livestock Issues Research Unit in Lubbock, Texas, said R. opacus could be used sort of like an energy producing probiotic. He said weanling pigs are more susceptible to pathogens and stress because they have to adjust to a new diet and a new environment. To add to the risk, weaning comes at a time when a pig's immune system is immature. The stress of weaning can lead to reduced feed intake, less available energy and an increased risk of infection.

With an oral supplement of live R. opacus, weanling pigs would have an alternative source of energy. Even if pigs ate less feed, they would still have access to the triglycerides produced by these bacteria. The triglycerides could be used as an energy source during this critical stage of development.

Throughout the experiment, the researchers kept watch for any potential side effects. Donaldson said they saw no negative side effects in the pigs given R. opacus. Because of this success, Donaldson said pig producers might someday use R. opacus on their own farms. She said the bacteria could be provided to pigs through existing watering systems.

The next step in the experiment is to test how pigs given R. opacus react to an immune challenge such as Salmonella. Carroll said he is also curious to see if R. opacus can help calves stay healthy during transport.

"This could potentially be carried over to human health as well," Donaldson said.

###

This study was a collaboration between Janet Donaldson at Mississippi State University; Jeff Carroll at USDA-ARS' Livestock Issues Research Unit; Ty Schmidt at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln; Todd Callaway at USDA-ARS' Food and Feed Safety Research Unit; Jessica Grissett at Mississippi State University; and Nicole Burdick Sanchez at USDA-ARS' Livestock Issues Research Unit.

The abstract from this project, titled "Novel Use of Lipid-Producing Bacteria to Increase Circulating Triglycerides in Swine," is the 2013 recipient of the National Pork Board Swine Industry Award for Innovation. The award will be presented at the 2013 American Society of Animal Science Southern Section Meeting in Orlando, Florida.

Media Contact:

Madeline McCurry-Schmidt
American Society of Animal Science
Scientific Communications Associate
217-689-2435 / madelinems@asas.org

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-01/asoa-bsc012213.php

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