Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Seattle Homes Real Estate News You Can Use! - Seattle Real ...

Seattle Homes Real EstateEven in a volatile economy, homeowners are making home upkeep a priority.

While the number of projects annually had been on the decline in recent years, a study from BuildFax, a resource for building, remodeling and repair information, found remodeling activity was up in 2011 over 2010. Additional data shows homeowners are opting to invest in what matters most with projects that benefit their wallets, personal comfort and the environment.

Know the facts

Before buying anything, shoppers are taking time to learn more about the products they put in their homes. For one in four consumers, knowing and understanding what makes up general household products is important. As options continue to increase, this attention to research is key to finding efficient products that offer maximum value. For instance, homeowners will find that a few newer home insulation products that help provide greater energy efficiency also boast new sustainable formulations. Owens Corning EcoTouch insulation is made from 99 percent natural materials, contains a minimum of 58 percent recycled content and is verified formaldehyde free.

Energy-efficient essentials

According to the 2010 Home Improvement Research Institute Trends Program Report, reducing household energy usage and bills through energy-efficient improvements continues to be the No. 1 reason homeowners make home improvements. That same report also indicated six out of 10 consumers need help identifying what they can do to be more environmentally conscious.

?Now is the right time to make efficiency improvements around the home because homeowners will see an immediate impact on their monthly utility bills, and will reap even greater benefits in the long term,? says Frank O?Brien-Bernini, chief sustainability officer at Owens Corning. ?According to the U.S. Department of Energy, buildings use more energy in the United States than either transportation or industry, accounting for the consumption of 40 percent of our nation?s energy resources. On a more granular level, the primary use of energy in a home is for heating and cooling. In many homes, excessive energy is wasted through poorly sealed and insulated attics, walls and ductwork ? all problems that can be solved by handy do-it-yourselfers or through experienced contractors.?

The Home Improvement Research Institute reports roughly one in three homeowners plans to purchase more energy-efficient doors, windows or HVAC systems in the coming year. Sealing all openings around doors and windows can help homeowners make the most of their investment. Air ducts should also be inspected to ensure they are clean, are free of leaks and holes and direct air to the right spaces.

Recycling 101

While recycled content is commonly focused on, recyclable materials are also important. Often with home improvement projects, old materials are thrown out and replaced with the new. What many homeowners may not know is that many building materials and appliances are recyclable. Recycling is a better solution for the environment, and may be less costly than taking material to a landfill.

?There are more recyclable materials on and in a home than you might first assume. Millions of tons of shingles torn off from roofs end up in our country?s landfills each year. Fortunately, the technology now exists for all those shingles to be recycled instead,? says O?Brien-Bernini. ?In 2009, Owens Corning Roofing and Asphalt, LLC formed an alliance with Heritage Environmental Services to create a Shingle Recycling Program with roofing contractors to make recycling convenient, cost-competitive and differentiating and have since recycled more than 90,000 tons of asphalt shingles.?

Homeowners looking for more information about shingle recycling and other types of recycling can turn to Earth911.com, with whom Owens Corning Roofing and Asphalt, LLC recently also formed an alliance. The site hosts the largest and most accurate recycling directory in North America and provides information about what materials can be recycled as well as lists of recyclers in local markets.

For more tips on efficient home improvements, visit www.OwensCorning

Seattle Homes Real Estate News You Can Use!

?

Seattle Homes Real Estate News is updated every week with a variety of information that you can use in and around your home. In the Seattle Homes Real Estate News, we share home decorating and home improvement ideas, as well as information on senior living, green living and much more.

Make Seattle Homes Real Estate News your exclusive source for information and ideas related to your home!

Plus, be sure to check out all of the wonderful local Seattle businesses here on our website! They stand ready to serve you today! ?Please don?t forget to mention to the merchant that you saw their information here in the Seattle Homes Real Estate News.

?


Here are some other real estate related sites that we found for you to browse. Thanks for visiting Seattle Real Estate News.

Source: http://seattlehomeinspectionhq.com/homeowners-emphasis-on-energy-efficiency-grows/

man up wayne newton naomi wolf social security increase menagerie columbus dispatch social security

Men's Issues ? Overcome It Quickly

by EllenHorace on February 28, 2012

When seeing all the adverts and articles about medicine like Cialis the very first thing you think about is in fact the problem these medications are aimed at dealing with ? erectile dysfunction. This problem has been round because the daybreak of civilization like quite a few different well being problems. And like with other conditions there have been numerous makes an attempt to seek out an efficient answer to it. However since this can be a fairly delicate matter that wasn?t discussed like every other well being problems, those suffering from it have been forced to remain silent, which of course did not do any good for the attempts to find a solution. That?s why for centuries there was no real treatment possibility for erectile dysfunction and even the condition itself wasn?t labeled as a well being drawback until the twentieth century.

With the arrival of Viagra in 1998 individuals have began trying in another way on the problem of male impotence. It was now not a taboo and have become a standard topic for discussion in the media like another health issue. More than a decade later there?s a set of medicine that can be selected for treating erectile dysfunction and Cialis is by far the best of them all. However how do these drugs work and why they?re thought to be a revolution in men?s health?

The most common misconception that the majority medical doctors of the past have shared regarding erectile dysfunction is that erection is immediately related to a person?s libido. If there?s no erection, because of this the person?s libido is low and he doesn?t want to have sex. With the intention to overcome this drawback there have been a whole lot of aphrodisiacs developed starting from merely unique to completely bizarre. What they did not realize is that a man can have a robust sexual need whereas being unable to specific it bodily through an erection.

Medicine like Cialis are by far the most effective resolution to the issue of erectile dysfunction. In fact, there are other choices obtainable, together with surgery, hormonal remedy, injections and even prosthetic implants. However in comparison with the simplicity of taking a small pill and having fun with great sex for 36 hours like within the case of Cialis, these means are in fact inferior and redundant.

What Cialis, Viagra and Levitra make is that they stimulate the blood circulation within the penile area, making the individual taking them able to have a robust and sturdy erection that?s adequate to their sexual desires. These medication won?t change your libido and make you wish to have sex more than you usually do. They just show you how to be prepared for it when the moment is right without worrying about being too soft. Communicate to your physician about taking Cialis and see if this effective drug might help you get sturdy and durable erections for the right romantic occasions.

To understand more facts relating to http://australiaedpill.com, you may browse levitra australia.

Source: http://articlethecw.info/mens-issues-overcome-it-quickly/

government shutdown jacksonville jaguars jacksonville jaguars iraq war over iraq war over maurice jones drew megyn kelly

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Merkel scrapes win on Greek bailout, rebels grow (Reuters)

[unable to retrieve full-text content]Reuters - German Chancellor Angela Merkel scraped through a parliamentary vote endorsing a second bailout for Greece on Monday but faced a growing backbench revolt against pouring in more money in support of the euro zone.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/eurobiz/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20120227/bs_nm/us_eurozone_germany

ll cool j deadmau5 phoebe snow jennifer hudson tribute to whitney houston nicki minaj grammy jason whitlock adele

Monday, February 27, 2012

Klis: Tim Tebow still on minds at NFL combine

INDIANAPOLIS??

With a new crop of draftable prospects competing here this weekend at the annual scouting combine, the NFL has moved on to its 2012 season.

Yet, as the league executives, coaches and media loiter in hotel lobbies, convention center hallways and sports bars, there continues to be buzz about the near indescribable phenomenon that was Tim Tebow's 2011 season.

There were comeback wins from 15-0 and 10-0 deficits with less than three minutes remaining. There was the college-like, option offense that led to an NFL quarterback-record 22 carries in one game, and only two pass completions in another.

There were four overtime wins, including one in the playoffs against the mighty Pittsburgh Steelers.

Through it all there were harsh criticisms by the most knowledgeable of football experts who said Tebow couldn't play. There were billboards, debates and "Tebowing."

Crazy, is what it was. The Season of Tebow was so crazy, it can't possibly get any crazier.

"I don't think he can be a full-time quarterback," said an NFL defensive coordinator here Saturday as he was walking toward Lucas Oil Stadium and the combine drills. "But he's such a good player that I think you can do some things with him so that he's out there every play. You would need another quarterback to match with him, but now on defense, you would have to double-call everything. You could move them in and out (from taking the snap under center). It would be creative. And you'd have to find that second guy to go with him. But I'm telling you, I wouldn't want to be the defensive coordinator in that game."

So, it can get crazier. I say John Elway, John Fox and Mike McCoy sit down in the same room and, you know, discuss.

L.A. story. Prognosticating back in September that the New York Giants and New England Patriots would meet in Super Bowl XLVI may have been impressive. (The further prediction of who would win that matchup is beside the point.)

Emboldened, here is my forecast for the 2015 season Super Bowl, or Super Bowl L, or Super Bowl 50: The NFC Los Angeles Rams vs. the AFC Los Angeles Raiders.

Stan Kroenke has all but dropped bread crumbs between St. Louis and L.A. by becoming one of 10 investors to bid on buying the baseball Dodgers. The strong possibility that the Rams will be able to break their St. Louis stadium lease following the 2014 season, coupled with the NFL's unquenchable thirst for revenues, figures to bring the nation's second-largest market back into the league. Sooner rather than later.

L.A.'s new football stadium figures to cost around $2 billion, which is why NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has said there must be two teams in that market. Just like in the New York market, it takes two teams to share such enormous stadium costs.

Further helping the NFL remain stable in the L.A. market would be giving its fan base two of its former teams. Kroenke could well become the first person to own franchises in all four major sports ? the NHL Avalanche and NBA Nuggets in Denver, and the MLB Dodgers and NFL Rams in Los Angeles.

It all makes sense. Except for maybe the Rams or Raiders making it to the Super Bowl by 2015.

Thunder in the backfield. After the interview sessions Friday, the combine was gushing about how impressive Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III came across.

On Saturday, Griffin may not have been the most absorbing athlete from his own school. Baylor running back Terrance Ganaway is charming, 239 pounds, eloquent and bespectacled. Asked about his 200-yard, five-touchdown rushing performance in Baylor's absurd 67-56 win against Washington in the Alamo Bowl, Ganaway said: "The O-line was amazing. My only job was not to hit my head on the goalpost."

Ganaway said he has met with just about every NFL team but the Broncos at the combine. That is too bad. Teaming Ganaway with Willis McGahee and Tebow would give the Broncos a Thunder and Thunder and Thunder backfield.

Mike Klis: 303-954-1055 or mklis@denverpost.com

Source: http://feeds.cbssports.com/click.phdo?i=23527f86ac10a3f702bb88b8ae0d2c96

westminster kennel club dog show jeremy lin game winner 19 kids and counting chocolate covered strawberries free ecards shrimp scampi kate upton si cover

European Neanderthals were on the verge of extinction even before the arrival of modern humans

ScienceDaily (Feb. 25, 2012) ? New findings from an international team of researchers show that most Neanderthals in Europe died off around 50,000 years ago. The previously held view of a Europe populated by a stable Neanderthal population for hundreds of thousands of years up until modern humans arrived must therefore be revised.

This new perspective on the Neanderthals comes from a study of ancient DNA published February 25 in Molecular Biology and Evolution.

The results indicate that most Neanderthals in Europe died off as early as 50,000 years ago. After that, a small group of Neanderthals recolonised central and western Europe, where they survived for another 10,000 years before modern humans entered the picture.

The study is the result of an international project led by Swedish and Spanish researchers in Uppsala, Stockholm and Madrid.

?The fact that Neanderthals in Europe were nearly extinct, but then recovered, and that all this took place long before they came into contact with modern humans came as a complete surprise to us. This indicates that the Neanderthals may have been more sensitive to the dramatic climate changes that took place in the last Ice Age than was previously thought?, says Love Dal?n, associate professor at the Swedish Museum of Natural History in Stockholm.

In connection with work on DNA from Neanderthal fossils in Northern Spain, the researchers noted that the genetic variation among European Neanderthals was extremely limited during the last ten thousand years before the Neanderthals disappeared.

Older European Neanderthal fossils, as well as fossils from Asia, had much greater genetic variation, on par with the amount of variation that might be expected from a species that had been abundant in an area for a long period of time. ?The amount of genetic variation in geologically older Neanderthals as well as in Asian Neanderthals was just as great as in modern humans as a species, whereas the variation among later European Neanderthals was not even as high as that of modern humans in Iceland?, says Anders G?therstr?m, associate professor at Uppsala University.

The results presented in the study are based entirely on severely degraded DNA, and the analyses have therefore required both advanced laboratory and computational methods. The research team has involved experts from a number of countries, including statisticians, experts on modern DNA sequencing and paleoanthropologists from Denmark, Spain and the US.

Only when all members of the international research team had reviewed the findings could they feel certain that the available genetic data actually reveals an important and previously unknown part of Neanderthal history. ?This type of interdisciplinary study is extremely valuable in advancing research about our evolutionary history. DNA from prehistoric people has led to a number of unexpected findings in recent years, and it will be really exciting to see what further discoveries are made in the coming years?, says Juan Luis Arsuaga, professor of human paleontology at the Universidad Complutense of Madrid.

Recommend this story on Facebook, Twitter,
and Google +1:

Other bookmarking and sharing tools:


Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Uppsala Universitet, via AlphaGalileo. The original article was written by Anneli Waara.

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


Journal Reference:

  1. L. Dalen, L. Orlando, B. Shapiro, M. B. Durling, R. Quam, M. T. P. Gilbert, J. C. Diez Fernandez-Lomana, E. Willerslev, J. L. Arsuaga, A. Gotherstrom. Partial genetic turnover in neandertals: continuity in the east and population replacement in the west. Molecular Biology and Evolution, 2012; DOI: 10.1093/molbev/mss074

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://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120225110942.htm

philip rivers 11 11 11 meaning miracle berry veterans day thank you veterans day thank you nigel tufnel day black friday deals

Sunday, February 26, 2012

Options Okanagan Substance Abuse Rehab Center for Addiction ...

There have been many individuals who have replied fabulously towards the kinds of treatment that you discover in an drug and alcohol treatment center regarding therapy. Just like drugs, alcohol is experimented with by individuals just for fun, and therefore the fun becomes dangerous, particularly if the person evolves an appreciation towards the drink. An alcoholic and drug treatment center retreats into a constructive approach in the direction of helping the human being get rid of this kind of habit, as well as kicking the addiction forever. A great, quality drug and alcohol treatment center will support as well as help the alcoholic or drug abuser in every manner.

Addiction starts when the individual starts depending on alcohol in times of sadness, despair and even regarding no reason. Just before addiction can easily run a person?s everyday life, it is advisable to take the particular person to an alcohol treatment center. There is a therapy procedure that shows how an addict may beat his addiction step-by-step. The time period regarding alcohol rehabilitation treatment is dependent upon each individual and how he or she is in a position to respond to the treatment procedures.

Friends become allies any time faith is actually tested most. Addicts believe the most challenging thing about recovery will be withdrawal from the drug of preference. In fact, which is simply the hardest physical obstacle. The more daunting prospects appear when the drug or alcohol is out of the system, and the admission of powerlessness as well as the willingness to ask for help is behind them. Then, they have to come to terms with existence on life?s terms. This involves courage as well as humility: the particular courage to admit to another individual the exact nature of all the errors done; the humility to get forgiveness through contrition and also the willingness in order to right those wrongs by making serious as well as substantive amends. Lastly, after mature responsibility is actually taken, the addict should be willing to live a life of continuing self-examination and resolve for passing on the thing that was learned. Whether one is discussing rehab centres in Britsh Columbia, rehab centers in Alberta or rehab in Ontario, they are universal information about recovery accepted by everyone in the field.

Options Okanagan is in a superb location in the actual heart of British Columbia for effective rehabilitation where comprehensive services are given to people suffering from addiction with regard to regaining charge of their lives. A residential drug rehab center provides for a risk-free and wholesome environment where the addicted man or woman is provided with skilled counseling, aid, and companionship. Residential centers provide an escape from the damaging consequences, streets and poor environments which speeds the actual recovery through drug and alcohol dependence. Numerous addiction recovery locations offer you private areas, home cooked meals, smoking as well as non-smoking areas, and also meditation and also exercise.

Options Okanagan Treatment Center, professionals in personal, compassionate addiction treatment, centers their initiatives on the individual. They also highlight the importance of the particular 12-step model by not only stimulating AA work, but hosting AA conferences, as well. To acquire more information contact them any time, Twenty-four hours a day.

Doug Mackenzie has 18 years in the addiction field from residential management, group facilitating, public speaking, and private practice. Doug is well known for his ability to connect with his clients on an one to one basis or group setting. Doug?s personal journey in recovery for the last 22 years allows him to understand what you are going through and to motivate you to get where you want to be in your life. Doug?s commitment to living in the solution is attractive personal and fun. Visit his website at OptionsOkanaganDOTcom or at link in authors block below??.

James Murray is a successful writer and online Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Search Engine Marketing (SEM) expert providing valuable tips and advice for those interested in seo and sem strategies. Search Engine Optimization Strategist & ResumeVisit OptionsOkanagan?s website here : Alcohol and drug Treatment Center

Source: http://duuuude.co.cc/2012/02/26/options-okanagan-substance-abuse-rehab-center-for-addiction-recovery-in-kelowna-area/

tom brady sister dad shoots daughters laptop brandon jennings channing tatum north korea the vow review luol deng

Hollywood Salon To The Stars Has Opened

jlohair2.jpg
What happens when two of the most acclaimed hair and makeup artists in Hollywood decide to work together? Magic! Jennifer Lopez and Celine Dion's makeup maestro, Scott Barnes, and Kim Kardashian's acclaimed hairstylist, Frank Galasso, have opened up a "secret" salon in LA that will make you look red carpet ready.

The new chic location is unmarked and unadvertised, but located on 8000 Sunset Blvd., Suite 45 (inside Salon Republic). You really have to be in the know to go! A makeup application with the legendary Scott starts at $500 and $1,500 for a full makeup application and lesson.

For those on a budget, you can work with Scott's trained assistant for a $150 for a full makeup application. Inside, you will also find The Lash bar which features lashes he designed specifically for Jennifer Lopez, Demi Moore, Christina Aguilera and many others, and lash application starts at only $20.

For those wanting to have stunning hair like Emmy Rossum or Gwyneth Paltrow you can work with Frank, who charges $360 for a cut, and color starts at $100 for single process.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/InTouchWeekly/~3/H1h2QbFHX_s/hollywood_salon_to_the_stars_h.php

cma awards 2011 western black rhino western black rhino jefferson county alabama marine corps marine corps veterans day 2011

Friday, February 24, 2012

Chris Brown Accused of Stealing Fan's iPhone

Hey, have you heard that Chris Brown maybe has some anger issues? The singer has once again showed his penchant for violent overreactions, allegedly yelling at a fan and stealing her iPhone after she dared to (gasp!) take a picture of him.

Source: http://www.ivillage.com/chris-brown-accused-stealing-fans-iphone/1-a-431465?dst=iv%3AiVillage%3Achris-brown-accused-stealing-fans-iphone-431465

lord howe island conficker conficker zach braff kevin federline amy smart michael jackson dead

Why Astronauts Crave Tabasco Sauce

Link Information - Click to View

Why Astronauts Crave Tabasco Sauce
Why do astronauts lose their sense of smell in space, and what's this got to do with their preference for fiery condiments? No one is sure, but NASA food scientists have some plausible ideas.

Source: NPR
Posted on: Friday, Feb 24, 2012, 8:27am
Views: 10

Source: http://www.labspaces.net/117859/Why_Astronauts_Crave_Tabasco_Sauce

houston nutt houston nutt peter marshall peter marshall zombie boy zombie boy harvard yale

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Nuclear talks with Iran? Senators implore Obama to draw line in the sand.

The senators are urging Obama to demand that Iran suspend all of its uranium enrichment during any negotiations over its nuclear program, a position that could scuttle chances for the talks.?

As President Obama considers the ground rules he can live with for a resumption of talks with Iran on its nuclear program, a wary Congress is telling the White House: Accept no compromises.

Skip to next paragraph

Specifically, a bipartisan group of influential senators is insisting that Iran be required to verifiably suspend all of its uranium enrichment activity during any negotiations ? even though such a demand could sink prospects for a new round of talks.

In a letter addressed to Mr. Obama, a dozen senators representing both major political parties and a range of red and blue states say they ?strongly oppose any proposal that caps or limits sanctions against the Iranian regime in exchange for anything less than full, verifiable, and sustained suspension of all enrichment activities, including both 3 percent and 20 percent enrichment.?

Uranium enriched to 3 percent purity is used to fuel nuclear power plants, but Iran has also been enriching to 20-percent purity, setting off alarm bells among world powers. They worry Iran is stockpiling enough 20-percent-enriched uranium to make the ?breakout? leap to the 90 percent highly enriched uranium it would need for a nuclear weapon.

Iran counters that its nuclear program is for purely peaceful purposes, and that it is using the 20 percent enriched uranium to operate an aging, American-built research reactor near Tehran that makes isotopes for medical use.

The letter from the senators ? led by Democrat Bob Menendez of New Jersey, Republican Jim Risch of Idaho, and Independent Joe Lieberman of Connecticut ? arose after Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and the European Union?s foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton, suggested Friday that talks between Iran and the so-called P5 +1 countries could resume soon. The P5 + 1 group includes the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council plus Germany.

Iran last week sent a letter to Lady Ashton saying it was ready to resume talks on its nuclear program. But Iranian officials have also insisted that they will never agree to suspend all enrichment in exchange for talks.

The senators? tough stance reflects growing concerns among foreign policy hawks that the Obama administration could soften its position on Iranian enrichment in an effort to relaunch talks that were last held ? and which got nowhere ? more than a year ago.

Administration critics see a redrawing of the administration?s red lines on Iranian enrichment: They note that in 2009 Secretary Clinton flatly rejected Iran maintaining any enrichment capabilities, while in recent statements her position has become more nuanced.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/3_ktgGgl0aI/Nuclear-talks-with-Iran-Senators-implore-Obama-to-draw-line-in-the-sand

jeff bezos chattanooga joey lawrence joey lawrence loma prieta loma prieta harold camping

Syria shelling of Homs kills 2 Western journalists

This is an undated image made available Wednesday Feb. 22, 2012 by the Sunday Times in London of journalist Marie Colvin. A French government spokeswoman on Wednesday identified two Western reporters killed in Syria as American war reporter Marie Colvin and French photojournalist Remi Ochlik . Colvin, from Oyster Bay, New York, had been a foreign correspondent for Britain's Sunday Times for two decades, reporting from the world's most dangerous places. She lost the sight in one eye in Sri Lanka in 2001 but did not let that deter her.(AP Photo/Sunday Times)

This is an undated image made available Wednesday Feb. 22, 2012 by the Sunday Times in London of journalist Marie Colvin. A French government spokeswoman on Wednesday identified two Western reporters killed in Syria as American war reporter Marie Colvin and French photojournalist Remi Ochlik . Colvin, from Oyster Bay, New York, had been a foreign correspondent for Britain's Sunday Times for two decades, reporting from the world's most dangerous places. She lost the sight in one eye in Sri Lanka in 2001 but did not let that deter her.(AP Photo/Sunday Times)

In this Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2012 citizen journalism image provided by the Local Coordination Committees in Syria and accessed on Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2012, a destroyed Syrian military tank is seen in front of a Syrian rebels checkpoint in Homs, Syria. A Syrian activists said two foreign journalists were killed Wednesday by Syrian government forces shelling the restive central city of Homs. The report could not be immediately confirmed. (AP Photo/Local Coordination Committees in Syria) THE ASSOCIATED PRESS IS UNABLE TO INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY THE AUTHENTICITY, CONTENT, LOCATION OR DATE OF THIS HANDOUT PHOTO

In this Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2012 citizen journalism image provided by the Local Coordination Committees in Syria and accessed on Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2012, Syrian rebels are seen in Homs, Syria. A Syrian activists said two foreign journalists were killed Wednesday by Syrian government forces shelling the restive central city of Homs. The report could not be immediately confirmed. (AP Photo/Local Coordination Committees in Syria) THE ASSOCIATED PRESS IS UNABLE TO INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY THE AUTHENTICITY, CONTENT, LOCATION OR DATE OF THIS HANDOUT PHOTO

In this Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2012 citizen journalism image provided by the Local Coordination Committees in Syria and accessed on Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2012, houses are seen damaged by Syrian government forces shelling in Homs, Syria. A Syrian activists said two foreign journalists were killed Wednesday by Syrian government forces shelling the restive central city of Homs. The report could not be immediately confirmed. (AP Photo/Local Coordination Committees in Syria) THE ASSOCIATED PRESS IS UNABLE TO INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY THE AUTHENTICITY, CONTENT, LOCATION OR DATE OF THIS HANDOUT PHOTO

Syrian National Council member Bassma Kodmadi, left, addresses reporters as SNC adviser Ausama Monajed, right , looks on, during a press conference held in Paris, Wednesday Feb. 22, 2012. More than 70 countries have been invited to Friday's "Friends of Syria" meeting in Tunis, which follows the failure of the U.N. Security Council to endorse an Arab plan that would have seen President Assad removed from power.(AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

(AP) ? A French photojournalist and an American working for a British newspaper were killed Wednesday by Syrian government shelling of the opposition stronghold of Homs, France's government said.

Activists said at least two other Western journalists were injured in barrages that claimed at least 19 lives.

In Paris, French government spokeswoman Valerie Pecresse said those killed were French photojournalist Remi Ochlik and American veteran war reporter Marie Colvin, who was working for Britain's Sunday Times. France's Foreign Minister, Alain Juppe, said the attacks show the "increasingly intolerable repression" by Syrian forces.

The Syrian military has redoubled its attacks on Homs in the past few days, aiming to retake neighborhoods that have come under control of the opposition and armed rebels ? many of them military defectors. The seizure of territory and nearly daily clashes between the rebels and regime forces have pushed Syria to the brink of all-out civil war.

The Obama administration opened the door slightly Tuesday to international military assistance for Syria's rebels, with officials saying new tactics may have to be explored if President Bashar Assad continues to defy pressure to halt a brutal crackdown on dissenters that has raged for 11 months and killed thousands.

The White House and State Department said they still hope for a political solution. But faced with the daily onslaught by the Assad regime against Syrian civilians, officials dropped the administration's previous strident opposition to arming anti-regime forces. It remained unclear, though, what, if any, role the U.S. might play in providing such aid.

A Homs-based activist, Omar Shaker, also said two other Western journalists were wounded. including a photographer for the Sunday Times and a Spanish reporter.

There was no immediate comment from the Sunday Times or Ochlik's photo agency.

He said the journalists were killed when several rockets hit a garden of a house used by activists and journalists in the besieged Homs neighborhood of Baba Amr, which has come under weeks of heavy bombardment by forces from Assad's regime. At least 19 people were killed in Wednesday's shelling, including the journalists, activists said.

Shaker said the bodies were taken to a makeshift hospital in Baba Amr.

The U.N. estimates that 5,400 people have been killed in repression by the regime of President Bashar Assad against a popular uprising that began 11 months ago. Syrian activists, however, put the death toll at more than 7,300.

He added that intense Syrian troops shelling with tanks and artilleries began at 6:30 a.m. and was continuing hours later. He said the apartment used by journalists was hit around 10 a.m.

An amateur video posted online by activist showed what they claimed were bodies of two people in the middle of a heavily damaged house. It said they were of the journalists. One of the dead was wearing what appeared to be a flak jacket.

In Geneva, the International Red Cross said it was holding talks with members of the opposition Syrian National Council. The ICRC called Tuesday for a daily two-hour halt to fighting in Syria so it can bring emergency aid to affected areas and evacuate the wounded and sick.

Head of ICRI operations for the Middle East, Beatrice Megevand-Roggo, told The Associated Press on Tuesday that the ICRC had almost no contacts with opposition figures inside Syria.

The journalists' deaths came a day after a Syrian sniper shot dead Rami al-Sayyed, a prominent activist in Baba Amr who was famous for posting online videos, Shaker and the Local Coordination Committees activist group said.

On Jan. 11, award-winning French TV reporter Gilles Jacquier was killed in Homs. The 43-year-old correspondent for France-2 Television was the first Western journalist to die since the uprising began in March. Syrian authorities have said he was killed in a grenade attack carried out by opposition forces ? a claim questioned by the French government, human rights groups and the Syrian opposition.

Last week, New York Times correspondent Anthony Shadid died of an apparent asthma attack in Syria after he snuck in to cover the conflict.

___

Bassem Mroue can be reached on twitter at http://twitter.com/bmroue

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-02-22-ML-Syria/id-9e99394c54fe48fc807e52d0d59f67aa

south carolina primary results betty white ed reed jo paterno dead south carolina football schedule carol burnett

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

The Most Insanely Over-Engineered iPad Stand Ever [Desired]

If you're so rugged you demand your technology is teamed with accessories that look like they should form part of an engine, this is definitely the iPad stand for you. It even has a manly name: this is the Rokstand. More »


Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/hM2Alq7AeOQ/

justified season 3 kyla pratt custer scott walker restaurant week type 2 diabetes occupy congress

PhD Studentship in Legal Science (Law) at Lund University ...

Two doctoral Studentship positions in Legal Science (law) at Lund University, Sweden

Study Subject(s):Legal Science (law)
Course Level:PhD
Scholarship Provider: Lund University, Sweden
Scholarship can be taken at: Sweden

Eligibility:
The special requirements are fulfilled by those who have completed a law programme and obtained the degree Master of Laws (juris kandidatexamen/juristexamen). The special requirements may also be fulfilled by those who can demonstrate other educational or particular professional experience where this is judged to provide the necessary qualification for doctoral studies comparable to that provided by the degree of Master of Laws (juris kandidatexamen/juristexamen regarding both the subject for doctoral study and general legal education of importance for that subject.

Scholarship Open for International Students: No

Scholarship Description: Those appointed to doctoral studentships shall primarily devote themselves to their studies. Those appointed to doctoral studentships may, however, work to a limited extent with educational tasks, research and administration. Before a doctorate has been awarded, however, duties of this kind may not comprise more than 20 per cent of a full time post. (Higher Education Ordinance chapter 5 section 2). Research in legal science concerns one of the following subjects: administrative law, banking law, civil and criminal procedure, criminal law, comparative law, constitutional law, environmental law, EU law, fiscal law, human rights, international environmental law, jurisprudence, labour law, law and economics, legal history, private law, private international law, public international law, public law and social and welfare law.

How to Apply: Online

Scholarship Application Deadline: No later than 4 April 2012

Further Scholarship Information and Application

Scholarship Tags: Law, Legal, Lund, PhD, Science, Studentship, Sweden, University

Subscribe Scholarship Newsletter

Warning: There is no need to provide bank account details or payment to any person or organization when applying for a scholarship or positions.Never give your bank account information, credit card or social security number to a prospective employer. Do not accept any offers to cash checks or wire money. If these details are requested for any job you see on scholarship-positions.com, please report the job to our quality team.

Important: Scholarship-Positions.com is not responsible for the content of any external websites linked to or referenced on this site.

Browse Scholarships

Search International Scholarships and Financial Aid Positions

Source: http://scholarship-positions.com/phd-studentship-in-legal-science-law-at-lund-university-sweden/2012/02/22/

metta shannon brown utah jazz mike rowe ron artest deion sanders shld

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

House Staging Career | Home Inspection Certification

According to the 2004 National Association of Realtors? (NAR) Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers fourteen percent of homes were sold by-owner. Homes that are over-priced have been studied by large national real estate brokerages and over-priced homes take longer to sell and sell at a lower price as a percentage of the original list price.

Below are some staging tips to prepare your home for market.

1) Research how to ?stage? your home to maximize its appeal to homebuyers by creating a spacious and pleasant home environment for buyers. Once your home is priced right and ready for market you should retain a real estate attorney to help you review contracts, disclosure forms and to help you qualify potential buyers of your home.

?Real estate contract. A binding agreement between buyer and seller.

?Contract length. Closed prices for similar homes in age, condition, location and size.

?Price.

?Low-ball offers.

?Earnest money deposit. Seller?s attorney should hold earnest money deposits.

?Property inspection period. The date agreed by contract when the buyer can occupy the property.

?Personal property.

?Home sale contingency. The contract is contingent on the sales of the buyer?s property.

?Buyers show motivation when including a home sale contingency by having their current property already on market.

?Home closing contingency. The contract is contingent only on the successful closing of an existing real estate contract.

Marketing your home to prospective buyers should include these methods. Home stagers are also called property stagers, real estate stagers or home fluffers.; These design professionals are involved in preparing a property for sale or rental by improving the aesthetic appeal of the space.; Some stagers specialize in interiors only, while others offer full service interior and exterior enhancement strategies to their clients.; Home stagers help make buyers want to purchase or rent a property by making the space fit the buyer?s wish list perfectly.

A home staging career can offer many distinctive paths for making money, while simultaneously helping people to market their homes.; Many home stagers work for professional property staging companies, offering services to home sellers, landlords and management businesses.; Other home stagers choose to start their own companies and may work as owner/operators or employ others as their businesses grow.; Some stagers, such as myself, offer consulting services to individual clients or to the trade.; Still other stagers work for furniture stores, photographers, retailers or real estate businesses.; A few top notch stagers have been blessed with lucrative careers on television, while others have written successful books on the topic.

Source: http://www.neurovia.org/house-staging-career

miguel cotto cotto ncaa bowl games bowls brooke mueller herman cain harry potter and the half blood prince

Is Home Health Care For You

Published by Sherry | February 20, 2012 | | 28

Home health care can be provided for people of all different ages, It is also very helpful for senior citizens when the family or additional help does not live nearby. Most folks do not like staying at hospitals or any place where they feel couped up. People want to be close to home and near the people that they love.

One of the nice benefits of stay at home health care is that you have your own familiar surroundings and still get the same or better care that you would get at a hospital. Many home health centers were probably started with the thought of personalized care in your home. There is no place like home.

Home nursing plans are easy to find by looking through newspapers and by searching for them on the internet. . A lot of these plans include the care that you would want at your own home and some offer additional benefits to go along with that.

Some benefits include the same high technology you would get at a hospital utilized in your own home. Patients can also receive the same treatments at home without the hospital trip. These days just about everything is available using an in home care service.

There are many different types of home health care companies available to choose from these days which give you the benefits of the home health aide treatments and similar treatments that used to be only available at hospitals. Of course, make sure that you do your own due diligence in selecting the care facility that meets your needs. Check for the services required to make care at home worthwhile. Yet, insure that the price is within budget without losing any of the services that you would expect to receive.

In this day and age, if you can think of a service, it is available. When it comes to something as important as home health aide and care, know what your needs are. Do not settle for less. Get the personalized care you always wanted at home.

Source: http://www.1directory.net/health-fitness/is-home-health-care-for-you-6420.html

roger williams roger williams tyler bray tyler bray san antonio weather austin box austin box

Sunday, February 19, 2012

ECTACO Info | Educational eReader Review: ECTACO jetBook K-12 ...

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Source: http://e-dictionaries.blogspot.com/2012/02/ectaco-info-educational-ereader-review.html

big east expansion big east expansion google buzz trace cyrus hilary duff pregnant hilary duff pregnant psat

harfordsa.com : Assured Government Car Loan ? Car Financing For ...

There are several people in the armed forces that will not know a lot of the special deals which can be specially been selected for the utilization of armed forces servicemen and some women. The kind of offer is a armed forces vehicle gross sales bank loan which might be taken on by a armed forces particular person when considering investing in a vehicle. This bank loan incorporates a suprisingly low interest compared to a great many other auto loans. Remaining unaware, several armed forces personnel never use this selling point of taking up a armed forces vehicle gross sales bank loan.

We will now purchase a more in depth clues about which are the features of taking up a armed forces vehicle gross sales bank loan payday loans who will be qualified to go into for such a bank loan and the process to get it.

The Benefits of a Armed forces Auto Finance

Any equipped power personnel is allowed get this bank loan to get your car, sometimes used or new. An alternative less than certainly is it can be used to re-finance a currently pre-existing auto loan. The bonus as was mentioned prior would be the decrease interest than other standard auto loans which makes it more affordable. Also, the regular cash advance loan no faxing can be more lower considering that the bank loan can be decided for a longer period than other financial loans.

The armed forces auto loans are provided in order to those armed forces personnel at lower interest levels by the loan providers who seek to promote these plans. They go through the cash flow with the armed forces personnel as being a regular earnings that creates them allowed be provided this kind of financial loans. They feel which the chance taken on by the financial institution is quite low that lets them provide you with the bank loan at the more affordable interest than standard financial loans and definitely will nonetheless end up with a wozki widlowe on their behalf.

Involving other strengths supplied by armed forces vehicle gross sales bank loan would be the versatility of settlement. The customer emerges the option of shelling out low monthly installments for a longer time-span or may take up the option of shelling out above established in order to complete journey bank loan way quicker thus protecting more by preventing making payment on the desire. Even amount of money offered as bank loan is quite a bit above exactly what is deliver to a standard car loan.

Membership Norms

In order to be qualified to apply for a armed forces auto loan, the customer needs to be definitely helping inside armed forces. This bank loan is even provided to many of them with low credit score comparisons as well as to personnel which may have recently got into the armed forces too. But, the period and services information does may play a role to get a blessing for armed forces car loan.

The entire process of use is quite classy and can be carried out on the net over the web too. The records that is definitely needed for acceptance would be the proof in the armed forces. Other prerequisites is information just like deal with of house, basic the spot that the individual is situated, phone number, contact information, contact person which the lender can attain once the funding armed forces individual is put up offshore. The contact person needs to be a person that can connect towards the customer any information that is definitely provided by the lender.

Source: http://harfordsa.com/?p=2113

kindle fire glen davis kobe bryant war of the worlds a christmas story prime rib ny knicks

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Beauty Items To Assist Oily Skin

Have you got oily skin? If that?s the case, I am sure you are searching for outside assistance to avoid the shine being released mid-day. It can be hard to manage, however with the best items you will have this issue solved very quickly. In the following paragraphs you?ll find out about the best items for shiny skin (in no particular order).

Among the best items of the season may be the Estee Lauder double matte oil control powder. This product sells at and it is worth it spent. All of the reviews by customers happen to be fantastic and I?ll let you know what they are saying.

Many reviews were impressed with how good it stays evidently without reapplying. Good items should last all day long which does just that! The matte finish this provides is top quality. Whenever a product such as this does not dry the skin out, you realize it is a champion!

No list is accurate without MAC items. Their blot powder pressed is offered at MAC locations for . This matte powder is known to last all day every day. Imagine no shine all day long! You may already know, reapplying powder may cause the skin to appear cakey. However, many customers have stated whenever you re-apply it arrives perfect. This MAC product has one mission also it surely achieves its goal of scattering the oils and hiding the shine.

Roots includes a great product known as their creamy face clean. This really is a little diverse from the prior options pointed out as it is a clean. This product could be bought online or at any Roots place for .50.

So why do everyone loves this creamy face clean? Well, it kills two wild birds with one stone. It?s stated to include moisture where it?s needed, but additionally dry out any oily spots. Therefore if you are going through dry spots additionally to oily spots, this is actually the face clean for you personally.

I am sure you have been wondering if individuals Clean & Obvious oil absorbing sheets really work. In a bargain cost of .76 they are doing work! These sheets include no scent and there is no powder that?s required either. It will not ruin your makeup or irritate the skin it?ll simply take away the oil! You will not wish to leave the house without these sheets!

Should you haven?t attempted these items for the oily skin, get available and provide these an attempt. You will find a positive change immediately!

Source: http://womens-interests-beauty-products.chailit.com/beauty-items-to-assist-oily-skin.html

bobby brown suzanne somers colbert ryan braun colbert report holes underwear bomber

Sustainable Planit | Retail Game Offers Round-up : June 19 ...

Best Shop for, Target and additionally Kmart are competing meant for deals over the Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of one?s for the Nintendo 3DS any time it gets into on Saturday, June 20. Each local retailer is offering a several deal including gift cards to half off additional games. Kmart is in addition rocking a proportionally good sized gift card while using the purchase associated with a 4GB Xbox 360 system.

Other significant deals for the week involve discounts on Kinect games at Frys Electronic products plus arrangement discounts on Killzone 3 and additionally SOCOM several that almost makes the PS Shift Sharpshooter item free in Kmart. Pay a visit to kmart coupon code

There are many more deals you can examine out within our round-up underneath. Only sale items and special deals are mentioned.

Best Buy(6/19 ? 6/25) -store locator

Hardware Deals

Xbox 360 system Kinect sensor ? $149. 99 w/ $25 Treasure Card

SYSTEM Games

Dragon Age II ? $34. 99

Dungeon Stress III ? $49. 99 w/$10 Treasure Card

Results: New Vega ? $19. 99

Rift ? $24. 99

StarCraft II ? $44. 99

Wow Battlechest ? $19. 99

PLAYSTATION 3 250GB Games

Edge ? $39. 99

Dragon Age II ? $34. 99

Dungeon Stress III ? $59. 99 w/$10 Treasure Card

Results: New Vega ? $19. 99

T. A. Noire ? $39. 99

Mortal Kombat ? $39. 99

Wagering action Wood PGA See 12: This Masters ? $39. 99

Xbox 360 system Games

Edge ? $39. 99

Dragon Age II ? $34. 99

Dungeon Stress III ? $59. 99 w/$10 Treasure Card

Results: New Vega ? $19. 99

Halo: Get to ? $39. 99

T. A. Noire ? $39. 99

Mortal Kombat ? $39. 99

Wagering action Wood PGA See 12: This Masters ? $39. 99

Nintendo wii game console Games

Cars 2 ? $49. 99 w/ free steelbook and one month membership to help World of Cars

Manufacturers 3DS

This Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of one?s ? $39. 99 + $25 Treasure Card w/ buy of almost any game

Accents

POWER A-Explorer Manufacturers 3DS Supplies ? $19. 99

Xbox 360 system 250GB Hard disk ? $99. 99

GameStop(6/15 6/21) -store locator

Hardware Deals

Nintendo wii console w/ Nintendo wii game console Sports and additionally Wii Athletic Resort ? $139. 99

PS Shift Starter System ? $99. 99 w/ $25 Treasure Card

EA SYSTEM, PS3, Xbox 360 system Games

Bulletstorm ? $39. 99

Crysis a pair of ? $39. 99

Dead Space a pair of ? $39. 99

Dragon Age a pair of ? $39. 99

Overcome Night Winner $39. 99 (PS3 only)

Require for Speed: Warm Pursuit ? $39. 99

Web site 2 ? $39. 99 (PS3, Xbox 360 game 360)

Web site 2 ? $29. 99 (PC)

Shift 2: Discovered ? $39. 99 (PS3, Xbox 360 game 360)

Shift 2: Discovered ? $29. 99 (PC)

Tiger woods PGA See 12: This Masters ? $39. 99 (PS3, Xbox 360 system, Wii)

PLAYSTATION 3 250GB Games

Dragonball Raging Blast a pair of ? $49. 99

Captive ? $14. 99

Require for Speed: Warm Pursuit ? $39. 99

Tekken 6 ? $14. 99

Moment Crisis: Razing Tornado ? $29. 99

Xbox 360 system Games

Shape and Brain Connection ? $29. 99

Dragonball Raging Blast a pair of ? $49. 99

Captive ? $14. 99

Nintendo wii game console Games

Flingsmash w/ Nintendo wii game console Remote Plus ? $29. 99

Kirbys Unbelievable Yarn ? $29. 99

Metroid: Some other M ? $19. 99

PokePark ? $39. 99

Manufacturers DS Video game titles

Americas Test Kitchen ? $4. 99

Silver Sun: Dark Dawn ? $19. 99

PSP Games

Advisor Combat: Joint Assault ? $14. 99

Naruto Shippuden: Quintessential Ninja Characters 3 ? $14. 99

Fry?s Electronic products (6/17 ? 6/23) -store locator

PLAYSTATION 3 250GB Games

Name of Duty: Modern Emulation 2 ? $34. ninety six

DanceDance Revolution ? $29. ninety six

Transformers: Dark of the Moon ? $49. ninety six

Xbox 360 Video game titles

Call of Duty: Current Warfare a pair of ? $34. ninety six

Child of Eden ? $39. ninety six

Dance Middle ? $34. ninety six

Dance Pga masters ? $29. ninety six

DanceDance Revolution ? $29. ninety six

Deca Athletic Freedom ? $29. ninety six

Halo: Get to ? $34. ninety six

Kinectimals ? $34. ninety six

Transformers: Dark of the Moon ? $49. ninety six

Wipeout: With the Zone ? $39. ninety six

Wii Video game titles

DanceDance Revolution ? $29. ninety six

Kmart (6/19 ? 6/25) -store locator

Hardware Deals

4GB Xbox 360 system ? $199. 99 w/ $60 Coupon

PLAYSTATION 3 250GB Games

Dungeon Stress III ? $59. 99 w/ $15 Coupon

Farrenheit. E. Your. R. 3 ? $59. 99 w/ $20 Coupon

Killzone 3 + PS Shift Sharpshooter ? $69. 98

Shadows of the Damned ? $59. 99 w/ $15 Coupon

SOCOM several + PS Shift Sharpshooter ? $69. 98

Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon ? $59. 99 w/ $15 Coupon and additionally exclusive comic book

Xbox 360 system Games

Dungeon Stress III ? $59. 99 w/ $15 Coupon

Farrenheit. E. Your. R. 3 ? $59. 99 w/ $20 Coupon

Shadows of the Damned ? $59. 99 w/ $15 Coupon

Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon ? $59. 99 w/ $15 Coupon and additionally exclusive comic book

Manufacturers 3DS Video game titles

The Icon of Zelda: Ocarina of one?s ? $39. 99 w/ $15 Coupon

Accents

Dualshock 3 Controller ? $34. 99

*Shop Your drive Rewards (SYWR) membership recommended to receive Coupons

Target(6/19 ? 6/25) -store locator

Hardware Deals

Manufacturers 3DS ? $249. 99 w/ $25 Treasure Card

SYSTEM Games

Cars 2 ? $29. 99 w/ Free movie solution (up to help $8. 50 value)

PLAYSTATION 3 250GB Games

Cars 2 ? $49. 99 w/ Free movie solution (up to help $8. 50 value)

Xbox 360 system Games

Cars 2 ? $49. 99 w/ Free movie solution (up to help $8. 50 value)

Nintendo wii game console Games

Cars 2 ? $49. 99 w/ Free movie solution (up to help $8. 50 value)

Manufacturers DS Video game titles

Cars a pair of ? $29. 99 w/ Free movie solution (up to help $8. 50 value)

Manufacturers 3DS Video game titles

The Icon of Zelda: Ocarina of one?s ? $39. 99 plus 50% off some other 3DS gameplay

Toys 3rd theres r Us(6/19 ? 6/25) -store locator

Hardware Deals

$25 off purchase of any Manufacturers DS process, Cars a pair of and Cars themed carrying case.

Wii Video game titles

Wii Have fun with: Motion ? $49. 99 w/ Nintendo wii game console Flingsmash meant for $9. 99

Manufacturers 3DS Video game titles

The Icon of Zelda: Ocarina of one?s ? $39. 99 w/ one of many following meant for $14. 99

Madden NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE

Super Goof Ball a model in 3d

Wal-Mart (6/19 ? 6/25) ? store locator

No deals mentioned in posting

Follow people on Facebookor Twitterfor the hottest news or it is possible to subscribe to RSS feed or e-mail alerts.

Source: http://www.sustainableplanit.com/retail-game-offers-round-up-june-19-legend-handset-of-zelda-ocarina-of-time.html

daylight savings time 2011 selena daylight savings bobolink bobolink breeders cup hamilton park

Friday, February 17, 2012

Scripps Research and Sanford-Burnham scientists shed light on how body fends off bacteria

Scripps Research and Sanford-Burnham scientists shed light on how body fends off bacteria [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 16-Feb-2012
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Heather Buschman, Ph.D.
hbuschman@sanfordburnham.org
858-795-5343
Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute

Team develops first 3D look at interaction between immune sensor and protein that helps bacteria move

LA JOLLA, Calif. -- To invade organisms such as humans, bacteria make use of a protein called flagellin, part of a tail-like appendage that helps the bacteria move about. Now, for the first time, a team led by scientists at The Scripps Research Institute and Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute has determined the 3D structure of the interaction between this critical bacterial protein and an immune molecule called TLR5, shedding light on how the body protects itself from such foreign invaders.

The study, published February 17 in Science, not only helps decipher the molecular mechanism underlying TLR5 recognition and function, but it also advances knowledge that's key to the design of new therapeutics.

"The structure of the TLR5-flagellin complex visualizes molecular events that occur on the cell surface to trigger flagellin-induced host immune responses, and provides significant insights into the structural basis for TLR5 recognition and signaling," said Ian Wilson, D.Sc., Hansen Professor of Structural Biology at Scripps Research who led the study with Andrei Osterman, Ph.D., professor in Sanford-Burnham's Infectious and Inflammatory Disease Center.

"Gaining knowledge of a molecular interaction and actionas we did in this study is critically important to the further development of therapeutics based on agonists and antagonists of the TLR5 receptor," said Osterman.

Flagellin is a component in some vaccines and a derivative of this protein is currently being developed as a medical countermeasure to radiation by Cleveland BioLabs, Inc. (NASDAQ:CBLI), also a contributor to the new study.

Keeping an eye out for infection

Some of the body's first lines of defense against invading bacteria are Toll-like receptors (TLRs), sensors that sit on the surface of many different types of cells. There are roughly a dozen different TLRs, each keeping an eye out for a particular sign of infection.

TLR5, for example, specifically recognizes and binds to flagellin. Like most TLRs, TLR5 does more than just sense bacteriait also sends signals that call up immune cells to destroy the intruder. But to fully understand how TLR5 works, scientists needed to be able to see its 3D shape and how it binds to flagellin.

The structures of several other TLRs had already been solved, but each of these binds non-protein molecules, such as RNA or lipids. For technical reasons, determining the structure of TLR5the only TLR that binds a proteinhad long been a challenge.

In this study, the Scripps Research team was able to overcome these hurdles using TLR5 found in zebrafish as a proxy for the human protein. The scientists were then able to apply a technique called X-ray crystallography, which uses powerful X-ray beams to produce 3D images of proteins at the atomic level.

At Sanford-Burnham, Osterman and his team used biochemical and protein engineering methods to unravel the mechanistic details of interactions between TLR5 and flagellin and its derivatives.

Scientists at Roswell Park Cancer Institute and Cleveland BioLabs, Inc. in Buffalo, under the leadership of Andrei Gudkov, Ph.D., performed complementary experiments in human cells expressing TLR5 and validated the fish TLR5 as a good surrogate for human TLR5.

###

This research was funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology at Scripps Research, and Cleveland BioLabs, Inc. In addition to Wilson, Osterman, and Gudkov, the study's co-authors include Sung-il Yoon, Scripps Research; Oleg Kurnasov, Sanford-Burnham; Venkatesh Natarajan, Roswell Park Cancer Institute; and Minsun Hong, Scripps Research.

About The Scripps Research Institute

The Scripps Research Institute is one of the world's largest independent, non-profit biomedical research organizations. Scripps Research is internationally recognized for its discoveries in immunology, molecular and cellular biology, chemistry, neuroscience, and vaccine development, as well as for its insights into autoimmune, cardiovascular, and infectious disease. Headquartered in La Jolla, California, the institute also includes a campus in Jupiter, Florida, where scientists focus on drug discovery and technology development in addition to basic biomedical science. Scripps Research currently employs about 3,000 scientists, staff, postdoctoral fellows, and graduate students on its two campuses. The institute's graduate program, which awards Ph.D. degrees in biology and chemistry, is ranked among the top ten such programs in the nation. For more information, see http://www.scripps.edu.

About Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute

Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute is dedicated to discovering the fundamental molecular causes of disease and devising the innovative therapies of tomorrow. The Institute consistently ranks among the top five organizations worldwide for its scientific impact in the fields of biology and biochemistry (defined by citations per publication) and currently ranks third in the nation in NIH funding among all laboratory-based research institutes. Sanford-Burnham is a highly innovative organization, currently ranking second nationally among all organizations in capital efficiency of generating patents, defined by the number of patents issued per grant dollars awarded, according to government statistics.

Sanford-Burnham utilizes a unique, collaborative approach to medical research and has established major research programs in cancer, neurodegeneration, diabetes, and infectious, inflammatory, and childhood diseases. The Institute is especially known for its world-class capabilities in stem cell research and drug discovery technologies. Sanford-Burnham is a U.S.-based, non-profit public benefit corporation, with operations in San Diego (La Jolla), Santa Barbara, and Orlando (Lake Nona). For more information, please visit our website (http://www.sanfordburnham.org) or blog (http://beaker.sanfordburnham.org). You can also receive updates by following us on Facebook and Twitter.



[ 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.


Scripps Research and Sanford-Burnham scientists shed light on how body fends off bacteria [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 16-Feb-2012
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Heather Buschman, Ph.D.
hbuschman@sanfordburnham.org
858-795-5343
Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute

Team develops first 3D look at interaction between immune sensor and protein that helps bacteria move

LA JOLLA, Calif. -- To invade organisms such as humans, bacteria make use of a protein called flagellin, part of a tail-like appendage that helps the bacteria move about. Now, for the first time, a team led by scientists at The Scripps Research Institute and Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute has determined the 3D structure of the interaction between this critical bacterial protein and an immune molecule called TLR5, shedding light on how the body protects itself from such foreign invaders.

The study, published February 17 in Science, not only helps decipher the molecular mechanism underlying TLR5 recognition and function, but it also advances knowledge that's key to the design of new therapeutics.

"The structure of the TLR5-flagellin complex visualizes molecular events that occur on the cell surface to trigger flagellin-induced host immune responses, and provides significant insights into the structural basis for TLR5 recognition and signaling," said Ian Wilson, D.Sc., Hansen Professor of Structural Biology at Scripps Research who led the study with Andrei Osterman, Ph.D., professor in Sanford-Burnham's Infectious and Inflammatory Disease Center.

"Gaining knowledge of a molecular interaction and actionas we did in this study is critically important to the further development of therapeutics based on agonists and antagonists of the TLR5 receptor," said Osterman.

Flagellin is a component in some vaccines and a derivative of this protein is currently being developed as a medical countermeasure to radiation by Cleveland BioLabs, Inc. (NASDAQ:CBLI), also a contributor to the new study.

Keeping an eye out for infection

Some of the body's first lines of defense against invading bacteria are Toll-like receptors (TLRs), sensors that sit on the surface of many different types of cells. There are roughly a dozen different TLRs, each keeping an eye out for a particular sign of infection.

TLR5, for example, specifically recognizes and binds to flagellin. Like most TLRs, TLR5 does more than just sense bacteriait also sends signals that call up immune cells to destroy the intruder. But to fully understand how TLR5 works, scientists needed to be able to see its 3D shape and how it binds to flagellin.

The structures of several other TLRs had already been solved, but each of these binds non-protein molecules, such as RNA or lipids. For technical reasons, determining the structure of TLR5the only TLR that binds a proteinhad long been a challenge.

In this study, the Scripps Research team was able to overcome these hurdles using TLR5 found in zebrafish as a proxy for the human protein. The scientists were then able to apply a technique called X-ray crystallography, which uses powerful X-ray beams to produce 3D images of proteins at the atomic level.

At Sanford-Burnham, Osterman and his team used biochemical and protein engineering methods to unravel the mechanistic details of interactions between TLR5 and flagellin and its derivatives.

Scientists at Roswell Park Cancer Institute and Cleveland BioLabs, Inc. in Buffalo, under the leadership of Andrei Gudkov, Ph.D., performed complementary experiments in human cells expressing TLR5 and validated the fish TLR5 as a good surrogate for human TLR5.

###

This research was funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology at Scripps Research, and Cleveland BioLabs, Inc. In addition to Wilson, Osterman, and Gudkov, the study's co-authors include Sung-il Yoon, Scripps Research; Oleg Kurnasov, Sanford-Burnham; Venkatesh Natarajan, Roswell Park Cancer Institute; and Minsun Hong, Scripps Research.

About The Scripps Research Institute

The Scripps Research Institute is one of the world's largest independent, non-profit biomedical research organizations. Scripps Research is internationally recognized for its discoveries in immunology, molecular and cellular biology, chemistry, neuroscience, and vaccine development, as well as for its insights into autoimmune, cardiovascular, and infectious disease. Headquartered in La Jolla, California, the institute also includes a campus in Jupiter, Florida, where scientists focus on drug discovery and technology development in addition to basic biomedical science. Scripps Research currently employs about 3,000 scientists, staff, postdoctoral fellows, and graduate students on its two campuses. The institute's graduate program, which awards Ph.D. degrees in biology and chemistry, is ranked among the top ten such programs in the nation. For more information, see http://www.scripps.edu.

About Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute

Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute is dedicated to discovering the fundamental molecular causes of disease and devising the innovative therapies of tomorrow. The Institute consistently ranks among the top five organizations worldwide for its scientific impact in the fields of biology and biochemistry (defined by citations per publication) and currently ranks third in the nation in NIH funding among all laboratory-based research institutes. Sanford-Burnham is a highly innovative organization, currently ranking second nationally among all organizations in capital efficiency of generating patents, defined by the number of patents issued per grant dollars awarded, according to government statistics.

Sanford-Burnham utilizes a unique, collaborative approach to medical research and has established major research programs in cancer, neurodegeneration, diabetes, and infectious, inflammatory, and childhood diseases. The Institute is especially known for its world-class capabilities in stem cell research and drug discovery technologies. Sanford-Burnham is a U.S.-based, non-profit public benefit corporation, with operations in San Diego (La Jolla), Santa Barbara, and Orlando (Lake Nona). For more information, please visit our website (http://www.sanfordburnham.org) or blog (http://beaker.sanfordburnham.org). You can also receive updates by following us on Facebook and Twitter.



[ 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/2012-02/smri-sra021512.php

jason mayhem miller margarito margarito horton hears a who horton hears a who cotto margarito chicago bears