Henrik Fisker Joins Board At First Cobalt
July 21, 2019
See Fisker EMotion Driven In Public – Videos First Cobalt calls Henrik Fisker an automotive design icon and renowned entrepreneur:“As a global automotive design icon and renowned entrepreneur, Mr. Fisker brings his unique electric vehicle (EV) understanding and outside perspective to the Company. The addition of Mr. Fisker to the Company’s Board of Directors will allow First Cobalt to draw from his many talents as an EV pioneer, entrepreneur and successful OEM car designer.”“First Cobalt and Henrik Fisker believe in developing an extractive industry that upholds the highest in ethical and environmental standards and strives to create sustainability for future generations.”Paul Matysek, Chairman of First Cobalt’s Board of Directors said:“It is an honour to welcome Henrik to the Board. He brings a proven set of skills, insightful knowledge and experience that our team can benefit from greatly. We are confident that our collaborative efforts can reach larger audiences as we endeavor to become a leading producer of cobalt in the United States.”Henrik Fisker said:“Electric vehicle automakers and battery manufacturers have a responsibility to ensure any materials we use in our batteries are sourced in an ethical way. I have made a commitment to contribute to a better world all the way down the supply chain. We must stop looking at innovation superficially and start taking responsibility for our products end to end and give our customers the true choice to be part of a sustainable future. During this last few weeks, I have spent considerable time with the First Cobalt team, seeing their cobalt project, Iron Creek, in Idaho as well as the First Cobalt Refinery in Ontario. I was extremely impressed with the depth and extent of commitment from the entire First Cobalt team to the safety and training of all employees, ethical mining practices and the focus on environmental protection around their projects,”Trent Mell, President & Chief Executive Office of First Cobalt said:“First Cobalt’s strategy is to explore, mine and refine cobalt material in North America with the goal of providing cobalt to the American EV market. Henrik’s knowledge of the EV space and experience as a successful OEM automotive manufacturer will play a key role as First Cobalt continues to execute on this strategy. The vision and energy that Henrik has demonstrated throughout his career will be an important asset as the Company continues to develop its projects in North America,”. Source: Electric Vehicle News First Cobalt adds Henrik Fisker to its board.Henrik Fisker, who works on the Fisker EMotion all-electric sports car, joined the Board of Directors of First Cobalt, which describes itself as a vertically integrated North American pure-play cobalt company.We know that Fisker is searching for battery innovations, including solid-state batteries, and this is probably from where the interest in cobalt mining company comes from. Both Fisker and First Cobalt stressed the important role of ethical and environmental standards, which in the case of cobalt minings are not always met – at least cobalt from the Congo does not get good press.First Cobalt has three significant North American assets: the Iron Creek Project in Idaho, with Inferred mineral resources of 29.6 million tons (26.9 million tonnes) grading 0.11% cobalt equivalent; the Canadian Cobalt Camp and the only permitted cobalt refinery in North America capable of producing battery materials.Fisker EMotion news Talking Tesla, Fisker Reveals Major OEM Partnership Henrik Fisker Confirms Future $40,000 Electric Car, Discusses eMotion Author Liberty Access TechnologiesPosted on October 10, 2018Categories Electric Vehicle News
Tesla Dashcam Captures Reckless Driving Sees License Plate Clearly
TeslaCam records a driver making an unsafe move and provides a clear view of the license plate number.The Tesla Autopilot dashcam “TeslaCam” is surely not as advanced as many aftermarket dashcams available today. However, we’ve shared several videos proving that it does precisely what it’s intended to do. Some video shares of the technology appear clearer than others. This YouTuber explains that the reason his video is pixelated is because he’s taking a screenshot of the footage with another camera, since he can’t get the TeslaCam video to download. Nonetheless, you can clearly see other vehicles’ license plate numbers and make out road signs.Read also There has been much discussion on Tesla forums and in our comment section about whether or not drivers may be able to use such footage in an attempt to incriminate unsafe drivers. Unfortunately, this is not a question we are equipped to answer since there are a wealth of variables involved. Still, having video footage of an incident could likely help your case if the authorities ended up involved.Have you used the TeslaCam? Do you have insight as to how it compares to other dashcams? In your opinion, what is the best aftermarket dashcam available today? Perhaps some of our non-Tesla owners can snag a good deal this holiday season. Let us know in the comment section below.Video Description via TeSLAExPo on YouTube:Road RAGE AGAIN? No Just a Reckless Driver! Tesla Autopilot DashCam Reading License Plate with Ease Source: Electric Vehicle News Author Liberty Access TechnologiesPosted on November 23, 2018Categories Electric Vehicle News Tesla Model 3 Dashcam Captures Road Rage Incident More Tesla Dashcam “TeslaCam” Road Rage Antics Mad Max Motorcycle Road Rage Captured On TeslaCam
Zero Gives Quadros FourWheeled Scooter An Electric Charge
Author Liberty Access TechnologiesPosted on December 2, 2018Categories Electric Vehicle News The Quadro Qooder looks much like any other scooter except for one important detail: it has twice as many wheels. Not as obvious until you see one in action is that fact that despite four wheels, the Qooder tilts like the Yamaha Niken or a Tilting Motor Works Harley. This further blurs the legal line between cars and motorcycles, which can no longer be determined strictly by how many wheels a vehicle has. In Europe you can ride the Qooder without a motorcycle license, but it’s not approved for road use in the U.S. on any driver’s license—probably because our legal system wouldn’t know what to do with it.The current Qooder has a 400 cc liquid-cooled engine generating 32 horsepower and 28 pound-feet of torque. In late 2019 Quadro will introduce the e-Qooder, which will utilize an electric powertrain supplied by Zero. No specifications are available yet for the electric version, but I would suspect it to have comparable power, more torque as electric motors do, and a reasonable range. This partnership will enable Quadro to tap into the increasing interest in electric scooters with its existing platform, while Zero will get a foothold in this growing market as well without having to develop a scooter of its own.Electric scooters are already proving to be not only useful and practical in cities, but they are also encouraging design innovation outside the traditional scooter model, such as Yamaha’s Tritown concept. Electrifying the Qooder makes a great deal of sense in this context, and both Quadro and Zero stand to benefit as a result. As more such bikes enter the market, perhaps the Qooder’s time has finally come, and Zero will be there to power it into the future. Source: Electric Vehicle News Quadro’s Qooder, an unusual tilting scooter with four wheels, will get Zero’s electrical drive system.The idea of a four-wheeled scooter still hasn’t taken off, despite our early optimism about the idea. Manufacturer Quadro hasn’t given up hope and plans to bring yet another innovation to the project: Zero‘s electric drive system.More Zero News Zero Motorcycles Is On A Roll These Days: New Dealers Open First Ride: Ural Electric cT Concept Zero Motorcycle Launches New 2019 Lineup: More, More & More
Score a Ryobi 40V Electric String Trimmer for 129 Reg 150 more
Source: Charge Forward Home Depot offers the Ryobi 40V Electric String Trimmer for $129 shipped. That’s good for nearly 20% off the regular going rate and the best price we can find. This year, it’s time to ditch the oil and gas routine for an electric trimmer. Ryobi’s 40V electric trimmer delivers up to 15-inch of cutting width, so you’ll be able to clear out large areas quickly. This trimmer is recommended for yards up to 1 acre in size. It ships with a five-year warranty, so you know that your investment will be safe over time. Rated 4.5/5 stars by over 100 Home Depot reviewers. Head below for more deals. more…The post Score a Ryobi 40V Electric String Trimmer for $129 (Reg. $150+), more in today’s best Green Deals appeared first on Electrek.
Chevy Bolt EV Lease Discounts Popping Up But Theres A Catch
GM Won’t Cut Chevy Bolt Price Amid Lower Tax Incentive According to CarsDirect, beginning April 2, Chevrolet introduced a $3,000 leasing promotion for buyers on the west coast (California and Oregon). Previously, manufacturer-sponsored lease discounts were around $3,750. Beginning this month, those incentives are up to $6,750. In addition, the $500 competitor discount (for those coming from a non-GM lease) is still in place. This means total MSRP reductions can add up to $7,250. Current automaker promotions are valid through April 30.CarsDirect points out that there is a caveat, however. The story explains that even though the interest rate is nearly the same as it was in the past, the Bolt’s residual value has dropped significantly. The publication shares:While its underlying interest rate remains almost unchanged, the Bolt’s residual value has plummeted. Last month’s 56% residual on the 2019 Bolt LT has fallen to just 51%, based on a 36-month lease with 12,000 miles per year. Lower residuals typically translate to more costly leases.So is the Bolt still a good car to lease? That will probably depend on where you live.Here in California, the Bolt LT is listed at $279 for 36 months with $3,959 due at signing. That’s based on 10,000 miles per year and equates to an effective cost of $389/month. Chevy’s national lease is $429 for 36 months with $6,109 at signing, which equates to $599/month.With all of that being said, you can save an effective cost of some $210 per month prior to taxes and fees, IF you are leasing a Chevy Bolt in these west coast locales. Moreover, rebates like the $2,500 Clean Vehicle Rebate make the situation even more appealing.For shoppers who’d rather finance than lease, GM is offering the choice of up to 15% off MSRP or 0% APR over 72 months.Hat tip to Joe!Source: CarDirect Author Liberty Access TechnologiesPosted on April 9, 2019Categories Electric Vehicle News It turns out GM is offering discounts following the federal tax credit reduction.A few weeks we reported that Chevrolet had no plans to reduce MSRP on its Bolt EV despite the halving of the federal EV tax credit. However, the automaker did say it would work with dealers on discounts. Now that the credit has actually dropped to $3,750, the automaker is moving forward with leasing incentives in select areas. Still, due to a notable drop in the Bolt’s residual value, lease prices are not offset significantly.Related EV Tax Credit Coverage: Source: Electric Vehicle News Video: Chevy Bolt Loses 50% Of Federal EV Tax Credit: Now What? Tesla, Nissan, GM Join Hands To Lobby For U.S. EV Tax Credit Recharge
One In Ten Jaguars Sold In US Were Electric In April 2019
11% of Jaguars sold were electric. Can it hit 20% this year?Source: Electric Vehicle News
2019 Nissan LEAF Scores 5Star Safety Rating From ANCAP Video
Top safety rating from ANCAP includes 93% Adult Occupant Protection and 85% Child Occupant Protection.Source: Electric Vehicle News
Impatiently Waiting For A Tesla Truck Make Your Own Teslamino
Are Tesla truck conversions going to become the next big thing?Source: Electric Vehicle News
Bjørn Nyland Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Plus Range Test Results
Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Plus range gets tested.Source: Electric Vehicle News
EGEB A solar system that delivers electricity at night solar panels in
Source: Charge Forward In today’s EGEB:A thermal battery is being developed that could be used in a solar power system for overnight electricity.One developer pulls out of the running for a Long Island-area offshore wind farm.The first solar project in Anchorage, Alaska comes online.Solar panels in the popular video game Fortnite. more…Subscribe to Electrek on YouTube for exclusive videos and subscribe to the podcast.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1zk7Eb8r-s&list=PL_Qf0A10763mA7Byw9ncZqxjke6Gjz0MtThe post EGEB: A solar system that delivers electricity at night, solar panels in Fortnite, and more appeared first on Electrek.
Deal With It – Not Following The Law Has Consequences
FCPA Institute – Boston (Oct. 3-4) A unique two-day learning experience ideal for a diverse group of professionals seeking to elevate their FCPA knowledge and practical skills through active learning. Learn more, spend less. CLE credit is available. Imagine a company engaged in conduct that was very profitable to it. However, a unanimous Supreme Court declared the conduct illegal. Thereafter, a business executive of the relevant company testifies before Congress and complains that the Supreme Court decision is hurting its business.I highly doubt anyone would have sympathy for the business executive or the company. After all the rule of law is the rule of law and a unanimous Supreme Court decision probably does sting.The above analogy came to mind when reviewing a transcript of the recent “Oversight of the SEC’s Division of Enforcement” hearing by the House Committee on Financial Services, Subcommittee on Capital Markets, Securities, and Investment. (See here).During the hearing, an SEC representative stated:“In the Supreme Court’s decision in Kokesh v. SEC, the Court held that Commission claims for disgorgement are subject to a five-year statute of limitations. The Kokesh decision has already had a significant impact across many parts of the Division. Many securities frauds are complex and can take significant time to uncover and investigate. Some egregious fraud schemes—including, for example, the one perpetrated by Charles Kokesh himself—are well concealed and are not discovered until investors have been victimized over many years. In certain cases, Kokesh threatens to severely limit the recovery available to harmed investors. Wrongdoers should not benefit because they succeeded in concealing their misconduct. While we appreciate the need for clear statutes of limitations, we are concerned with an outcome where some investors must shoulder additional losses—and the fraudulent actor is able to keep those ill-gotten gains—because those investors were tricked early in a scheme rather than later.The ultimate impact of Kokesh on SEC enforcement remains to be seen. However, some of the decision’s effects are already clear. For example, because of the Court’s ruling, Mr. Kokesh, who was found liable for defrauding his firm’s advisory clients out of approximately $35 million in client funds over many years, kept more than 80 percent of the money he stole, and his victims will get no recovery of those funds.We are redoubling our efforts to uncover, investigate, and bring cases as quickly as possible. Our enforcement actions have the highest impact, and our litigation efforts are most effective, when we bring our cases close in time to the alleged wrongful conduct. But no matter how quickly we work, it is likely that Kokesh will have a significant impact on our ability to enforce the federal securities laws and obtain recovery for harmed investors in long-running frauds.”During the hearing, Rep. Bill Huizenga (R-MI) asked:“In June 2017, the Supreme Court held in Kokesh v. the SEC that the five-year statute of limitations applied to discouragement claims that the SEC seeks in enforcement actions by clarifying that the remedy of discouragement is a, quote, “penalty.”In your testimony, you noted that the Kokesh decision has already had significant impact across many parts of the division. Can you please explain the effects of it and what you’ve seen so far? And do you believe that investors ultimately will have to shoulder additional losses while fraudulent actors are able to keep ill-gotten gains due to this decision?”Steven Peikin (Co-Director of the SEC’s Division of Enforcement) stated:“It’s a very significant decision that’s having meaningful impact on our ability to recover funds and return them to investors, particularly in cases of long-running frauds, where they’re not discovered until time has passed. We can’t reach back beyond five years and pull money out of the pockets of the wrongdoers and return them to investors. We’ve been keeping track of, you know, our litigated and settled cases of how much money we’ve had to forgo seeking recovery of, and the latest numbers are over $800 million, just in the last year or so alone …”.Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) asked:“I want to go back to the Kokesh decision. I want to understand how you got a 9-0 ruling. That’s very rare in the Supreme Court. Yet there seem to be a concern on both the Republican and Democratic side, and from you, that this would limit very much the Securities Exchange Commission in your mission to protect investors. Can you give me some insights on the Kokesh case and ruling? And then, secondly, what do we do about it? You identified it as a problem as did many of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle. Would it take legislation to correct it? But what were the circumstances of this case that so overwhelmingly came out in a 9-0 ruling? I don’t know of any other 9-0 ruling. It’s (ph) court seizing (ph). So, if you could give me some more understanding of the Kokesh case — and I’m responding, really, to both of your testimony that this is a big challenge for the Securities — SEC.”Peiken responded:“So the Kokesh decision — a couple things.So, first of all, the case itself involved a pretty egregious fraud in which Kokesh stole, I think, like $35 million from investors. And that took place over a 10-year period. And, by the time, you know, he was prosecuted, enough time had lapsed that, in the end, as a result of the Supreme Court’s decision, he was allowed to keep all but, I think, about $5 million of that $35 million that was, you know, misappropriated from investors.The Supreme Court’s decision, as you know, was unanimous, and we obviously accept it and it’s the law of the land. And so, you know, the issue is not with the decision, but, rather, with the effect of it, which is that, going forward, you know…”Rep. Maloney asked:“But, if it was a huge crime where they abused investors, you would think that the court would be sympathetic to investors being reimbursed. In other words, they cut off their ability to be reimbursed. There’s got to be a reason why.”Peiken stated:“Well, I think they were addressing a, you know, technical, legal question of how did the statute of limitations apply to the remedy of disgorgement. So, I think, absent a — you know, some kind of extension of the statute of limitations, you know, that’s — we’re going to live with this, and that’s what — we’ll have to act faster.But there will be cases where there’s some ongoing fraud for years, we don’t discover it until, you know, some of that money is out of our reach. And I just would note that, you know, we respect the fact that statute of limitations are important. You know, they put limits on the government in appropriate cases.But there are many statute of limitations that apply to financial fraud cases that are much longer than five years. For example, the Justice Department has the ability to use the Financial Institutions Recovery and Reform Act, which has a 10-year statute of limitations. So it’s not without precedent for there to be a longer statute of limitations available.”Rep. Maloney:“But the way Congress could react is by legislating, correct?”Peiken:“Absolutely.”A couple of observations.The SEC of course seeks disgorgement in all sorts of actions, but a significant percentage of that disgorgement occurs in Foreign Corrupt Practices Act enforcement actions and many of these are the result of corporate voluntary disclosures which makes Peiken’s statement that it takes a “significant time to uncover and investigate” these matters a bit odd.Moreover, the notion that Kokesh is preventing the SEC from returning money to investors is also odd in the context of FCPA enforcement actions (again where a significant amount of SEC disgorgement occurs). I reached out to a former high-ranking SEC enforcement official who stated:“For any payment to the SEC (penalty or disgorgement) it goes directly to the US treasury UNLESS a Fair Fund is set up to repay investors. I’m not aware of any fair funds set up in FCPA cases, at least not recently.” Learn More & Register
Hannah OHara Thomas
July 20, 2019
by, Kavan Peterson, Editor, ChangingAging.orgTweet6ShareShare15Email21 Shares
We are deeply saddened to share that Hannah O’Hara Thomas, daughter of Eden Alternative Founders, Bill and Jude Thomas, passed early this morning, March 27, 2015. More at www.edenalt.org.Related PostsWellspring Program Becomes Part of The Eden AlternativeTwo culture change leaders, The Eden Alternative and the Lifespan-Network’s Wellspring Program, are now one. The official announcement of The Eden Alternative’s acquisition of the Wellspring Program was made last week at the 6th Eden Alternative International Conference. Charlotte Eliopolous, Executive Director of the Wellspring Program, joined Dr. Bill Thomas,…What Hannah Taught Me…My sister Hannah O’Hara Thomas passed away today. She lived 17-and-a-half years longer than anyone predicted. While it is so painful, tragic, and downright unfair that she left us after only 18 years, I believe that in that time she lived more fully and gave more than most people could…Website for 2014 Eden Alternative International Conference LaunchesWe are excited to announce the launch of the 2014 Eden Alternative International Conference website. Check it out and get pumped up for Strike a Chord, Resonate Well-Being in Nashville, the Music City, from April 30 to May 2, 2014! The conference theme highlights the power of the Eden Alternative Domains…Tweet6ShareShare15Email21 SharesTags: The Eden Alternative
Increasing walking pace may reduce mortality risk suggests study
Source:https://sydney.edu.au/ Jun 1 2018Speeding up your walking pace could extend your life, research led by the University of Sydney suggests.Walking at an average pace was found to be associated with a 20 percent risk reduction for all-cause mortality compared with walking at a slow pace, while walking at a brisk or fast pace was associated with a risk reduction of 24 percent. A similar result was found for risk of cardiovascular disease mortality, with a reduction of 24 percent walking at an average pace and 21 percent walking at a brisk or fast pace, compared to walking at a slow pace.The protective effects of walking pace were also found to be more pronounced in older age groups. Average pace walkers aged 60 years or over experienced a 46 percent reduction in risk of death from cardiovascular causes, and fast pace walkers a 53 percent reduction.Published today, the findings appear in a special issue of the British Journal of Sports Medicine (from the BMJ Journals group) dedicated to Walking and Health, edited by lead author Professor Emmanuel Stamatakis from the University of Sydney’s Charles Perkins Centre and School of Public Health.”A fast pace is generally five to seven kilometers per hour, but it really depends on a walker’s fitness levels; an alternative indicator is to walk at a pace that makes you slightly out of breath or sweaty when sustained,” Professor Stamatakis explained.A collaboration between the University of Sydney’s Charles Perkins Centre and Faculty of Medicine and Health, the University of Cambridge, University of Edinburgh, University of Limerick and University of Ulster, the researchers sought to determine the associations between walking pace with all-cause, cardiovascular disease and cancer mortality.Related StoriesTrump administration cracks down on fetal tissue researchSchwann cells capable of generating protective myelin over nerves finds researchNew research links “broken heart syndrome” to cancerLinking mortality records with the results of 11 population-based surveys in England and Scotland between 1994 and 2008 – in which participants self-reported their walking pace – the research team then adjusted for factors such as total amount and intensity of all physical activity taken, age, sex and body mass index.”Walking pace is associated with all-cause mortality risk, but its specific role – independent from the total physical activity a person undertakes – has received little attention until now,” Professor Stamatakis said.”While sex and body mass index did not appear to influence outcomes, walking at an average or fast pace was associated with a significantly reduced risk of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease. There was no evidence to suggest pace had a significant influence on cancer mortality however.”In light of the findings, the research team is calling for walking pace to be emphasized in public health messages.”Separating the effect of one specific aspect of physical activity and understanding its potentially causal association with risk of premature death is complex,” Professor Stamatakis said.”Assuming our results reflect cause and effect, these analyses suggest that increasing walking pace may be a straightforward way for people to improve heart health and risk for premature mortality – providing a simple message for public health campaigns to promote.”Especially in situations when walking more isn’t possible due to time pressures or a less walking-friendly environment, walking faster may be a good option to get the heart rate up – one that most people can easily incorporate into their lives.”
Special training for teachers may mean big results for students with autism
Jun 28 2018Special training for teachers may mean big results for students with autism spectrum disorder, according to Florida State University and Emory University researchers.In a new study, children whose teachers received specialized training “were initiating more, participating more, having back-and-forth conversations more, and responding to their teachers and peers more frequently,” said researcher Lindee Morgan.Morgan and FSU Autism Institute Director Amy Wetherby were co-principal investigators of a three-year, 60-school study that measured the effectiveness of a curriculum, called SCERTS, designed specifically for teachers of students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).SCERTS (pronounced “serts”) was developed in 2006. It targets the most significant challenges presented by ASD, spelled out in its acronym: “SC” for social communication, “ER” for emotional regulation, and “TS” for transactional support (developing a partnership of people at school and at home who can respond to the ASD child’s needs and interests and enhance learning).The team reported its results this month in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. Morgan, the lead author, worked at the Autism Institute when the study was conducted and now is at Emory’s School of Medicine. Co-author Wetherby was one of the developers of the SCERTS curriculum.”There is now a solid body of research on treatments for preschool children with ASD,” Wetherby said. “However, this study is one of only a few demonstrating the efficacy of a treatment for school-age children. And the most impressive part is it was conducted in public school classrooms with a good mix of general and special education teachers.”ASD refers to a group of complex neurodevelopment disorders characterized by restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior and difficulties with social communication and interaction.The research team enlisted the participation of 60 schools in 10 districts: one in California, two in Georgia and seven in Florida (Gadsden, Jackson, Leon, Okaloosa, Taylor, Volusia and Wakulla counties). They randomly matched pairs of schools for the study.Related StoriesAtypical eating behaviors may indicate autismEyes hold clues to effective treatment of severe autism, study showsNeuroscientists find anatomical link between cognitive and perceptual symptoms in autismIn each pair, one school was designated ATM, for “autism training modules.” Its students got regular classroom teaching supplemented only by a website where modules related to autism were available to teachers. The other school was designated CSI, for “classroom SCERTS intervention.” Its participating teachers received three days of SCERTS training -; plus regular coaching, access to extra reference materials and videos of themselves in the classroom.Morgan said the team was delighted with the results showing how CSI schools outperformed ATMs. One of the study’s strongest features, she said, was that teachers could watch the videos and see for themselves how the classroom had changed.”Our primary outcome measure was a direct observation tool, which is basically unheard of in educational intervention research,” she said. “Video was a very tedious process. However, it’s such a great measure to see what both teachers and students are using in the classroom.”In addition, she said, a parent report and several teacher measures also showed that the students in the CSI group outperformed the ATM group.”There is a pressing need to change the landscape of education for school-age students with ASD,” the paper concluded. “This work has the potential to contribute to this change by providing a feasible, comprehensive model of intervention that can be implemented in a variety of educational placements and settings.”Morgan said CSI could benefit teachers and all students, not just those on the autism spectrum.”General education teachers in most states aren’t required to have autism training,” she said. “And yet they find themselves with kids with autism because that’s the law. These days, more than 70 percent of kids on the spectrum have no intellectual disabilities. Therefore, schools are moving more toward modifying and adapting the mainstream classroom in ways that are not only helpful for kids with autism but also good for all the students. I remember some of our kindergarten teachers saying afterward: ‘Putting this in place helped my whole class.'” Source:http://www.fsu.edu
Irregular metabolism of branchedchain amino acids may cause progression of type 2
Source:https://www.brighamandwomens.org/ Jul 6 2018In the U.S., about five out of 100 expectant mothers develop gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), a temporary form of diabetes in which hormonal changes disrupt insulin function. Although GDM is often symptomless and subsides after delivery, women with a history of it face a seven-fold risk for developing type 2 diabetes.The biological mechanisms underlying this rise in type 2 diabetes risk are mysterious. But a new study in Clinical Chemistry led by Deirdre Tobias, DSc., associate epidemiologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School, suggests that the irregular metabolism of branched-chain amino acids – components of proteins found in many foods – may be partially to blame for progression to type 2 diabetes.Tobias and her team of researchers assessed reported diets and blood samples collected during the Nurses’ Health Study II, an investigation of chronic disease risk in women that was carried out from 1989 and continues today. They looked at the data from 347 women with histories of GDM, roughly half of whom later developed type 2 diabetes. The researchers calculated the women’s levels of branched-chain amino acid intake using published guidelines for nutrient content. Using mass spectrometry, they also measured the levels of branched-chain amino acids in the blood samples that were collected prior to type 2 diabetes development during the period of 1996-1999.The researchers found that women with a history of GDM who later developed type 2 diabetes had higher levels of branched-chain amino acids in their blood, regardless of their dietary intake. That suggests that greater consumption of branched-chain amino acids may increase the risk for type 2 diabetes, but only if an individual’s ability to properly metabolize them is impaired.Related StoriesDiet and physical exercise do not reduce risk of gestational diabetesUranium toxicity might have caused obesity and diabetes in Kuwait, finds new studyMothers with gestational diabetes transferring harmful ‘forever chemicals’ to their fetus”If your dietary intake is high, but you can clear these normally from circulation, then you don’t seem to be at a higher type 2 diabetes risk,” said Tobias.Researchers cannot yet fully characterize the specific pathway of this impaired metabolism, but the abnormality seems to result in a buildup of circulating branched-chain amino acids, which have a detrimental downstream effect on insulin function.Branched-chain amino acids are essential amino acids, meaning that they can only be obtained from food. They play important roles in immune and neurological function, and they exist in a wide variety of foods. Tobias emphasized that branched-chain amino acids are not necessarily unhealthy. More research is needed to determine whether lowering dietary intake of them can lower type 2 diabetes risk in people with abnormal metabolism.”From a practical point of view, branched-chain amino acids are difficult to avoid,” said Tobias. “They are found in so many protein sources, both healthy and less healthy.”Tobias and her team hope that early detection of abnormally high branched-chain amino acid blood concentrations may one day enable earlier interventions for those at risk for type 2 diabetes. They suggest it will take further research to determine if tests to detect these levels should become standard procedures during doctor’s appointments.
Muscle fitness is strongly associated with improved rate of aging in the
Jul 20 2018Researchers at King’s College London have found that muscle fitness as measured by power in the legs is strongly associated with an improved rate of aging in the brain.The findings, published in Gerontology, suggest that simple interventions, such as increased levels of walking, targeted to improve leg power in the long term may have an impact on healthy cognitive aging. The research was funded jointly by the NIHR and the Wellcome Trust.Scientists studied a sample of 324 healthy female twins from the TwinsUK volunteer registry over a ten-year period from 1999, measuring various health and lifestyle predictors. Researchers were, therefore, able to control for genetic factors affecting changes in cognitive function.Thinking, learning and memory were measured at both the beginning and end of the study and it was found that leg power was a better predictor of cognitive change than any other lifestyle factors tested. Generally, the twin who had more leg power at the start of the study sustained their cognition better and had fewer brain changes associated with aging measured after ten years.Previous studies have shown that physical activity can have a beneficial effect on the aging of the brain with animal studies showing that exercising muscles releases hormones that can encourage nerve cells to grow.The study is thought to be the first that shows a specific link between power (i.e. force and speed) in the lower limbs and cognitive change in a normal, healthy population. As the legs contain the largest muscles they are of particular relevance for muscular fitness and can be exercised easily through various habitual activities such as simply standing or walking.Related StoriesDon’t Miss the Blood-Brain Barrier Drug Delivery (B3DD) Summit this AugustNeural pathways explain the relationship between imagination and willingness to helpRepurposing a heart drug could increase survival rate of children with ependymomaBrain changes in identical twins discordant for Leg Explosive Power: stronger twin Dr Claire Steves, lead author and Senior Lecturer in Twin Research at King’s College London and King’s College Hospital said: ‘Everyone wants to know how best to keep their brain fit as they age. Identical twins are a useful comparison, as they share many factors, such as genetics and early life, which we can’t change in adulthood.’It’s compelling to see such differences in cognition and brain structure in identical twins, who had different leg power ten years before. It suggests that simple lifestyle changes to boost our physical activity may help to keep us both mentally and physically healthy.’Brain changes in identical twins discordant for Leg Explosive Power: weaker twinHowever, more studies are needed to better understand the relationships between measures of fitness such as leg power or aerobic capacity and brain changes, and the specific cause-and-effect of physical activity on brain structure and cognition. The mechanisms behind this association are not yet clear and could involve other factors such as age-related changes in immune function, blood circulation or nerve signaling.The study only assessed female participants with an average age at baseline of 55 (range 43–73), so further studies would also be needed to establish whether these findings can be generalized to older or male populations. Source:https://www.kcl.ac.uk/
Magnetic gene in aquarium fish could open doors to treatment for epilepsy
Aug 14 2018An aquarium fish that senses the Earth’s magnetic field as it swims could help unlock how the human brain works and how diseases such as Parkinson’s and other neurological disorders function.Michigan State University scientists are the first to discover a navigational gene in glass catfish called the electromagnetic-perceptive gene, or EPG, that responds to certain magnetic waves. They’ve already developed a way to use it to control movement in mice.The implications of the federally funded study, published in the journal Scientific Reports, have the potential to revolutionize treatments for humans and help those who suffer from tremors related to Parkinson’s and seizures associated with epilepsy.Related StoriesResearchers capture high-resolution, 3D images of gene-editing enzymesNanoparticles used to deliver CRISPR gene editing tools into the cellStudy urges genetic testing before abdominal-based free-flap breast reconstruction”We’ve found a noninvasive way to activate this gene once injected in the brain cells of mice and regulate movement in their limbs,” said lead author Galit Pelled, a medical bioengineering professor in MSU’s Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering. “It could work similarly in humans.”A person suffering Parkinson’s disease tremors, for example, could have the gene injected into a specific location or subset of cells in the brain. A magnet that emits electromagnetic waves in an eyeglass frame could then activate the gene to help control, if not stop, the tremors.”Technology is getting better and better every year, so this magnet could be built into anything,” Pelled said.Currently, deep brain stimulation treatments for some Parkinson’s patients’ tremors involve highly invasive procedures such as drilling a hole in the skull and implanting electrodes. During this process, neurons and other cells can be damaged.Pelled’s co-author, Assaf Gilad, a professor of biomedical engineering and radiology, is taking their findings a bit further and is looking into engineering stem cells to express the gene.”Stem cells are very good carriers of genes so if someone has Parkinson’s, we can introduce these stem cells into the brain as a therapy,” he said. “This type of treatment could not only help the brain, but could work in other parts of the body too, like the heart, and help those with heart issues.”The researchers said their next steps are to figure out what makes the electromagnetic-perceptive gene so sensitive to these magnetic waves.”The mechanism of the gene is still unknown,” Gilad said. “But once we understand how it really works, it could open the door to even more possibilities.” Source:https://msutoday.msu.edu/news/2018/magnetic-gene-in-fish-may-someday-help-those-with-epilepsy-parkinsons/
Menopausal status linked to skeletal muscle function among middleaged women
Source:https://www.jyu.fi/en/current/archive/2018/08/menopause-contributes-to-a-decline-in-muscle-strength-a-crucial-factor-of-functional-independence-in-old-age Reviewed by Alina Shrourou, B.Sc. (Editor)Aug 24 2018A recent study of the Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä has found that menopausal status is associated with skeletal muscle function among middle-aged women. The results also suggest that physical activity reduces the negative menopausal effect on muscle strength and mobility in women aged 47 to 55.Menopause occurs on average at 51 years of age and leads to the gradual dysregulation of the reproductive endocrine system. The menopausal transition can be divided roughly into three different stages. During pre-menopause, the menstrual cycle gradually becomes irregular. This stage begins 5-10 years before menopause. Perimenopause is the transition period prior to menopause, when the function of the ovaries noticeably fades away leading to cessation of menstruation. Postmenopause is the time after the last menstruation. – Our research showed that postmenopausal women had lower muscle strength and muscle power than peri- or premenopausal women. These results suggest that menopause accelerates decline in muscle strength and power in women already at middle-age, says doctoral student Dmitriy Bondarev.Muscle strength affects everyday lifeRelated StoriesNew drug provides hope for patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophyMarijuana isn’t a great choice for glaucoma treatment, says expertEstrogen is essential to maintain muscle stem cell health, research showsIn our everyday activities, such as standing from a chair, climbing stairs or walking, muscle performance is an essential factor. With ageing, muscle performance declines and thus maintenance of everyday functional capacity and quality of life may be compromised. Good functional capacity enables active participation in many social activities and services provided by the society.The research also showed that physical activity can prevent the decline in muscle performance despite of the menopausal status. – Physically active women had greater muscle performance and they had better mobility than women with low physical activity level. Thus, being physically active during the menopausal transition can give more capacity to withstand the potential negative influence of menopause on muscle performance and mobility, Dmitriy Bondarev summarises.The study is a part of a wider ERMA study involving over 1,000 women aged 47 to 55 living in Jyväskylä. In this study, the menopausal stage was determined by the serum hormone concentrations and menstrual diaries. More than 900 women participated in measurements of muscular strength, power output, and walking speed at the University of Jyväskylä Sports and Health Laboratory in 2015-2017.
Uganda removes key hurdle to GM crops
Uganda removes key hurdle to GM crops By Christopher BendanaOct. 6, 2017 , 4:14 PM KAMPALA—Biotech researchers here are celebrating the long-awaited passage of a bill this week that clears the way for large-scale field tests and commercial release of genetically modified (GM) crops. Uganda, with several engineered varieties waiting in the wings, is expected to join a handful of other African nations moving quickly to bring homegrown GM foods to the market.Introduced in parliament in 2013, Uganda’s National Biosafety Act lays out a framework for regulating biotechnology, including the creation of a national scientific committee to oversee GM research. Critics argued that the legislation would threaten food security by ceding control of commercial seeds to foreign companies. They also claimed that GM foods would not be palatable, and that the engineered genes might escape into the environment and taint native varieties. Seeking to tamp down concerns, Uganda’s science minister Elioda Tumwesigye said at a press briefing here today that the government would safeguard indigenous crops by banking their seeds. “We may need them in the future as a standing point as we go on modifying,” he said.Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, who has in the past expressed support for the bill, is expected to sign it into law within a month. “It is a great, great achievement,” says Erostus Nsubuga, a biotechnology entrepreneur working on GM bananas at Agro-Genetic Technologies, a company in Buloba, Uganda. Sign up for our daily newsletter Get more great content like this delivered right to you! Country Hauling bananas to market in Kisoro, Uganda. Country * Afghanistan Aland Islands Albania Algeria Andorra Angola Anguilla Antarctica Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia, Plurinational State of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Bouvet Island Brazil British Indian Ocean Territory Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cape Verde Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia Comoros Congo Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Cook Islands Costa Rica Cote d’Ivoire Croatia Cuba Curaçao Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guatemala Guernsey Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Heard Island and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq Ireland Isle of Man Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jersey Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Korea, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Lao People’s Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macao Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Moldova, Republic of Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Montserrat Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue Norfolk Island Norway Oman Pakistan Palestine Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Pitcairn Poland Portugal Qatar Reunion Romania Russian Federation Rwanda Saint Barthélemy Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Martin (French part) Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Sint Maarten (Dutch part) Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Svalbard and Jan Mayen Swaziland Sweden Switzerland Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Vietnam Virgin Islands, British Wallis and Futuna Western Sahara Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe
Email ANDREY GUDKOV/Alamy Stock Photo Uganda has carried out preliminary studies, including confined field trials, on several engineered crops: bananas resistant to xanthomonas wilt, a lethal infection that is spreading in Africa, cassavas resistant to cassava brown streak disease—a viral scourge that has hit East Africa especially hard—and Water Efficient Maize for Africa, a variety developed by the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center that is being field tested in several African countries.So far, just two countries on the continent have commercialized transgenic crops: Sudan, which grows GM cotton, and South Africa, which grows GM cotton, maize, and soybean. Click to view the privacy policy. Required fields are indicated by an asterisk (*)
We cant take another hit like this Brazilian scientists lament big budget
By Herton EscobarApr. 8, 2019 , 5:15 PM ‘We can’t take another hit like this’: Brazilian scientists lament big budget freeze SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL—The latest federal budget news coming out of Brasília has Brazilian scientists fearing the worst. On 29 March, faced with a stagnant economy and falling tax revenues, the government announced it was “freezing” nearly 30 billion reais ($7.5 billion) of the country’s public funds for the year, including a 2.2 billion real slice of the science ministry’s budget. If the freeze isn’t lifted, funds for scholarships and research will be cut by 42%—a blow that would come on top of a series of other cuts in recent years.“We were running on a flat tire; now they took out the wheel,” says Ildeu de Castro Moreira, a physicist at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and president of the Brazilian Society for the Advancement of Science here. If made permanent, the freeze could have “tragic” consequences, Moreira predicts. Many laboratories and research institutions might be pushed into stagnation, including federally funded facilities that provide crucial services such as weather monitoring and public health surveillance.A freeze means the money remains in the government’s budget but is locked down as “contingency funds” that can be spent only if the economy improves or new sources of revenue are found. (The idea is to keep the country’s primary debt under control.) For now, Brazil’s Ministry of Science, Technology, Innovation and Communication (MCTIC) in Brasília is authorized to spend only 2.9 billion reais in support of R&D in all of Brazil this year—about a third of what it had 5 years ago, and less than what NASA typically spends on a single Mars mission. “We knew there might be another contingency measure on the way, but we never expected it to be so extreme,” Moreira says. “When you have so little to begin with, every loss is a major loss.” The only department to see a larger share of its budget frozen was Brazil’s Ministry of Mines and Energy. Brazil’s synchrotron light source, Sirius, is scheduled to launch later this year, but 80% of the funds it depends on have been frozen. Email We knew there might be another contingency measure on the way, but we never expected it to be so extreme. Sebastiao Moreira/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Sign up for our daily newsletter Get more great content like this delivered right to you! Country Ildeu de Castro Moreira, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro “It’s an irrational policy,” says Mariana Moura, a researcher at the University of São Paulo’s Institute of Energy and Environment here and co-founder of the Engaged Scientists movement. “Every other country knows that you need to increase funding for science and technology to grow the economy.”Even the country’s flagship science project, the synchrotron light source Sirius, now under construction in Campinas, is at risk; 80% of the funds it depends on to complete construction and start commissioning the facility by the end of this year have been frozen. Click to view the privacy policy. Required fields are indicated by an asterisk (*) Country * Afghanistan Aland Islands Albania Algeria Andorra Angola Anguilla Antarctica Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia, Plurinational State of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Bouvet Island Brazil British Indian Ocean Territory Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cape Verde Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia Comoros Congo Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Cook Islands Costa Rica Cote d’Ivoire Croatia Cuba Curaçao Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guatemala Guernsey Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Heard Island and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq Ireland Isle of Man Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jersey Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Korea, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Lao People’s Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macao Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Moldova, Republic of Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Montserrat Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue Norfolk Island Norway Oman Pakistan Palestine Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Pitcairn Poland Portugal Qatar Reunion Romania Russian Federation Rwanda Saint Barthélemy Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Martin (French part) Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Sint Maarten (Dutch part) Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Svalbard and Jan Mayen Swaziland Sweden Switzerland Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Vietnam Virgin Islands, British Wallis and Futuna Western Sahara Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe In a press statement, MCTIC says it is “committed to recuperate investment in research,” and is still analyzing how the freeze will be implemented throughout its many agencies and programs, including the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) in Brasília, Brazil’s agency for basic research funding. Even before the freeze was announced, CNPq’s management had warned it didn’t have enough money to make it through the year.During previous freezes, scientists have pressured the government into releasing some of the frozen funds. It’s unclear whether that will happen again; so far, President Jair Bolsonaro has done little to make good on his promise to make science and technology a priority and raise Brazil’s spending on R&D from 1% to 3% of gross domestic product.The funding collapse threatens to “dismantle” an R&D system that took decades to build and is pushing a new generation away from science, says former CNPq President Hernan Chaimovich, a biochemist of the University of São Paulo here. “Consolidated research groups are scraping by on whatever funds they still have left from previous years, while young scientists are left without hope,” he says.“I really hope we can reverse this situation,” says Luiz Davidovich, president of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences in Rio de Janeiro. “We can’t take another hit like this. It’s just too little to survive on.”