Scarf Dancing with Cancer | Crooks and Liars

As some of our readers are aware, I?m in the middle of chemotherapy for endometrial cancer. When I began, I made a video documenting having my hair cut off in anticipation of it all falling out ? probably one of the hardest things I?ve ever done, emotionally. I had a wigmaker offer me $100 for my amputated tresses, amazingly generous on her part ? they?re not really suitable for much other than highlights for extensions. But they?ve been lovingly put away in an antique jewelry coffer, wrapped in tissue paper, because even though I know it?s just hair, I can?t bear to part with them. Not yet.

Strangely enough, this second video documenting the loss of what was left of my hair was far less traumatic ? even if the end result is far less pretty. My hair hasn?t fallen completely out and I haven?t shaved my head, because there?s just enough left for a sort of Donald Trumpesque ?comb over? so that I still have the faintest wisp of bangs peeking out from a headscarf. But what little remains is so thin that I joke that I go to the same hairdresser as Gollum from Lord of the Rings.

Some people laugh ? and so they should. Laughter is the only way anyone can endure such small personal tragedies.

I attended a Look Good, Feel Better seminar where I could try on various wigs and learn how to ?draw? natural looking eyebrows back on my face ? because along with my hair, my eyebrows have likewise faded into near oblivion. There were only three of us, one of whom was enduring her second go-round with cancer. I rather liked the neon purple punk rocker wig, although it possibly isn?t suitable for everyday. The LGFB volunteers ? who outnumbered us at nearly three to one that day ? are an amazingly skilled bunch; the woman with recurrent cancer so utterly transformed, I was genuinely impressed.

I do have a wig, borrowed. I very rarely wear it, however. It?s hot, it itches my chemo-sensitive scalp, and I can?t get my glasses to fit properly over it. Plus, I just don?t care. Wigs make me sad ? those that resemble how I used to look just remind me of what I?ve lost, and anything else doesn?t look like... me. So I prefer hats and scarves. While fleece beanies do keep my near naked scalp warm at night, I scoured YouTube to learn how to tie a scarf in a way that didn?t scream ?cancer victim? and quickly discovered the best tutorials are by black women ? the things the sisters can do with fabric is astoundingly gorgeous. I still look like a middle-aged white woman, but the fancy turbans are cool.

So when Ann Coulter made the comment on the ?Hannity? show that Katherine Russell, the widow of suspected Boston Marathon bomber Tamerlan Tsarnaev, should be tossed in prison simply for wearing a hijab, then ? when rightly called out for such a blatantly racist, malicious and just downright pathetically stupid remark ? tried to claim it was only a ?joke,? I wasn?t too amused. What is it about rightwing idiots like Coulter who don?t seem to grasp the basic comedic concept that funny can often be cruel, but cruelty on its own is never funny?

There are plenty of Muslim women teaching how to do variations of hijabs on YouTube, like Amenakin here, who are all so lovely, so bubbly and charming, they expose Ann Coulter all the more for what she truly is, an ugly, bigoted harpy who has no idea what genuine beauty, nevermind humanity, is all about. So I decided I?d learn how to wear a hijab, and gave it a go. Well... sort of. Amenakin makes it look so easy, but I needed quite a bit of help from my best mate, Terri, and we had to jerry-rig a couple bits here and there. Also, pinning things was slightly problematic, as there?s no hair underneath to protect my nearly bald head. But we finally managed, and I even threw on a bit of slap and eyeliner to make my face less washed out.

You be the judge ? I don?t think it turned out half-bad, and I admit it?s a lot more comfortable than I expected. Plus, if I wear a hijab, no one will ever suspect I?ve got Chemo Head underneath.

Source: http://crooksandliars.com/nonny-mouse/scarf-dancing-cancer

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Prime Numbers Hide Your Secrets

How exactly are credit card purchases kept secure?

Photo Illustration by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Prime numbers are all the rage these days. I can tell something?s up when random people start asking me about the randomness of primes?without even knowing that I?m a mathematician! In the past couple of weeks we?ve heard about a beautiful result on the gaps between primes and about cicadas? prime-numbered life cycles. Our current love affair with primes notwithstanding, many people have wondered whether this is all just abstract theoretical stuff or whether prime numbers have real-world applications.

In fact, they have applications to something as ubiquitous and mundane as making a purchase online. Every time you enter your credit card number on the Internet, prime numbers spring into action. Before your card number is sent over the wires, it must be encrypted for security, and once it?s received by the merchant, it must be decrypted. One of the most common encryption schemes, the RSA algorithm, is based on prime numbers. It uses a ?public key,? information that is publicly available, and a ?private key,? something that only the decoding party (merchant) has. Roughly speaking, the public key consists of a large number that is the product of two primes, and the private key consists of those two primes themselves. It?s very difficult to factor a given large number into primes. For example, it took researchers two years recently to factor a 232-digit number, even with hundreds of parallel computers. That?s why the RSA algorithm is so effective.

Prime numbers are whole numbers greater than 1 that are not divisible by any whole number other than 1 and itself. The first few are 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13 ? To explain how the RSA algorithm works, I need to tell you first about something called Fermat?s little theorem. It was discovered by Pierre Fermat, the same French mathematician who came up with the famous Fermat?s last theorem. Fermat had a penchant for being cryptic; in the case of his last theorem, he left a note on the margin of a book stating his theorem and adding: ?I have discovered a truly marvelous proof of this, which this margin is too narrow to contain.? Call it the 17^th-century version of a Twitter proof. Many professional mathematicians and amateurs tried to reproduce Fermat?s purported proof, and it took more than 350 years to come up with a real one.

To understand what Fermat?s little theorem means, we need to learn how to do arithmetic ?modulo N.? This is something, in fact, we do all the time when adding angles. If you rotate an object by 180 degrees, and then by another 270 degrees, the net result will be rotation by 90 degrees. That?s because 180 + 270 = 450, and then we subtract 360 from it, because rotation by 360 degrees means no net rotation at all. This is what mathematicians call addition ?modulo 360.? Likewise, we can do addition modulo any whole number N instead of 360. (Another familiar example is adding hours, where N = 12.) And we can also do multiplication modulo N.

Now suppose that N is a prime number. Then we have the following remarkable fact: Raising any number to the N^th power modulo N, we get back that same number. For example, if N = 5, then the 5^th power of 1 is 1 and the 5^th power of 2 is 32, which is equal to 2 modulo 5 because after you subtract the closest multiple of 5 (in this case, you subtract 30, or 5 ? 6), you are left with 2 (because 32 = 5 ? 6 + 2). Likewise, the 5^th power of 3 is equal to 3 modulo 5, and so on. This is Fermat's little theorem. Fermat first divulged it in a letter to a friend. ?I would send you a proof of it,? he wrote, ?but I am afraid it?s too long.? He was such a tease, this Fermat. Unlike the proof of his last theorem, however, the proof of the little one is surprisingly simple?it could even fit in the margin of a book. I would write it here, but my editor tells me that my article is already too long. No worries though, you can read the proof in this excerpt from my book Love and Math.

This is neat, but what does it have to with Internet security? We need to devise a two-step procedure: First encrypt a credit card number and then decrypt it, so that if we follow both steps we get back the original number. The good news from Fermat?s little theorem is that raising a card number to a prime power modulo that prime is a procedure that gives us back the original number. The bad news is that because a prime is not divisible by anything, there is no way to break this procedure into two steps. However, Ron Rivest, Adi Shamir, and Leonard Adleman, after whom the RSA algorithm is named, were not discouraged. They took Fermat?s idea one step further. They asked: What if we take N which is the product of two primes?call them p and q. Then we have the following analogue of Fermat?s little theorem: Raising any number to the power (p ? 1)(q ? 1) + 1 will give us back the same number modulo N. For example, N = 15 is the product of p = 3 and q = 5. Then (p ? 1)(q ? 1) + 1 = (3 ? 1)(5 ? 1) + 1 = 9. If you raise any number to the 9^th power, you get back the same number modulo 15. It looks like a miracle, but in fact the proof is no more complicated than that of Fermat?s little theorem.

And now we can use it for encryption: For the given prime numbers p and q, the combination (p ? 1)(q ? 1) + 1 will typically be a number that is not a prime. Hence it can be represented as the product of two whole numbers, call them r and s. (In our example, (p ? 1)(q ? 1) + 1 = 9, so we can take r = 3 and s = 3.) Raising a number to the power (p ? 1)(q ? 1) + 1 can now be broken into two steps: raising it to the r^th power and then raising it to the s^th power.

Here?s how it works in practice: The merchant picks two large prime numbers p and q (there are various algorithms for generating primes), takes their product N, and chooses r and s. He or she then makes r and N known to everyone; this is the public key. The encryption consists of raising a credit card number to the r^th power modulo N. Anyone can do it (on a computer, because the numbers involved are quite large). The decryption, on the other hand, consists of raising the resulting number to the s^th power modulo N. This gives back the original credit card number (see here for more details). The merchant keeps the number s secret. Therefore the transmission of the credit card numbers is secure. The only way to find s, and hence to be able to decrypt the card numbers, is to determine the prime factors p and q of the number N. For sufficiently large N, however, using known methods of prime factorization, it may take many months to find p and q, even on a network of powerful computers. But if one could come up with a more efficient way to factor numbers into primes (for example, by using a quantum computer), then one would have a tool for breaking the RSA algorithm. That?s why a lot of research is directed toward factoring numbers into primes. Scores of legitimate mathematicians are working on this, and perhaps not so legitimate ones as well.

To an outsider, the RSA algorithm appears like a card trick: You pick a card from a stack, hide it (this is like encryption), and after some manipulations the magician produces your card?bazinga! Well, that's pretty much what the RSA algorithm does ? except that the role of magic is now played by math.

Source: http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/science/2013/06/online_credit_card_security_the_rsa_algorithm_prime_numbers_and_pierre_fermat.html

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One Day You'll Be Able To Touch Everything On TV (Yes, Everything)

Designed to allow persons with visual impairments to touch and feel objects being referenced on TV, this haptic feedback system will no doubt get co-opted for less benevolent uses like advertising, and of course, adult entertainment.

Read more...

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/gty_H5J3uKI/one-day-youll-be-able-to-touch-everything-on-tv-yes-511032760

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Targeting Frequent Health Care Users With Severe Addictions

Targeting Frequent Health Care Users With Severe Addictions

A program co-led by St. Michael?s Hospital could be the next widely used model to treat patients who are frequent users of the health care system and have severe addictions, often complicated by homelessness and mental health problems.

The Toronto Community Addiction Team (TCAT) was developed to improve health and social outcomes for people with addictions who are frequent users of health services by providing one-on-one intensive case management from a harm reduction approach. The team works with clients to provide services such as individual therapy, finding a physician, securing housing, managing budgets and care plans that are based on clients? strengths and choices.

?Developing interventions to engage these frequent users in community-based care and alleviate pressures from costly hospital-based services ? which are not designed to meet their needs ? is a system priority,? said Dr. Vicky Stergiopoulos, psychiatrist-in-chief at St. Michael?s Hospital and evaluation lead for the program. ?The TCAT is a great example of a client-centred approach that works to do exactly this. It shows promise in reducing re-admission rates which can ultimately save money for the health care system.?

The program provides city-wide mobile intensive case management for people with frequent re-admissions to a withdrawal management system ? 10 or more in a year ? and and/or hospital emergency departments ? 20 or more in a year.

?Many of these patients cycle between jail, the shelter system, withdrawl management and hospitals,? Dr. Stergiopoulos said. ?They can?t access services, and the services are not helpful because many of them only accept patients who are at a different place in the recovery process. The TCAT works on strength-based principles and supports people from a harm reduction orientation. The program is uniquely focused on empowering the client by promoting respect and dignity so they can make their own choices.?

Dr. Stergiopoulos led the program evaluation, published online in the journal Substance Use and Misuse this month.

Based on interviews with clients and a review of records from the Withdrawal Management System, the results found a statistically significant decreases in service use, alcohol and drug use. Clients also described increased access to primary and psychiatric care and increased collaboration with various stakeholders within the wider system of care.

Dr. Stergiopoulos said the goal is to divert care for these patients from a place like the emergency department to the community because it can improve outcomes for both the patients and the system.

?This model worked well in the city of Toronto, and may be considered in other large urban centres that face similar challenges with frequent service users who have alcohol and drug related problems, often complicated by homelessness and lack of support and resources,? she said.

?Targeting Frequent Health Care Users With Severe Addictions?

Source: http://www.tammyshealtharticles.com/targeting-frequent-health-care-users-with-severe-addictions/

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Samsung plans to launch 65-, 55-inch 4K TVs in June

When Samsung unveiled its first 4K Ultra HD TV at CES this year, it said other sizes would follow, both larger and smaller than the initial 85-inch version. Now it's apparently ready to fulfill part of that promise, announcing in Korea that 65- and 55-inch models will launch next month. Of course our next question is how these smaller models will compare to the $39,999 MSRP 85S9 UHD TV in price. Hopefully they'll follow the path blazed by Sony, which recently introduced models at that size with pricing well below the $10,000 benchmark, although we expect Seiki's 50-incher will still hold the crown for value pricing. The press release mentions they will feature Samsung's upgradeable Smart TV platform and the "micro dimming ultimate" LED lighting of their larger cousin, but the odd "Timeless Gallery" frame / stand (pictured above on the 85-incher) was not listed.

Filed under: Displays, Home Entertainment, HD, Samsung

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Source: Korea Newswire

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/05/19/samsung-4k-55-65-inch-june/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget

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Arduino Yun weds Arduino, WiFi and linux at Maker Faire 2013

The Arduino Robot wasn't the only interesting product the Italian company launched at Maker Faire this past weekend. Arduino Yún combines a Leonardo board (featuring Atmel's ATmega32u4) with a MIPS-based WiFi SoC (Atheros AR9331) running Limino (an OpenWRT / linux derivative). It includes everything you'd expect from a Leonardo board plus WiFi, wired Ethernet, a USB host port and a microSD card slot. The Arduino side can be programmed wirelessly and communicates with the WiFi SoC via SPI and UART interfaces using the new Bridge Library, which delegates networking to the linux side. Out of the box, the board behaves just like any standard WiFi access point with a full web interface -- it even allows SSH access. Arduino Yún is the first of a family of WiFI-enabled products and will be available late June for $69. Check out the gallery below for some closeup shots, and follow the source for more details.

Gallery: Arduino Yu?n at Maker Faire 2013

Filed under: Misc, Wireless

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Source: Arduino blog

Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/FiIAQrfYf8w/

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Two men charged with killing Malcolm X grandson

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Two men arrested in the fatal beating of the grandson of U.S. civil rights activist Malcolm X were sent to prison on Saturday to await trial, a Mexico City court spokesman said.

David Hernandez and Manuel Perez, waiters at the Palace nightclub near Mexico City's popular Garibaldi Square, face charges of murder and robbery, the official said.

Malcolm Shabazz, who police have said was 29, died May 9 at the Palace after a dispute over a $1,200 bill. Hernandez and Perez were arrested on Monday.

Shabazz, who was convicted of manslaughter as a 12-year-old for setting a fire that killed his grandmother and went to prison as an adult for attempted robbery, was in Mexico City to visit Miguel Suarez, an immigration activist who was recently deported from the United States. Shabazz

On the night of May 8 Shabazz and Suarez visited the run-down area around Plaza Garibaldi, a popular tourist area where Mariachi music groups play on the streets amid seedy strip clubs, dive bars and bordellos.

Despite its proximity to the city's grand colonial center, the area is infamous for petty crime.

Malcolm X was a civil rights activist and leader of the black Muslim movement in the United States. He was shot to death before a speaking appearance in New York City in 1965.

(Reporting by Elinor Comlay; Editing by Bill Trott)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/two-men-charged-killing-malcolm-x-grandson-005812484.html

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Teen's invention could charge your phone in 20 seconds

innovation

John Roach NBC News

22 hours ago

Intel

Eesha Khare, 18, of Saratoga, Calif., received the Intel Foundation Young Scientist Award of $50,000 for the invention of a tiny energy-storage device.

Waiting hours for a cellphone to charge may become a thing of the past, thanks to an 18-year-old high-school student's invention. She won a $50,000 prize Friday at an international science fair for creating an energy storage device that can be fully juiced in 20 to 30 seconds.

The fast-charging device is a so-called supercapacitor, a gizmo that can pack a lot of energy into a tiny space, charges quickly and holds its charge for a long time.

What's more, it can last for 10,000 charge-recharge cycles, compared with 1,000 cycles for conventional rechargeable batteries, according to Eesha Khare of Saratoga, Calif.

"My cellphone battery always dies," she told NBC News when asked what inspired her to work on the energy-storage technology. Supercapacitors also allowed her to focus on her interest in nanochemistry ? "really working at the nanoscale to make significant advances in many different fields."

To date, she has used the supercapacitor to power a light-emitting diode, or LED. The invention's future is even brighter. She sees it fitting inside cellphones and the other portable electronic devices that are proliferating in today's world, freeing people and their gadgets for a longer time from reliance on electrical outlets.

"It is also flexible, so it can be used in rollup displays and clothing and fabric," Khare added. "It has a lot of different applications and advantages over batteries in that sense."

Khare's invention won her the Intel Foundation Young Scientist Award at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, conducted this week in Phoenix, Ariz. For more information about the event and other prize winners, check out our earlier coverage.

John Roach is a contributing writer for NBC News. To learn more about him, visit his website.

Source: http://feeds.nbcnews.com/c/35002/f/653377/s/2c191655/l/0L0Snbcnews0N0Ctechnology0Cteens0Einvention0Ecould0Echarge0Eyour0Ephone0E20A0Eseconds0E1C9977955/story01.htm

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The Basics of Online Marketing Explained ? World Internet Summit ...

Online marketing is a fairly new concept in terms of business success. It is however, an extremely vital and highly important part of any successful businesses strategy in today?s fast paced and competitive market. It has become such an important part of business, that it is estimated that any business not actively employing an Online marketing strategy will fail in under three years.

So what are the basics of Online marketing?

Online marketing is an ever-growing, ever-changing landscape that continues to expand and evolve. It is therefore difficult to explain in a few short sentences what it actually consists of. It can however be broken down into three main categories, these are SEO & link building, Pay Per Click Advertising and Social Media marketing.

SEO and link building

Search Engine Optimisation, or SEO as it is more commonly known, is the foundation of any successful Online marketing campaign. When a website is created, it needs to be optimised in order to rank well within the search engines. By taking the time when you first create your website, to optimise it, you will benefit in the long run. Search engines are updated and changed on almost a weekly basis. These changes affect the way in which they rank and index websites within the search results pages. It is the job of an Online Marketer to keep up to date with these changes and ensure that when optimising a website they adhere and meet the criteria of these ranking factors. Once a site is optimised, an online marketer will then begin to build links towards that site. links are basically votes from other websites that your website is both relevant and of high quality. This is a strong ranking factor and something that all search engines look favourably upon.

Pay Per Click Advertising

Pay Per Click Advertising, or ppc, is another form of Online marketing which can be used to strengthen and improve any marketing strategy. ppc is often seen as a quick but short term approach to organic ranking, as it allows websites to appear at the top of the search results pages instantly. How it works is by allowing marketers and businesses the chance to bid on certain keywords. When users type these keywords into a search engine, an advertisement is then placed at the top, side or bottom of the results page. When a user clicks on these Ad?s a small fee is charged. ppc can be a great way of generating traffic and conversions, but must be done correctly in order to perform optimally and as cheap as possible.

Social Media marketing

Social Media marketing has only really been around for the past couple of years as websites such as facebook, Twitter and Google+ have grown. These sites have literally changed the way in which people use the internet and have become a powerful tool for marketers. The main benefit of Social Media marketing is the ability to target, engage and share content, products and information with the world, in a quick and very accessible manner. As the search engines adapt and evolve, it is certain that we will begin to see social signals beginning to directly affect the way in which websites are ranked within the search engine results pages.

These are just three core practices of Online marketing, but will hopefully explain in simple terms what is involved. If you own or are looking to start a business or a website, then you should be putting a lot of thought towards your Online marketing strategy.

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Source: http://worldinternetsummitspeakers.com/blog/9809/the-basics-of-online-marketing-explained/

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Samsung on track to become top home appliances maker

LAS VEGAS (Reuters) - South Korea's Samsung Electronics Co said it is on course to achieve its goal of becoming the world's top home appliances maker by 2015, with sales growing an estimated 50 percent by then.

Samsung Electronics, which makes more chips, flat-screens, handsets and TVs than any of its competitors - including the world's best-selling smartphone - is aiming to boost its home appliance segment and narrow the gap with companies including Whirlpool Corp and Electrolux AB.

"I'm confident of Samsung becoming the world's top appliances maker by 2015 with $18 billion sales, as we set up a very well structured framework for key products and moving step by step to the goal, first starting with fridges," Yoon Boo-keun, president of the division, told Reuters in an interview at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas on Monday.

Analysts estimate Samsung Electronics earned around 13 trillion won ($12 billion) last year from home appliances, part of the firm's consumer electronics arm.

Samsung Electronics would ditch unprofitable product lines and boost research into consumer tastes across different markets, Yoon said.

"It's a business that can ensure steady cash flow with little earnings fluctuation, once you have a proper system in place," Yoon said. "It's not dull at all and has great potential to become Samsung's next earnings driver."

MR TV AIMS FOR GROWTH

Yoon, who was head of Samsung's TV business until 2011, was put in charge of the thin-margin home appliance division a year ago with a mission to match the TV outfit's success.

Known as Mr. TV, he had a pivotal role in ending Japan's more than three decades of leadership in the global TV industry in 2006.

"We see lots of opportunities in the appliances segment but we didn't strongly grow the business - simply, it didn't get proper treatment," Yoon said after unveiling a new four-door Internet-connected fridge at the electronics show.

His remarks come only hours after Samsung Electronics said it likely earned a record quarterly operating profit of $8.3 billion, aided by roaring sales of smartphones.

Samsung's CE division is estimated to have earned around 13 trillion won ($12.22 billion) of revenue in the fourth quarter, or roughly a quarter of its total revenue.

TV sales generally account for around 70 percent of CE performance, and the rest comes from selling appliances such as fridges, ovens and laundry, according to analysts. Samsung does not provide breakdowns.

It's been a low-margin business compared with smartphones, which generate around 25 percent of margin, and the division's operating profit contribution is estimated at around 4 percent.

Yoon also said Samsung, the world's top maker of TVs, was aiming to sell 55 million flat-screen TVs this year, up from 51 million last year, even as the industry is set to remain stagnant due to the weak global economy.

Betting large TVs with over 65-inch screen sizes will lead the growth, Samsung Electronics unveiled three models of ultra high-definition (HD) TVs that boast four times better picture quality than full HD models.

ACQUISITIONS IN MEDICAL SECTOR

Yoon also heads Samsung's corporate design centre and oversees the medical equipment business, which was added to the consumer electronics division this year.

Samsung Electronics acquired a controlling stake in Korean ultrasound equipment firm Medison in 2010 and its affiliate later for around $300 million in total, its biggest ever acquisition in the healthcare industry.

Yoon expected sales from its medical devices would reach $500 million this year, up from $300 million last year, and will grow with the acquisition of companies that make MRI scanners and computed tomography machines.

Samsung Electronics has said it plans to spend 1.2 trillion won in the medical equipment business by 2020 to make it a $10 billion operation by then.

In the long run, Samsung Electronics aims to become a global healthcare leader, taking on GE, Philips, Hitachi, Toshiba and Siemens. ($1 = 1064.0000 Korean won)

(Reporting by Miyoung Kim; Editing by Stephen Coates and Ryan Woo)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/samsung-track-become-top-home-appliances-maker-043604344--finance.html

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Qualcomm's Paul Jacobs: too early to call the game on Windows Phone

This shouldn't come as a surprise after Steve Ballmer crashed the Qualcomm CES keynote yesterday, but at a follow-up briefing earlier today, the latter's CEO Paul Jacobs reiterated his support for Windows Phone. The exec said "it's too early to call the game" on Microsoft's mobile OS, and emphasized that he "never counted Microsoft out" as it has a lot of resources plus benefits, especially with the tie-in with its enterprise software and Xbox. "It is growing, they are gaining traction. When you use the devices they work well. That's pretty key," said Jacobs. Well, we're certainly fans of the Snapdragon-powered HTC 8X and Lumia 920, so we shall see.

Filed under: Misc

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/uVG69g3b96Q/

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Nutrisystem improves arterial function in obese, postmenopausal women, study finds

Jan. 8, 2013 ? Arturo Figueroa, a researcher in the Florida State University College of Human Sciences, has confirmed with a team of researchers that Nutrisystem, with or without low intense resistance exercise, improves arterial function in obese, postmenopausal women.

In the study, "Effects of Diet and/or Low-Intensity Resistance Exercise Training on Arterial Stiffness, Adiposity and Lean Mass In Obese Postmenopausal Women," Figueroa and his colleagues were able to demonstrate that a hypocaloric diet may be recommended to reduce the increase in arterial stiffness associated with menopause and obesity. The study was published Jan. 7 in the American Journal of Hypertension.

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in postmenopausal women. Risk factors for cardiovascular disease include obesity and hypertension, and are associated with increased arterial stiffness.

"The public health impact of hardened or stiff arteries in women is under-appreciated, and does not receive the attention of other cardiovascular risk factors," said Figueroa, an associate professor in Florida State's Department of Nutrition, Food and Exercise Sciences.

Figueroa's study examined whether the combination of a hypocaloric diet and low intensity resistance exercise can be associated with greater improvements in arterial stiffness and body composition, compared against each of the treatments on their own in overweight or obese postmenopausal women. His team studied 41 participants, each of which was assigned to one of three treatment groups: low intensity resistance exercise therapy, a hypocaloric diet, or a combination of both.

Nutrisystem was used for the hypocaloric diet in this study, providing a pre-packaged, structured meal program to the participants. The exercise program consisted of four leg exercises at low intensity, requiring approximately 30 minutes per session.

"The purpose of this study was to combine two practical interventions for this group of women," said Dr. Bruce Daggy, a co-investigator on the study and the chief science officer of Nutrisystem. "Nutrisystem is readily available by home delivery, is easy to follow, and includes support tools for individuals on the program. Likewise, low intensity resistance exercise is something that almost everyone can do. It's not necessary to own the specific equipment used in this study."

It was noted that 39 percent of the women studied were class II or III obesity, which is associated with a higher risk of mortality.

Figueroa's team ultimately found that the key to arterial health in obese postmenopausal women is in diet -- specifically, a hypocaloric program such as the one offered by Nutrisystem. Pressure waves generated by contraction of the heart muscle travel faster through stiff arteries, because stiff arteries are not able to expand outward. Sensors placed on the subject can detect changes in pulse velocity that result from treatment. The researchers observed improvements in arterial stiffness with diet alone. The findings also indicate that there is an early effect of diet on leg arterial stiffness that influences brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity, a marker of central arterial stiffness. This reduction in arterial stiffness can be considered to have a positive influence on cardiovascular function.

The study also demonstrated an average weight loss of 5.8 percent (5.1kg) in the group that received the hypocaloric diet, due primarily to a reduction in body fat mass in the abdominal region.

"The results were very pleasing to witness and could be translated to practice rather easily," Figueroa said. "The key may be in ensuring adherence to these recommendations, and a structured diet can help in this regard by taking away the guesswork."

Another key finding was that the addition of low intensity resistance exercise to a hypocaloric diet can preserve lean mass. The researchers believe they have demonstrated this for the first time. The researchers also confirm the potential therapeutic value of this form of exercise in obese individuals who are unable or unwilling to perform high intensity resistance exercise therapy. Maintaining muscle mass and strength is another import health goal in older women.

All participants in this study were non-smokers, in absence of menstruation for at least 1 year, and pre- or stage 1-hypertension aside from being obese. The study was supported by Nutrisystem.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Florida State University. The original article was written by Jeffery Seay.

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

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Journal Reference:

1. Arturo Figueroa, Florence Vicil, Marcos Angel Sanchez-Gonzalez, Alexei Wong, Michael J Ormsbee, Shirin Hooshmand, Bruce Daggy. Effects of Diet and/or Low-Intensity Resistance Exercise Training on Arterial Stiffness, Adiposity, and Lean Mass in Obese Postmenopausal Women. American Journal of Hypertension, 2013; DOI: 10.1093/ajh/hps050

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

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

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/health_medicine/nutrition/~3/r135jyTJzmg/130108091753.htm

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She's Almost There: Amber Rose Throws A Baby Shower

Posted by By Miss Bernie J on Jan 7, 2013 in News

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This past weekend, Amber Rose was joined by friends, including Christiana Mlian and Toccara Jones, as she celebrated her baby-shower.

Amber, who shared the photos on Instagram, wrote on Twitter: ?We had a good ol down home baby shower today.?No Papz, No booshiness just Fun, Friends, Family, Food & Good times #DownHomePhillyGirl.?

Amber is due to give birth by the end of February.

Also in attendance was her unborn son?s father Wiz Khlifa. Judging by the lack of famous faces in the photo below, it?s safe to say she kept simple and hype-free.

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Source: http://missberniej.com/news/shes-almost-there-amber-rose-throws-a-baby-shower/

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Asset allocation in a Blueprint real estate investing portfolio - Signature

As more and more investors come to the consensus that a well-crafted real estate investing strategy can help them achieve their financial goals (even the R word itself: Retirement) a fundamental question arises: How should you allocate your real estate holdings within a Blueprint real estate portfolio? Now, the whole notion of ?allocation? within a portfolio containing 100% real estate assets may come across as unnecessary. But keep in mind that even in an ?all-stock? investment portfolio, there are different types of stocks that bring different returns (and their accompanying risks) to the portfolio. In much the same way, different real estate assets bring different benefits and risks to a real estate portfolio.

Standard assets

These properties are consistent performers and reliable money makers: They are easy to lease and keep leased. Their weakness is that they don?t offer much in the way of property appreciation. Typically they follow the appreciation curve of the overall market or come just under it. These assets offer higher returns for moderate risk. They are recently built (under six years) or new properties located in areas that aren?t yet established to their full potential. Remember, if an area is already popular, it?s already too late for real estate investors. That train has already left the station ? prices have risen to the level where price to rent ratios no longer allow for reasonable returns.

Approximate returns for this category of assets: Cash on cash returns of 15%+ and Internal rate of return of 17-18%. Prices range from $100k-$150k?

Premium assets

These properties are typically located in established and highly desirable neighborhoods. They offer moderate returns for lower risk when compared to the standard category. There is always high tenant demand for these properties which results in rising rents over time. They tend to be well cared for, older homes ?(10-20 years old). Their strength is that they offer higher than overall real estate market appreciation so whatever they lack in cashflow returns they tend to make up on value increase over time.

Approximate returns for this category of assets: Cash on cash returns of 10%+ and Internal rate of return of 12-13%. Prices range from $150k-$200k?

Note: There are some properties that have no place in a long term real estate investor?s portfolio, regardless of the ?outstanding? returns they appear to offer. The reason their ?paper returns? are so high is due to the fact that their extremely high risk is ?baked into? that return. That risk often takes the form of a property located in a rough neighborhood with high crime rates, low school quality, higher turnover and eviction rates and property damage from defaulting tenants. These assets are the real estate equivalent of penny stocks. Just say no and thank me later.

So back to the big question: What types of assets should be part of your real estate portfolio and how should they be allocated?

If you just purchase 100% standard assets, you will have good cashflow and return on investment but you won?t be able to take advantage of appreciation waves to the extent that you should. If instead, you purchase a portfolio full of premium properties, you would be relying heavily on appreciation to accomplish your goals. Without appreciation, the cashflow produced may not be enough to get you over the finish line within your investment?time frame and that just smells a little too much like speculation for my taste.

The optimal solution is to own a combination of the two asset types within your portfolio so you can have the best of both worlds: Solid returns and appreciation.?The exact allocation will depend on the goals of the investor, their available?time frame?for investing and their income level.

• Investors with short?time frames?to retirement (under 5 years) more than anything else need all the cashflow they can muster during their short capital base growth?stage. They don?t have the luxury of time to wait for appreciation. These investors have no other choice but to build a portfolio made up of 100% standard properties.
• Investors with medium?time frames?to retirement (5-9 years) need a portfolio weighed heavily towards standard assets but should add some premium properties in the mix to take advantage of value appreciation. Exact percentages will vary with each individual investor?s situation but a good rule of thumb in this case would be a 80% standard, 20% premium allocation of assets within their portfolio.
• Last, investors with long timeframes to retirement( 10-15 or more years) do have times on their side so in their situation it makes financial sense for them to add even more premium properties. Generally we advise these investors to adopt a 65% standard, 35% premium allocation of assets within their portfolio.

When I bring up appreciation in a conversation with a client, they always have a conflicted look on their face. After all, I?ve just finished telling them moments ago, that we don?t account for any appreciation in our cashflow analyses for potential acquisitions. So now, why are ?we even concerned with appreciation?

Appreciation is an elusive and manipulative animal. It?s hard to empirically quantify how much appreciation an area is likely to experience (if any) and when. As such, we cannot build our analysis based on a factor that may or may not come into play. But understand one thing - normal appreciation is an innate characteristic of real estate assets. It?s common sense: The cost of materials and labor to build new homes goes up every year in response to inflation. So the same property will cost more to build in 10 years than it does today. Home builders are in business to make money and they can?t make money unless they sell their homes for more than what it costs to build them. So therefore, the same home should cost more in 10 years than it does today ? it?s just plain economics. So why should that matter to a real estate investor? Well, let?s look at the arithmetic. Say you purchase a 125,000 property and you invest 25,000 of your capital as a 20% down payment. If the value of that property appreciates by 10% to 137,500, your return on investment from that appreciation is 50%! That?s due to leverage- since your investment in the property is $25k, a $12.5k increase in value represents a 50% return - in addition to any cashflow returns you might have enjoyed that year. That?s why it?s a big deal and that?s why you should purchase assets that have the potential to capture it in your portfolio if your investing situation allows it.

Are you looking to build a real estate investment portfolio that can get you from where you are to where you want to be in the future? I can help so don?t hesitate to call my cell at 713-922-2702 or if you prefer email head over to our Contact page

Dave Dugdale via Compfight

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Source: http://signaturehouston.com/investing/asset-allocation-in-a-blueprint-real-estate-portfolio/

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