Mereja

Author: Serkadis

  • An Answer To The Impending Bankruptcy Of Social Security: An Immigration Brain Gain

    As the baby boomers start to retire en masse, one of the fears is that the US will struggle to continue to fund Social Security. Though originally projected to become cash flow negative by 2016, it looks like Social Security will reach that mark this year, hastened by the early retirement taken by many boomers as a result of the global recession. Robert Reich, former Secretary of Labor under President Clinton, proposes a potential solution to the impending crisis: immigration. The way Reich puts it, the nation’s workers all put into the system to support the retirees — but the increasing number of retirees is outpacing the growth of the American workforce:


    Forty years ago there were five workers for every retiree. Now there are three. Within a couple of decades, there will be only two workers per retiree. There’s no way just two workers will be able or willing to pay enough payroll taxes to keep benefits flowing to every retiree.

    So, to correct this demographic imbalance, Reich proposes that the US opens itself up for more immigration:


    Get it? One logical way to deal with the crisis of funding Social Security and Medicare is to have more workers per retiree, and the simplest way to do that is to allow more immigrants into the United States.

    Easier said than done, perhaps. Faced with a global recession and high unemployment levels, it will be easy to find critics who will vehemently argue that there are not enough jobs here for American workers. Reich refutes this with a simple claim that “once the American economy recovers, there will be.” He may be right, but he could have done a more convincing job. Reich misses an opportunity to explain that bringing a fresh wave of skilled, smart immigrants into this country actually creates more jobs. Jobs are a not a zero-sum game — studies have shown that an increase of H-1B visas resulted in an increase in jobs. And as we’ve pointed out before, there are also suggestions like the startup visa that attempts to attract immigrants who would create jobs.

    Immigration policy will almost certainly need to be included as a part of any solution to the impending Social Security shortfall. Without addressing immigration at all, the options are much more limited — focusing mainly on cutbacks or higher taxes. An option that could help grow the economy should not be left off the table.

    Permalink | Comments | Email This Story





  • 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee will kick off Chrysler turnaround

    While many automakers are turning to the compact vehicle segment to improve their brand image, Chrysler is taking a different approach.

    To see how Fiat SpA is doing at its job of managing Auburn Hills automaker Chrysler, keep a look out for the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee. Ready to go on sale in June, the Jeep Grand Cherokee will prove that Chrysler had made changes in repairing its poor quality and subpar fuel-economy image. Chrysler Group and Fiat SpA CEO Sergio Marchionne has repeatedly said that Chrysler won’t turn around until the new 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee hits showrooms.

    “It would be an understatement to say that the SUV segment isn’t a growth segment anymore. It has migrated to a more sensible, calmer personality, and that in itself is the real trouble for Jeep,” said Erich Merkle, president of the consulting company Autoconomy.com in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

    Nonetheless, Jeep brand CEO Mike Manley isn’t worried. He says that Jeep customers are among the most loyal and that Jeep sales rose 5 percent worldwide in the first quarter of 2010 while the company faced a 2 percent drop.

    Click here for more news on the Jeep Grand Cherokee.

    2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee:

    – By: Omar Rana

    Source: Detroit News


  • iPhone OS: Where the Delete Key Belongs

    After almost four years of obsessive iPhone typing, we have grown accustomed to its keyboard. When the iPad was released, things changed.

    After a week of testing the iPad it became clear that the iPad has the Delete key in the correct place and the iPhone doesn’t. In fact, the iPad’s placement feels so natural that now when I try to type text messages on the iPhone, I constantly accidentally send texts early while attempting to delete a character. The iPhone is the only device in my routine that has a confusing Delete key location. Check out the screenshots below to see what I mean.

    What do you think? Has your experience been similar?

    iPad

    Wireless keyboard

    iPhone

  • This is the Vectorman that could have been on the PS2

    Vectorman had a good run back in the Mega Drive/Genesis days, but it could have gotten another run at glory in the PS2. Unfortunately, the project was canned, and the only way the name Vectorman got into

  • Video: Lights Out – Indy driver traces track blindfolded

    Filed under: ,


    Click above to watch the video after the jump

    Up and coming IRL IndyCar Series driver Simona De Silvestro is young, talented and among the few women in racing. Those three attributes can make a driver very attractive to both sponsors and the media at large, but a fourth attribute may make her a better driver.

    De Silvestro apparently has an excellent memory, and she isn’t afraid to show it. The new IRL driver showed off her knowledge of the Barber Motorsports track in Alabama by giving the world of YouTube a virtual tour of the track. De Silvestro used a marker to trace a black on white image of the track while explaining what happens on each turn and straight. Any driver worth his or her salt could do that, right? Perhaps, but De Silvestro accomplished this feat while wearing a blindfold. And to make sure her blind tracing skills were more than just a fluke, the Swiss racer mapped the course twice. Hit the jump to watch the impressive feat for yourself.

    [Source: YouTube]

    Continue reading Video: Lights Out – Indy driver traces track blindfolded

    Video: Lights Out – Indy driver traces track blindfolded originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 20 Apr 2010 09:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

    Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

  • Toyota aceita pagar a multa milionária para o governo norte-americano


    Depois que a Toyota recebeu o comunicado do Departamento de Transportes dos EUA sobre a multa de US$ 16.4 milhões por causa da demora em realizar o recall que afetou milhares de veículos com o problema no acelerador. A Toyota está enfrentando várias ações judiciais relacionadas a danos ao consumidor e também por acidentes e mortes por causa do problema de aceleração dos carros.

    A multa milionária imposta contra a Toyota teve a chance de ser disputada até o dia 5 de abril, mas a montadora japonesa não o fez, agora terá que pagar para os cofres norte-americanos a maior multa imposta pela NHTSA.

    Ainda assim, existe a chance da Toyota pagar mais algumas multas, uma vez que a NHTSA alegou que os pedais fornecidos pela Toyota tinham dois defeitos separados que necessitavam de dois consertos diferentes. Mais um motivo para o governo norte-americano cuidar dos cofres públicos facilmente seus cidadãos.

    Via | 4Wheels News


  • First Look: April 20

    Sit up straight. Don’t cross your arms when I’m talking to you. Look me in the eye. It turns out our mothers were right when they told us to quit slouching. Open, expansive body language, as opposed to slumped shoulders and downcast eyes, not only projects more self-confidence and an upbeat mood; it creates them, too. A forthcoming article in Psychological Science coauthored by HBS professor Amy J.C. Cuddy tells how experiments using a near-equal number of male and female participants indicate that hormones controlling feelings of power are activated after just a few minutes of good posture.

    “By simply changing one’s physical posture, an individual prepares his or her mental and physiological systems to endure difficult and stressful situations, and perhaps to actually improve confidence and performance in such situations—such as interviewing for jobs, public speaking, disagreeing with a boss, or taking potentially profitable risks,” Cuddy et al. write in “Power Posing: Brief Nonverbal Displays Affect Neuroendocrine Levels and Risk Tolerance.” Sounds like an idea to embrace.

    Other faculty research this week: “Pension Fund Design in Developing Economies” [PDF] by Luis M. Viceira looks at ways to improve the design and effectiveness of defined contribution plans. And Andrei Hagiu’s case study “The Last DVD Format War?” focuses on strategic decision-making in the standards battle between HD DVD and Blu-ray optical disc formats.

    — Martha Lagace

    Working Papers

    Commodity Chains: What Can We Learn from a Business History of the Rubber Chain? (1870-1910)

    Author: Felipe Tâmega Fernandes
    Abstract

    The literature on the rubber boom applied a dependendist view of rubber production in the Brazilian Amazon. Even though a sizable surplus was generated in the rubber chain, it was mostly appropriated by foreigners. This view is in tune with the global commodity chain approach that argues that manufacturing/core economies absorb the bulk of surplus generated in the commodity chain. This paper challenges both frameworks and asks for a more careful examination of the business history of commodity chains: it is a first step in this direction through an analysis of the relationship between two nodes of the rubber chain.

    Download the paper: http://www.hbs.edu/research/pdf/10-089.pdf

    Publications

    Beauty Imagined: A History of the Global Beauty Industry

    Author: Geoffrey Jones
    Publication: Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press, 2010
    Abstract

    The global beauty business permeates our lives, influencing how we perceive ourselves and what it is to be beautiful. The brands and firms that have shaped this industry, such as Avon, Coty, Estée Lauder, L’Oreal, and Shiseido, have imagined beauty for us. This book provides the first authoritative history of the global beauty industry from its emergence in the nineteenth century to the present day, exploring how today’s global giants grew. It shows how successive generations of entrepreneurs built brands that shaped perceptions of beauty and the business organizations needed to market them. They democratized access to beauty products, once the privilege of elites, but they also defined the gender and ethnic borders of beauty, and its association with a handful of cities, notably Paris and later New York. The result was a homogenization of beauty ideals throughout the world. Today globalization is changing the beauty industry again; its impact can be seen in a range of competing strategies. Global brands have swept into China, Russia, and India, but at the same time, these brands are having to respond to a far greater diversity of cultures and lifestyles as new markets are opened up worldwide. In the twenty-first century, beauty is again being reimagined anew.

    Order this book: http://www.amazon.com/Beauty-Imagined-History-Global-Business/dp/0199556490

    Power Posing: Brief Nonverbal Displays Affect Neuroendocrine Levels and Risk Tolerance

    Authors: Dana R. Carney, Amy J.C. Cuddy, and Andy J. Yap
    Publication: Psychological Science (forthcoming)
    Abstract

    Humans and other animals express power through open, expansive postures and powerlessness through closed, constrictive postures. But can these postures actually cause power? As predicted, results revealed that posing in high-power (vs. low-power) nonverbal displays caused neuroendocrine and behavioral changes for both male and female participants: high-power posers experienced elevations in testosterone, decreases in cortisol, and increased feelings of power and tolerance for risk; low-power posers exhibited the opposite pattern. In short, posing in powerful displays caused advantaged and adaptive psychological, physiological, and behavioral changes—findings that suggest that embodiment extends beyond mere thinking and feeling to physiology and subsequent behavioral choices. That a person can, via a simple two-minute pose, embody power and instantly become more powerful has real-world, actionable implications.

    Download the paper: http://www.people.hbs.edu/acuddy/in%20press,%20carney,%20cuddy,%20&%20yap,%20psych%20science.pdf

    Telegraphs—Shrinking Economic Distances? A Preliminary Enquiry, 1870s-1912

    Author: Felipe Tâmega Fernandes
    Publication: Business Archives: Sources & History, no. 99 (November 2009)
    Abstract

    This is a very preliminary report on sources and data for my research on telegraphs. Telegraphs are usually analyzed in the context of railway expansion, and the literature has somewhat neglected the role of telegraphic communication for the development of steamship navigation. Telegraphs meant that the owners of a cargo ship could communicate with its captain whenever it reached a certain port, and shippers could keep track of their shipments. Since steamships were very costly to build and operate, cable communication would then allow profitability as ships could be continuously transporting full loads of cargo. Without a cable connection in the port, it would have been difficult for ship owners to maximize their profitability and hence fewer steamships would have touched that port. It is possible then that telegraphic communication was at the heart of diminishing transport costs across the Atlantic. Despite the alleged importance of telegraphs, there are very few works published on their economic history.

    Download the paper: http://people.hbs.edu/ffernandes/TELEGRAPHS.pdf

    (When) Are Religious People Nicer? Religious Salience and the ‘Sunday Effect’ on Pro-social Behavior

    Author: Deepak Malhotra
    Publication: Judgment and Decision Making (in press)
    Abstract

    Prior research has found mixed evidence for the long-theorized link between religiosity and pro-social behavior. To help overcome this divergence, we hypothesize that pro-social behavior is linked not to religiosity per se, but rather to the salience of religion and religious norms. We report on a field experiment that examines when auction participants will respond to an appeal to continue bidding for secular charitable causes. The results reveal that religious individuals are more likely than non-religious individuals to respond to an appeal for charity only on days that they visit their place of worship; on other days of the week, religiosity has no effect. Notably, the result persists after controlling for a host of factors that may influence bidding, but disappears when the appeal for charity is replaced by an appeal to bid for other reasons. Implications for the link between religion and pro-social behavior are discussed.

    The Evolution of Science-Based Business: Innovating How We Innovate

    Author: Gary P. Pisano
    Publication: Special Issue on Management Innovation-Essays in the Spirit of Alfred D. Chandler
    Industrial and Corporate Change 19, no. 2 (2010): 465-482.
    Abstract

    Science has long been connected to innovation and to business. As early as the late 19th century, chemical companies, realizing the commercial potential of science, created the first industrial research laboratories. During much of the 20th century, large-scale business enterprises like DuPont, GE, Westinghouse, IBM, Kodak, Xerox (PARC), and AT&T (Bell Laboratories) created in-house labs capable of first-rate basic scientific research. In recent decades, however, the connection between science and business has begun to change in important ways. While the corporate lab declined, new “science-based businesses” in sectors like biotech, nanotech, and energy emerged. Universities also became active players in the commercialization of science. In short, science has become a business. This essay examines the institutional and organizational challenges created by this convergence of science and business through a Chandlerian lens. It highlights three fundamental challenges of science-based businesses: 1) managing and rewarding long-term risk, 2) integrating across technical disciplines, and 3) learning. Whereas these challenges were once managed inside the boundaries of corporate R&D labs—under the auspices of Chandler’s visible hand—today the invisible hand of markets increasingly governs them. An assessment of this form of governance against the requirements of science-based businesses suggests a gap and a need for organizational innovation.

    Download the paper: http://icc.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/dtq013?ijkey=WB7zzaO3bsqcw4t&keytype=ref

    Pension Fund Design in Developing Economies

    Author: Luis M. Viceira
    Publication: In Evaluating the Financial Performance of Pension Funds, edited by Richard Hinz, Heinz P. Rudolph, Pablo Antolin, and Juna Yermo. The World Bank, 2010.

    An abstract is unavailable at this time.

    Download the paper: http://www.people.hbs.edu/lviceira/Optimal%20Portfolios.pdf

    Toyota Was in Denial. How About You?

    Author: Richard Tedlow
    Publication: Business Week, April 8, 2010

    An abstract is unavailable at this time.

    Read the article: http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/10_16/b4174076731775.htm?chan=magazine+channel_business+views

    Cases & Course Materials

    Foxwoods: Turning Data into Insights in the Hospitality Industry

    Lynda M. Applegate and Deborah Soule
    Harvard Business School Case 810-083

    This case describes how an IT director identified an opportunity and implemented an innovative business solution designed to enable line managers and executives to convert data to information to insights. The case also details how the company partnered with an emerging technology start-up, Netezza.

    Purchase this case:
    http://cb.hbsp.harvard.edu/cb/product/810083-PDF-ENG

    Leading Change at Simmons (E)

    Amy C. Edmondson and Susan Thyne
    Harvard Business School Supplement 610-061

    This case updates the “Leading Change at Simmons” series by examining Simmons’ increasing debt under the ownership of Thomas H. Lee, a private equity firm. Charlie Eitel, the former CEO, wonders what the company’s, and his, legacy will be after declaring bankruptcy despite a cultural turnaround and successful operations.

    Purchase this supplement:
    http://cb.hbsp.harvard.edu/cb/product/610061-PDF-ENG

    The Last DVD Format War?

    Andrei Hagiu
    Harvard Business School Case 710-443

    Provides a brief overview of the standards battle between HD-DVD and Blu-ray, focusing on the events that precipitated the Blu-ray victory in early 2008.

    Purchase this case:
    http://cb.hbsp.harvard.edu/cb/product/710443-PDF-ENG

    Hospital for Special Surgery (C): Continuing Challenges of Growth

    Regina E. Herzlinger
    Harvard Business School Supplement 310-077

    After its successful new U.K. venture, the Hospital for Special Surgery wants to do more of the same, without decimating its core New York City facility. The case provides considerable details about the different options it is exploring.

    Purchase this supplement:
    http://cb.hbsp.harvard.edu/cb/product/310077-PDF-ENG

    Local Motors: Designed by the Crowd, Built by the Customer

    Michael I. Norton and Jeremy B. Dann
    Harvard Business School Case 510-062

    In the wake of the meltdown among U.S. auto manufacturers in 2009, Jay Rogers, CEO of Local Motors, has a new approach for the automotive industry: decide which models are produced through online design competitions, and then allow customers to “build their own cars” from the winning designs. The case focuses on two key issues: Can Local Motors build a thriving online design community at a reasonable cost? And can customers be convinced to add their own sweat and labor to the manufacturing process? The case is written from the perspective of a start-up company seeking funding while trying to implement a novel business concept.

    Purchase this case:
    http://cb.hbsp.harvard.edu/cb/product/510062-PDF-ENG

  • BMW DesignworksUSA designs interiors for Embraer corporate jets

    BMW Group DesignworksUSA is at it again and this time they have teamed up with Brazilian aircraft manufacturer, Embraer, to present a new generation of the company’s executive jets.

    The partnership between the two company’s started when Embraer invited DesignwoksUSA to a meeting in the summer of 2004 with the clearly defined objective: design and develop an interior design for Embraer’s first executive jets in the light and very light segments – the Phenom 100 and the Phenom 300.

    “DesignworksUSA was the only partner that was right for us. We wanted to define a new standard for the executive jet,” said Colin Steven, Vice President Marketing & Sales at Embraer.

    Judging by the pictures, they’ve done very well.

    Check out the press release after the jump.

    Embraer BMW DesignworksUSA Phenom:

    Press Release:

    A New Level of Luxury in Air Travel

    Munich/Le Castellet. With a series of demonstration flights in the south of France, the Brazilian aircraft manufacturer, Embraer, presented the new generation of its executive jets in Europe. The passenger cabins and cockpits were created in the design studios of BMW Group DesignworksUSA, a subsidiary of BMW Group, the Munich-based automobile manufacturer. Colin Steven, Vice President Marketing & Sales at Embraer commented, “DesignworksUSA was the only partner that was right for us. We wanted to define a new standard for the executive jet.”

    Brazilian based Embraer, the third largest manufacturer of aircraft in the world, invited DesignworksUSA to the kick off meeting in the summer of 2004. The objective was clearly defined; the design studio was to develop the interior design for Embraer’s first executive jets in the light and very light segments – the Phenom 100 and the Phenom 300. Additionally, Embraer wanted to ensure a transfer of know-how across industrial sectors. DesignworksUSA has built a name for itself throughout the world in this discipline. The design studio was to integrate its knowledge of the demands made by premium clients gained in the automobile industry into the interior of the new Embraer executive jets. The cabins and cockpits were to reflect the very best in functionality, the most select design quality and facilitate optimal efficiency and use of space in the cockpit, passenger and baggage areas. “We set our sights very high,” reflects Embraer’s Vice President Colin Steven. “The task for DesignworksUSA was to provide the best in pilot comfort, fulfill the requirements of a modern business passenger and combine premium aesthetics with superior design quality.”

    A New Standard of Luxury – a design concept supersedes conventions

    The international design team was faced with plenty of challenges. Innovative design ideas needed to comply with strict safety regulations, be compatible with Embraer’s production processes, and meet the expectation of an optimal price-performance ratio. As with all of the projects undertaken by DesignworksUSA, the task was not to transfer an automobile design style, in this case to the aircraft sector, but to reassign and apply the overriding design principles and knowledge of the effects of design. The work was firmly based upon the insight that the definition of luxury has changed and that new demands placed upon luxury products need to be authentically fulfilled in the design. Therefore, DesignworksUSA developed a new set of values for the interior design of modern executive jets, which brings together aspects of space and time, interconnectivity, simplicity and authenticity in a completely new way.

    The design team cast a critical eye over almost every detail of a conventional executive jet and questioned the traditional definition of opulence as well as the symbolism of the worlds of color, materials and form both in the cabin and the cockpit. For example, knowledge of driver demands gained in the automobile industry was integrated into the cockpit design. The Phenom cockpit currently provides the pilots with the most generous amount of space on the market. Indeed, even in the next largest class of jets, the Phenom pilot’s freedom of movement is rarely matched. The question of durability, inherent value and premium aesthetics in the interior has been resolved as seldom before in executive jets. Baggage compartments, which are integrated into the side walls and beneath the seats, and multiple other details in the cabin illustrate how the transfer of cross-industrial know-how resulted in design solutions for Embraer’s executive jets.

    Clean Lines and Elegance – the trademark of the Phenom 100 and 300 jets

    The design of the Phenom jets stands out through a multitude of intelligent solutions and details. The entrance to the cabin is tailored to the natural physiognomy of the human body and broadens out at shoulder height, giving the interior along the aisle its very own, elegant, characteristic form for more passenger freedom of movement and comfort. Integrated armrests, which have been a feature of the automobile sector for many years now, have also been introduced. An innovative flooring design was implemented, consisting of new, durable materials, offering superior inherent value. Simultaneously, it provides an adequate, sustainable answer to the owner’s or operator’s demand for high quality design combined with low cost and maintenance.

    The new color and materials concept, with seven options to choose from, is a modern, clean-cut, authentic luxury experience. With the Phenom design, Embraer wanted to position itself as the unequivocal leader in innovation and quality in the entry-level jet segment. One hundred jets have already been delivered to customers since Embraer started to accept orders, over 600 orders are waiting to be processed. “We have achieved an outstanding result with the new Phenom design, something that we are very proud of,” says Colin Steven. “The partnership with DesignworksUSA was the key to a truly innovative interior design. For this reason, we awarded two subsequent contracts to the studio for the design of the Legacy 450 and 500 medium-haul jets.” Laurenz Schaffer, President of BMW Group DesignworksUSA sums things up, “Exploring the extent of the possibilities for style and design, whether in the automobile industry or the aircraft industry, is the starting point for true innovation. That is why the Phenom project has been so important for our studio.”

    – By: Kap Shah


  • Get The Facts About Hepatitis C Viral Load

    Those with Hepatitis C are often occupied with whether or not they have a high viral load. Despite the tendency to associate a high viral load with worsening illness, experts agree that the results of this test have little bearing on Hepatitis C disease progression.

    by Nicole Cutler, L.Ac.

    Upon being diagnosed with Hepatitis C, the myriad of subsequent tests can seem like a flurry of being poked and prodded. As one of the primary markers physicians use to assess this illness, viral load’s significance can be misleading. One of the most common misconceptions among Hepatitis C patients is that a higher viral load indicates a greater severity of their disease. This causes many people to incorrectly conclude that if their viral load is high they are in much more serious trouble than if it was low. However, the primary purpose of viral load testing is to determine someone’s candidacy, progress and success for Hepatitis C antiviral treatment.

    Hepatitis C is a viral infection of the liver. However, the virus does make its way outside of the liver. This is why Hepatitis C can be measured in the bloodstream. A viral load test determines how many viral particles are floating around in the blood. These particles contain RNA, copies of Hepatitis C’s genetic material. There are three types of tests used to evaluate viral load:

    1. PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) – PCR tests measure Hepatitis C RNA in the blood to tell if there is an active infection. This test can measure small amounts of the virus (5-10 IU/mL).

    2. bDNA (Branched-chain DNA) – The bDNA test only measures medium to high viral loads above 50 IU/mL. This means that if a person has a viral load below 50 IU/mL, a bDNA test may not be able to detect the virus.

    3. TMA (Transcription-mediated amplification) – The TMA test also measures Hepatitis C RNA in a blood sample. The TMA test can measure very small amounts of the virus (as few as 5-10 IU/mL).

    Results of these viral load tests can be translated in two ways – either in the number of copies of the virus per milliliter or by International Units per milliliter (IU/mL). Physicians often differ in their opinion about what constitutes a high or a low viral load measurement. While these ranges may not be completely agreed on, the following measurements generally denote a high or low Hepatitis C viral load:

    When expressed in terms of copies per mL:
    · Low = fewer than 2 million copies
    · High = greater than 2 million copies

    When expressed in terms of International Units per mL:
    · Low = fewer than 800,000 IU/mL
    · High = greater than 800,000 IU/mL

    Viral load does not appear to correlate with a person’s wellness. In fact, a person with a viral load below 200,000 (in terms of copies/mL) may not be able to get out of bed because of their Hepatitis C infection – while someone with a viral load of 10 million (in terms of copies/mL) could feel fine. When it comes to determining liver disease severity, a liver biopsy – or similarly equivalent method – is the only way for a physician to accurately determine his or her patient’s health. This is because a liver biopsy – not viral load – physically examines liver tissue to see how much damage actually exists.

    Although Hepatitis C viral load is not a measure of liver disease severity, it is an important marker for several other reasons:

    1. A viral load test can determine if the Hepatitis C virus is still present in the body, or if it has been cleared.

    2. The chance of a pregnant woman passing the virus on to her child is very low – unless she has a high viral load. An expectant mother with a high viral load has a slightly greater chance of passing the virus to her baby.

    3. Numerous studies have shown that people with lower Hepatitis C viral loads respond better to interferon therapy than those with higher viral loads. This information may help physicians determine who is a good candidate for interferon therapy.

    4. For those on interferon treatment, viral load testing helps physicians determine if the treatment is working and how long a person should take it.

    When a physician evaluates your viral load to see if you are responding to interferon treatment, they look at this number in terms of logarithims:

    · A 1-log change is a 10-fold difference.

    · Significant changes in viral load are a 2-log difference or a 100-fold change. Differentiating between a 1- and 2-log change can be deceiving.

    · A viral load of 800,000 that drops down to 400,000 might appear to be a big drop but it’s only changed by a factor of two – which is just a fraction of a 1-log change.

    · However, a change from 800,000 to 8,000 would be significant – as that is a 100-fold change.

    · In general, if a person’s viral load has dropped 2 logs or more after 12 weeks of antiviral treatment, there is a greater chance that his or her treatment will be successful.

    Besides viral load’s use for monitoring during treatment, it is also used to evaluate the success of Hepatitis C treatment. Viral load is measured to see if the person achieved a sustained virilogic response (SVR). Achieving SVR means that six months after antiviral treatment was completed, viral load tests found no detectable Hepatitis C virus in the blood.

    Hepatitis C viral load will normally fluctuate throughout the course of anyone’s illness. In and of itself, viral load is not a reason for concern. It may sound like a good measure of how someone is faring with Hepatitis C. But outside of this test’s use to determine if someone is a candidate for treatment, to monitor treatment or to see if treatment was successful, Hepatitis C viral load reveals very little about the degree of a person’s liver disease.

    References:

    http://www.ehow.com/how_4448469_understand-hepatitis-c-viral-load.html, How to Understand Hepatitis C Viral Load, Richard Ferri, Retrieved December 3, 2009, eHow, Inc., 2009.

    http://www.hcvadvocate.org/hepatitis/Basics/Viralload_09.pdf, HCV Viral Load Tests, Alan Franciscus, Retrieved December 3, 2009, The Hepatitis C Support Project, 2009.

  • Ford Fiesta is first to get SYNC AppLink, BlackBerry and Android fans rejoice

    FoMoCo’s award winning SYNC technology is taking its practicality and convenience to the next level today with a new offering called SYNC AppLink, a new feature that allows drivers hands-free control of apps on their Android or BlackBerry smartphones via voice commands and vehicle controls (Apple iPhone fans, you’ll have to wait just a little bit longer… like you do for everything else).

    “The growth in smartphone mobile apps has been explosive, and Ford has worked hard to respond at the speed of the consumer electronics market,” said Doug VanDagens, director of Ford’s Connected Services Organization. “SYNC is the only connectivity system available that can extend that functionality into the car. AppLink will allow drivers to control some of the most popular apps through SYNC’s voice commands and steering wheel buttons, helping drivers keep their hands on the wheel and eyes on the road.”

    Click here to get prices on the 2011 Ford Fiesta.

    The first batch of SYNC AppLink apps approved will start popping up later this year and include Pandora internet radio, Stitcher “smart radio” and Orangatame’s OpenBeak app for Twitter (get ready for those “I’m stuck in traffic Tweets”). Other apps are on the way and updated versions of each app including SYNC support will be available thorough Android Market and BlackBerry App World for download.

    Ford will first offer SYNC AppLink on the 2011 Fiesta, followed by other vehicles next year.

    Hit the jump for the video of SYNC AppLink in action.

    SYNC AppLink and the New 2011 Ford Fiesta:

    Ford SYNC and Stitcher:

    Ford SYNC and OpenBeak:

    Press Release:

    SYNC APPLINK TO LAUNCH ON 2011 FIESTA, MAKING FORD FIRST TO DELIVER VOICE CONTROL OF SMARTPHONE APPS

    – Ford will first offer SYNC® AppLink, a downloadable software program, on the 2011 Fiesta, allowing owners to access and control AndroidTM and BlackBerry® smartphone apps with voice commands and vehicle controls
    – Pandora internet radio, Stitcher “smart radio” and Orangatame’s OpenBeak are the first SYNC-enabled mobile applications
    – Ford to create SYNC developer community with launch of new “Mobile Application Developer Network” (www.syncmyride.com/developer), giving developers a pathway to partner with Ford on SYNC-enabled applications
    – Ford’s platform approach with SYNC is poised to harness smartphone app development and mobile web access; apps expected to be a $4 billion industry by 2012; analysts predict the mobile device to become the No. 1 source for Internet access by 2015

    SAN FRANCISCO, April 20, 2010 – Customers have spoken — asking for safe, convenient access to their smartphone apps while in the vehicle – and Ford is responding by announcing the new SYNC AppLink software that will allow hands-free voice control of popular smartphone apps.

    SYNC AppLink, a downloadable software upgrade, will be released for 2011 Ford Fiesta owners with the award-winning SYNC communications and infotainment system later this year, allowing drivers hands-free control of apps on their Android or BlackBerry smartphones via voice commands and vehicle controls. Ford will introduce AppLink on most SYNC-equipped vehicles next year, as well as provide interoperability with other smartphones.

    The Android MarketTM and BlackBerry App World™ are among the leading growth markets for mobile apps. The new SYNC AppLink will seamlessly integrate apps using the vehicle’s voice and user interface controls, including buttons on the steering wheel, increasing eyes-on-the-road and hands-on-the-wheel time.

    The first SYNC-enabled apps available later this year include Pandora internet radio, Stitcher “smart radio” and Orangatame’s OpenBeak app for Twitter, with additional apps on the way. Updated versions of each app, incorporating the SYNC application programming interface (API), will be available through Android Market and BlackBerry App World for customers to download.

    Built-in, Beamed-in and Brought-in: The SYNC App Ecosystem
    From its introduction, Ford has been building an ecosystem of available SYNC apps, continuously improving the consumer experience.

    – Built-in apps, including Vehicle Health Report and 911 Assist™, are downloaded and installed directly on the in-car SYNC operating system
    – SYNC apps like Traffic, Directions & Information rely on beamed-in, or “cloud-based,” information. Drivers access the Ford Service Delivery Network, a network of data centers providing turn-by-turn directions, business searches, and on-demand news, sports and weather information, through a simple voice-connection using their cell phone.
    – SYNC AppLink represents the third category of the ecosystem, brought-in apps, leveraging apps installed on a user’s smartphone, such as Pandora, Stitcher and OpenBeak

    Studies show mobile app development – a niche market just three years ago – is expected to blossom into a $4 billion industry by 2012. Sites serving specific mobile operating systems, such as Android and BlackBerry OS, have experienced massive growth, with analysts predicting the mobile device will become the No. 1 source for Internet access by 2015, surpassing the home computer.

    Ford and SYNC will answer the consumer demand by offering the only platform available for drivers to safely control their mobile devices and applications in the car. Leveraging SYNC’s safer voice commands and steering wheel controls, drivers are able to keep their hands on the wheel and eyes on the road. “Brought-in” apps residing on a consumer’s smartphone also eliminate the need for yet another piece of hardware to be installed in the car which only serves to add cost and complexity.

    Customers will be able to download SYNC-enabled mobile apps through the same app store interfaces currently used. As SYNC-enabled versions of existing apps are released into the app stores, users will be prompted to download the latest version upon connection. Also, as developers grasp the notion that the vehicle interior has opened to them, a new dimension of apps designed from the outset to maximize the unique in-car environment will follow.

    Opening the door to developers
    To facilitate future SYNC-enabled app development, Ford has also activated a new developer network on its SYNCmyride Web site (www.syncmyride.com/developer). Interested developers can find a link to submit innovative ideas, and sign up for the latest information and news about the SYNC application programming interface (API) and software development kit (SDK). The package will allow developers to modify existing applications and create all-new apps that can successfully interface with SYNC.

    Working with trusted partners, Ford is completing beta-testing on the SDK. Once beta-testing is complete, a broader release of the development tools is planned for later this year. Initial reports have been positive, with one of Ford’s development partners creating a SYNC-enabled version of its app just three days after receiving the development tools.

    “We’re very pleased by the rapid development time and positive feedback we’ve seen from our first partners,” said VanDagens. “We want to encourage all developers to visit our site and submit ideas, helping us tap into the global pool of innovation and creativity.”

    – By: Omar Rana


  • Last.fm Celebrates Its 40 Billionth ‘Scrobble’

    Last.fm is one of the most known and long-lasting online music services and, despite seemingly upstaged by younger competitors like Spotify and others, it’s proving as popular as ever. Technically, Spotify is a music-streaming service, while Last.fm touts its recommendation features, so the two don’t compete on paper.

    Last.fm is a… (read more)

  • Alfa Romeo to host centenary rally for 3000 Alfas in Milan

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    There’s no shortage of ways for an automaker to celebrate a big anniversary. Debuting a pivotal new product – like the new Giulietta – is one of ’em. Commissioning a series of concept cars – like the Pininfarina 2uettottanta, Bertone Pandion and Zagato TZ3 Corsa – is another. And so is hosting a huge rally for owners of its vehicles from around the world. Alfa Romeo, which this year celebrates its landmark centenary, is doing all of this and more.

    Come June 26, an unprecedented gathering of Alfa Romeo owners and their vehicles will take place in the marque’s home town of Milan, Italy. Some 3,000 participants are expected to join the Registro Italiano Alfa Romeo for the event, which will include a helicopter-filmed rally through downtown Milan, live concerts and the presentation of a sculpture designed by the Centro Stile Alfa Romeo. Details in the press release after the jump.

    [Source: Alfa Romeo]

    Continue reading Alfa Romeo to host centenary rally for 3000 Alfas in Milan

    Alfa Romeo to host centenary rally for 3000 Alfas in Milan originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 20 Apr 2010 08:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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  • Now we know what Poke Balls run on

    Japan already has more Pokemon memorabilia that I can fit into a supersized Poke Ball, and no one’s probably ever caught them all, but that’s not stopping Nintendo from thinking up new ways to market other products

  • Video: Porsche Panamera Turbo Taxi makes some sense

    In the past we’ve seen some impractical supercars and public transportation combinations including a Ferrari Taxi and a Lamborghini Taxi, but now we have one that seems somewhat practical since it seats three passengers plus a driver – a Porsche Panamera Turbo Taxi.

    The Panamera Turbo Taxi sits four and is powered by a 4.8L turbocharged V8 making 500-hp and 516 lb-ft of torque. It goes form 0-60 mph in 4 seconds and also has room for some luggage in the boot.

    Click here to get prices on the 2010 Porsche Panamera.

    Check out a video of the Porsche Panamera Turbo Taxi in action (warning: it’s in German).

    Refresher: The $89,800 Porsche Panamera S is powered by a 400-hp V8 allowing for a 0-60 mph time of 5.2 seconds with a top speed of 175 mph. $93,800 Panamera 4S is powered by the same 400-hp V8. The $132,600 Porsche Panamera Turbo is powered by a turbocharged V8 making 500-hp allowing for a 0-60 mph time of 4.0 seconds with a top speed of 188 mph.

    2010 Porsche Panamera:

    2010 Porsche Panamera

    2010 Porsche Panamera:

    – By: Omar Rana

    Source: Motofilm (via CarScoop)


  • Submarine Internet Cable Failure Isolates Middle East from Europe

    We tend to think that the Internet is impossible to ‘destroy.’ It was designed initially by the US military to survive a nuclear attack. And, with billions of computers and equipment linked together, all operating pretty much independent from each other, what could possibly happen to seriously… (read more)

  • Renault: You’re too fat, Vitaly Petrov!

    Filed under: ,

    Imagine you’re running an F1 team. You’re spending millions to shave precious pounds off the car’s weight. And then you hire a driver who’s carrying an extra few pounds around the middle, and the advantage is lost.

    That’s essentially what’s happening at Renault F1 this season with their rookie Vitaly Petrov. The Russian driver is almost as tall as his team-mate Robert Kubica, but crucially weighs some 10 kilograms (or 22 lbs) more. Kubica made headlines in the last few years at BMW-Sauber, where he went on an extreme weight-loss regimen in order to improve his performance.

    Petrov, meanwhile, just managed to finish his first grand prix and score his first championship points this past weekend in Shanghai, having failed to make it to the finish line in the three previous rounds.

    According to reports, the French team has instructed its driver to lose a few pounds. Trimming weight off the driver’s body mass allows the engineers to play around with extra ballast (required to reach the minimum curb weight allowed under regulations) and trim the car’s handling accordingly.

    [Source: Autocar]

    Renault: You’re too fat, Vitaly Petrov! originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 20 Apr 2010 08:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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  • IBSA Editors Forum, Brasilia

    Mario Lubetkin presenting Media Editor's reccomendations.

    Mario Lubetkin presenting Media Editor's recommendations.

    As the leaders of the IBSA and BRIC groupings met in Brasilia last week IPS hosted an official meeting of leading media editors from Brazil, India and South Africa. IPS Director General Mario Lubetkin presented the recommendations from the meeting to President Lula, Prime Minister Singh, President Zuma, their Ministers and delegations, in a segment broadcast live on Brazilian national television.

    The IBSA Editors Forum is the latest initiative of IPS’s strategy to foster strengthened South-South communication and media channels, to accompany the new global geography of power. The Forum in Brasilia was supported by the Government of Brazil and the World Bank with the South-South Cooperation Unit of UNDP joining the meeting.

    More than twenty media editors and senior journalists participated in the Forum, concluding with proposals including that IBSA add an official working group on communication, create a web site for information about IBSA, and establish a programme to wake journalists up to these new developments.

    “Our countries should not continue to receive news about each other via New York or London,” but directly, said the Brazilian ambassador to South Africa, Jose Vicente Pimentel, at the Editors Forum, where Brazil’s deputy minister for communication, Ottoni Fernandes, proposed cooperation between public television broadcasters across IBSA.

    Read more IPS coverage of the Forum, and other news from the IBSA and BRIC meetings at the IPS website on South-South co-operation.

  • Shigeru Miyamoto on retirement and games

    Shigeru Miyamoto is already a living legend among game developers. At 57, he’s accomplished more than most industry veterans out there, and he certainly has quite a collection of major awards and recognitions under his belt and

  • Vendas de carros na Itália cairão 20% em abril


    A associação das montadoras de carros estrangeiras da Itália, conhecida como Unrae, prevê que o mês de abril vai ser difícil para o mercado italiano, uma vez que as vendas de carros no país vão registrar uma queda de 20% e os pedidos cairão 30?%.

    Segundo o diretor geral da Unrae, Gianni Filipponi, em declaração na última sexta-feira ele disse que a primeira parte do mês de abril indicou uma demanda muito baixa, e que a tendência é continuar assim nas próximas semanas.

    Uma das causas que impactaram no resultado negativo foi o término do incentivo que o Governo dava aos consumidores para comprarem veículos com baixa emissão de poluentes, que encerrou em 1 de dezembro de 2009. Desde então, os carros que se enquadravam nas normas do incentivo poderiam ser inscritos até o dia 31 de março de 2010. Agora, o verdadeiro efeito da retirada do subsídio no mercado vai ser sentido no mercado e abril desse ano.

    Via | 4Wheels News


  • Woman Shot 43 Times by Google Street View

    There are countless examples of wonderful, funny or just plain-weird photos in Street View. You may even find a photo of yourself in the online service, if you live in an area covered by Street View. It would be surprising, yes, but not totally unexpected. In fact, that’s exactly what one man in the UK set out to find. He didn’t find any of … (read more)