Physics professors find new order in quantum electronic material

Thursday, January 31, 2013

Two Rutgers physics professors have proposed an explanation for a new type of order, or symmetry, in an exotic material made with uranium ? a theory that may one day lead to enhanced computer displays and data storage systems and more powerful superconducting magnets for medical imaging and levitating high-speed trains.

Their discovery, published in this week's issue of the journal Nature, has piqued the interest of scientists worldwide. It is one of the rare theory-only papers that this selective publication accepts. Typically the journal's papers describe results of laboratory experimentation.

Collaborating with the Rutgers professors was a postdoctoral researcher at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) who earned her doctorate at Rutgers.

"Scientists have seen this behavior for 25 years, but it has eluded explanation." said Piers Coleman, professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy in the School of Arts and Sciences. When cooled to 17.5 degrees above absolute zero or lower (a bone-chilling minus 428 degrees Fahrenheit), the flow of electricity through this material changes subtly.

The material essentially acts like an electronic version of polarized sunglasses, he explains. Electrons behave like tiny magnets, and normally these magnets can point in any direction. But when they flow through this cooled material, they come out with their magnetic fields aligned with the material's main crystal axis.

This effect, claims Coleman, comes from a new type of hidden order, or symmetry, in this material's magnetic and electronic properties. Changes in order are what make liquid crystals, magnetic materials and superconductors work and perform useful functions.

"Our quest to understand new types of order is a vital part of understanding how materials can be developed to benefit the world around us," he said.

Similar discoveries have led to technologies such as liquid crystal displays, which are now ubiquitous in flat-screen TVs, computers and smart phones, although the scientists are quick to acknowledge that their theoretical discovery won't transform high-tech products overnight.

Coleman, along with Rutgers colleague Premala Chandra and MIT collaborator Rebecca Flint, describe what they call a "hidden order" in this compound of uranium, ruthenium and silicon. Uranium is commonly known for being nuclear reactor fuel or weapons material, but in this case physicists value it as a heavy metal with electrons that behave differently than those in common metals.

Recent experiments on the material at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico provided the three physicists with data to refine their discovery.

"We've dubbed our fundamental new order 'hastatic' order, named after the Greek word for spear," said Chandra, also a professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy. The name reflects the highly ordered properties of the material and its effect on aligning electrons that flow through it.

"This new category of order may open the world to new kinds of materials, magnets, superconductors and states of matter with properties yet unknown," she said. The scientists have predicted other instances where hastatic order may show up, and physicists are beginning to test for it.

###

Rutgers University: http://www.rutgers.edu

Thanks to Rutgers University for this article.

This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.

This press release has been viewed 63 time(s).

Source: http://www.labspaces.net/126556/Physics_professors_find_new_order_in_quantum_electronic_material

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Android-powered Vertu Constellation Ti leaked all over, just needs a diamond-studded price tag (updated)

Shortly after the latest rumor that Vertu's prepping its first-ever Android-based device, eagle-eyed Blog of Mobile delivered further evidence to support the claim, and it even managed to dig out what it claims to be product shots of said phone. First of all, the name "Ti" and model number "RM-828V" are spotted across Bluetooth SIG, GLBenchmark and telecom regulator databases in Singapore and Macau. Having scanned through these pages we now know that the Ti will come with Android 4.0.4, an 800 x 480 display, a 1.5GHz processor, Bluetooth 4.0 and NFC. Blog of Mobile added that it's a Snapdragon MSM8260A SoC with WCDMA 850/900/1700/1900/2100 radio, accompanied by a rather lame 1,250mAh battery. Bluetooth SIG's page provided the following design description of the device:

"VERTU Ti possesses the classic Vertu design DNA and characteristics - strong, unique & distinctive. The design and craftsmanship positions VERTU Ti alongside other iconic products in the luxury market."

If the above images are authentic then the Ti does indeed maintain the classic Vertu look. The only real changes we can see so far are the three new physical keys -- presumably "Back," "Home" and "Recent apps" for Android. If all goes well, we should see this wallet-busting gadget at MWC next month, so start saving up now.

Update: Russian retailer spblux.ru lists four variants of the Ti or, as the site calls it, the Constellation Ti: "Titanium Black PVD black leather," "Titanium Black Alligator," "Red Gold Mixed Metal" and "Titanium Black Leather." Interestingly, the red gold version has a search button instead of "Recent apps," but we guess that was an earlier design. Regardless, we have all four designs after the break for your viewing pleasure. [Thanks, Roman K.]

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

Comments

Source: Blog of Mobile, GLBenchmark, Bluetooth SIG, DSRT, iDA

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/30/vertu-ti-rm-828v-leak/

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Scientists learn more about how inhibitory brain cells get excited

Jan. 30, 2013 ? Scientists have found an early step in how the brain's inhibitory cells get excited. A natural balance of excitement and inhibition keeps the brain from firing electrical impulses randomly and excessively, resulting in problems such as schizophrenia and seizures. However excitement is required to put on the brakes.

"When the inhibitory neuron is excited, its job is to suppress whatever activity it touches," said Dr. Lin Mei, Director of the Institute of Molecular Medicine and Genetics at the Medical College of Georgia at Georgia Regents University and corresponding author of the study in Nature Neuroscience.

Mei and his colleagues found that the protein erbin, crucial to brain development, is critical to the excitement.

It was known that a protein on the cell surface called TARP gamma-2, also known as stargazing, interacts with a brain cell receptor called AMPA, ensuring the receptor finds the cells surface. It is here that the receptor can be activated by the neurotransmitter glutamate. AMPA receptor activation is essential to activation of the NMDA receptor, which enables cells to communicate, ultimately enabling learning and memory, Mei said. How TARP gamma-2 was controlled, was an unknown.

Inside the nucleus of inhibitory cells in areas of the brain that control learning and memory, the researchers found erbin interacts with TARP gamma-2, enabling it to survive. "If you do not have this mechanism, your stargazing becomes very unstable and your AMPA receptor cannot be on the surface so this neuron is inactive," Mei said. They also found that erbin is only in these inhibitory neurons, called interneurons. They're already working on what they believe to be the counterpart for excitatory cells, which account for about 80 percent of brain cells.

"Interneurons basically control firing," releasing GABA, a major inhibitory neurotransmitter, Mei said. They tone down or synchronize the activity of pyramidal cells, pyramid-shaped neurons that get both excitatory and inhibitory input then make the call on what action to take.

When scientists ablated the erbin gene in mice or kept erbin from interacting with TARP gamma-2, a protein that helps anchor the AMPA receptor on the cell surface, TARP gamma-2 couldn't do its job. The result was less receptors on the cell surface and mice that were hyperactive with impaired learning and memory.

Cell activity hinges on receptor activity and receptors must be anchored on the cell surface to work. Ensuring AMPA receptors are strategically placed is a lifelong task since the busy receptors wear out and each brain cell has tons of them, Mei said.

He and his colleagues reported in the journal, Neuron, in 2007, two genes -- neuregulin-1 and its receptor ErbB4 -- that help maintain a healthy balance of excitement and inhibition by releasing GABA at the sight of inhibitory synapses, the communication paths between neurons. Years before, they showed the genes were also at excitatory synapses, where they also could quash activation. Both genes are involved in human development and implicated in schizophrenia and cancer.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Georgia Health Sciences University. The original article was written by Toni Baker.

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. Yanmei Tao, Yong-Jun Chen, Chengyong Shen, Zhengyi Luo, C Ryan Bates, Daehoon Lee, Sylvie Marchetto, Tian-Ming Gao, Jean-Paul Borg, Wen-Cheng Xiong, Lin Mei. Erbin interacts with TARP ?-2 for surface expression of AMPA receptors in cortical interneurons. Nature Neuroscience, 2013; DOI: 10.1038/nn.3320

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/top_news/top_health/~3/5e3pfQjjfxE/130130121641.htm

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U.N. optimistic Syria aid meet will win major funding

BEIRUT (Reuters) - The United Nations has received promises of major donations at this week's $1.5 billion aid conference for millions of Syrians affected by nearly two years of conflict, a senior U.N. official said on Tuesday.

Wednesday's pledging conference in Kuwait will seek $1 billion of aid for Syria's neighbors sheltering 700,000 registered refugees, and another $500 million to bankroll humanitarian work for 4 million Syrians inside their country.

So far, the United Nations has received pledges covering just 18 percent of the target, unveiled last month as the scale of Syria's humanitarian crisis escalated sharply, and which aims to fund operations for the first half of this year.

"We have every reason to be optimistic that there will a very good presence and new pledges that will be coming up at this conference," said Robert Watkins, U.N. humanitarian coordinator in Lebanon, which has seen the biggest influx of refugees from the Syrian bloodshed.

"We have received preliminary pledges from a number of important donor countries that they will be making announcements of large donations."

U.S. President Barack Obama announced an additional $155 million, bringing the total U.S. humanitarian aid to the Syrian crisis to some $365 million, the State Department said.

Watkins said the fact that the conference was being held in the Gulf state of Kuwait could encourage other wealthy Gulf Arab states, who have led regional opposition to President Bashar al-Assad, to support the international aid effort.

Many Gulf states have sent assistance, but aid workers in the region say their efforts have been haphazard and rarely coordinated with other aid agencies, hampering their ability to plan a sustained relief program.

"It's important that we widen the range of donors that provide assistance," Watkins said.

OPPOSITION CRITICISM

Syria's main opposition coalition has criticized the U.N. appeal and its arrangements for distributing aid inside Syria, saying the organization has effectively ceded control to the Syrian government and failed to deliver all but a bare minimum of aid to areas controlled by Assad's opponents.

But Watkins said the Syrian government did not influence the aid distribution, although there were some areas of the country which could not be reached because of the violence.

"While we are not able to reach all of the people in need in Syria - because there are 4 million people who need assistance inside the country - we have been able to feed up to 1.5 million people," Watkins said.

"Of those 1.5 million people, 49 percent are in areas which are either under the control of the opposition or in contested areas," he said, adding that the main U.N. aid distribution partner in Syria - the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) - was "neutral and impartial".

The opposition says the top members of the SARC are close to Assad's government, and the organization cannot operate even-handedly. But activists say its workers on the ground have come under fire from both sides in the conflict.

Syria's uprising began in March 2011 as a peaceful protest movement, but rebels took up arms after the government cracked down on the demonstrations.

The rebellion has since become a full-scale civil war. Insurgents have taken swathes of rural territory from government forces but have failed to capture major cities and towns. More than 60,000 people have died, the United Nations says.

The number of refugees fleeing to neighboring countries has jumped sharply in the last two months, passing the 500,000 mark on December 11 and growing by more than 200,000 since then.

On Monday, 3,000 Syrians fled into Jordan.

"We have seen an unrelenting flow of refugees across all borders. We are running double shifts to register people," Sybella Wilkes, spokeswoman for the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), told Reuters in Geneva.

Jordan has 171,033 registered Syrian refugees, as well as 51,729 who await processing, many of who fled fighting around the southern Syrian town of Deraa this month. Lebanon has 158,973 Syrian refugees, and 69,963 awaiting processing.

"We are trying to clear a backlog of people because the numbers have gone up so dramatically (in Jordan and Lebanon)," Wilkes said.

Turkey has 163,161 Syrian refugees in its 15 camps while Iraq hosts 77,415, the UNHCR said. There are 14,375 in Egypt and 5,417 registered across the rest of North Africa.

(Additional reporting by Stephanie Nebehay in Geneva)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/u-n-optimistic-syria-aid-meet-win-major-214205387.html

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Researchers generate a mutant mouse model useful in the treatment of neuromuscular diseases

Researchers generate a mutant mouse model useful in the treatment of neuromuscular diseases

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

In three to six months of life, this genetic alteration in mice ?similar to that occurred in human? causes a rapid degeneration in the lower limbs to death for cardiac arrest.

For the first time in the world, researchers at the Center for Biomedical Research of the University of Granada have created mice with a genetic mutation inducing a deficiency in the coenzyme Q10, a rare mitochondrial disease prevailingly affecting children. These mutant mice ?which lack the Coq9 gene? will be "a valuable tool for the study and treatment of metabolic encephalopathies and neuromuscular diseases", the researchers state.

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is a molecule produced in body cells, which functions are crucial to cell metabolism. Their best-known function is their generating energy used by cells and their antioxidant activity. In human, defects in the biosynthetic route cause CoQ10 deficiency, resulting in a syndrome with very heterogeneous symptoms.

To better understand the pathological mechanisms of this disease and learn about the biosynthetic pathway of CoQ, the University of Granada researchers conducted a three-year study to generate mice with a mutation in a gene (Coq9) similar to that found in humans. This gene codifies a protein involved in CoQ biosynthesis.

Lower Limb Paralysis

Accordikng to professor Luis Carlos L?pez Garc?a ?the principal investigator of this study? states, "mice with a Coq9 mutation develop a severe encephalomyopathy inducing neural death, astrogliosis and vacuolation of the brain. At three to six months, these mice undergo a rapid degeneration causing lower limp paralysis and death for cardiac arrest. In molecular terms, CoQ deficiency in mice impairs the mitochondrial mechanisms of bioenergy production in the brain, causing a severe bioenergetic deficiency and a slight increase in oxidative damage".

The CoQ9-deficient mutant mouse model generated at the University of Granada "is the first model of CoQ9-deficient mutant mice with mitochondrial encephalomyopathy created worldwide. Currently, there is not any therapy for neuromuscular diseases associated with CoQ10 deficiency, and this mutant model might be useful in the development of an effective therapy for such diseases. In addition, as CoQ10 is also used as a nutritional supplement and in the cosmetics industry, "the CoQ9-deficient mutant mouse model is very useful in the assessment of the effectiveness of nutritional supplements and cosmetics".

The results of this research study ?which received financial support from CEI BioTic Granad, the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, the Andalusian Regional Government and the Marie Curie program? have been recently published in the prestigious journal Human Molecular Genetics. Researchers from the National Cardiovascular Research Center (CNIC) also participated in the study.

###

Garc?a-Corzo L, Luna-S?nchez M, Doerrier C, Garc?a JA, Guar?s A, Ac?n-P?rez R, Bullejos-Peregr?n J, L?pez A, Escames G, Enr?quez JA, Acu?a-Castroviejo D and L?pez LC. Dysfunctional Coq9 Protein Causes Predominant Encephalomyopathy Associated to CoQ Deficiency. Human Molecular Genetics, in press.DOI: 10.1093/hmg/dds530

Online Access: http://hmg.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2012/12/18/hmg.dds530.full.pdf+html

University of Granada: http://www.ugr.es

Thanks to University of Granada for this article.

This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.

This press release has been viewed 24 time(s).

Source: http://www.labspaces.net/126525/Researchers_generate_a_mutant_mouse_model_useful_in_the_treatment_of_neuromuscular_diseases

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Featured Startup Pitch: upLynk has set out to create a cheaper and ...

Company:?upLynk

Website:?www.uplynk.com

Founders:?Nine founding members

Headquarters:?Los Angeles

Year?Founded:?2010

Employees:?9

Investors:?Self-funded, profitable since 2012

Twitter:?@upLynk

LinkedIn:?www.linkedin.com/company/uplynk

Brief Company Description: upLynk is the simplest, most cost-effective way to adaptively stream high quality live and on-demand video to all devices and platforms.

# # #

By Ken Brueck, CMO

Product Overview

upLynk is the simplest, most cost-effective way to adaptively stream high quality live and on-demand video to all devices and platforms.

Looking for an example of our work? Check out the ABC Player and WATCH Disney apps on iOS. We?re the technology behind the curtain. By eliminating the need to create and maintain multiple copies of the same content, upLynk removes the complexity associated with streaming to multiple devices and increases your ability to scale and deliver more dynamic experiences. upLynk customers enjoy:

No capex

Our patent-pending encoding solution gives broadcast-quality results without expensive encoding appliances.

Low opex

upLynk technology reuses the same adaptive stream across all platforms. You?ll never encode, store, encrypt or distribute multiple copies of the same video, as opposed to traditional methods.

Flexibility

We make complex things simple: closed captioning, inserting targeted ads in a live linear stream, repurposing live content for on-demand playback, analytics and even billing.

Founders? Story

We created upLynk to simplify streaming.

During the last several years, content owners wanting to stream video have been forced to become technology experts. Instead of focusing on creating and monetizing high quality content, they?ve had to think about codecs, bitrates, resolutions and protocols.

Our team has years of history working with premium content owners and broadcasters. We have one of the inventors of adaptive streaming on our team, and we have one of the inventors of TV Everywhere as an advisor. We?ve used our understanding of the technology and business to create products that directly address content owners? streaming challenges.

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upLynk is highly focused on broadcasters and premium content owners. We build awareness with high-visibility customer deployments, joint press releases, working closely with industry analysts, and most important, word-of-mouth recommendations.

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The television business is massive. Globally, it welcomes $380 billion in subscription fees and ad revenue each year. Now it?s coming online.

Broadcast networks, content aggregators, cable and satellite providers, and even local affiliate stations are all looking for ways to get in on the action. The problem is, by 2020, there will be over 50 billion Internet connected devices. Streaming video to that many devices has been prohibitively expensive.

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Technology

Other streaming providers encode content to multiple formats to reach multiple platforms. This strategy doesn?t scale. Every time a new platform is released, content owners must go back and encode all their content to another format. This means duplicate costs for things like encoding, storage and encryption. It?s impossible to escape this complexity, and the rest of the solution becomes bulky and fragile.

upLynk technology enables a single format to work across all devices, reducing costs, eliminating duplicate effort and simplifying the workflow. This puts upLynk at an advantage, making it easy to perform more complex tasks like closed captioning or dynamic ad and content replacement.

Business

Other streaming providers often have complicated pricing models that are difficult to forecast. Our pricing model is simple, predictable and even encourages providing a good user experience. It?s also pay-as-you-go, going against the industry standard multi-year contractual agreement.

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• hours of content encoded
• hours of content stored
• hours of content streamed

All other aspects of our service are included, like ad integration, analytics, encryption and even the content distribution network (CDN). There are no signup fees or monthly support fees.

For example, if you have a 42 minute episode, you?d be charged for 42 minutes of encoding. That 42 minutes includes everything you need: adaptive bitrates, multiple devices (including those that haven?t been invented yet), and even HD. Similarly, if you keep that episode in our system for a month, you?d be billed for 42 minutes of storage.

Streaming charges are based on viewership. If 100 users each watch that entire 42 minute episode, you?d be charged for 4200 minutes of streaming, regardless of device, bandwidth or region.

It?s that simple. Unlike other models, you?re never burdened with predicting on which devices your users will stream or how capable their bandwidth is. Because billing is measured in hours of content instead of something like gigabytes, our customers are never punished for delivering HD content. In fact, we encourage HD streaming because if you look good, it makes us look good.

Current Needs

upLynk is looking for energetic developers that can interface with customers. We want people with strong problem solving skills that can walk into a content owner?s facility, develop a good relationship, and help design and deploy an architecturally sound integration. These guys should be happy wearing multiple hats, because upLynk is a small company that moves fast and adapts quickly.

We?re self-funded and not actively seeking investment, but are always open to conversation.

upLynk ? www.uplynk.com

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Source: http://startupbeat.com/2013/01/28/featured-startup-pitch-uplynk-has-set-out-to-create-a-cheaper-and-more-efficient-way-for-companies-to-stream-video-across-platforms-and-devices-id3117/

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Tornadoes feared as severe storm tears through Plains, heads for ...

By Ian Johnston and John Newland, Staff Writers, NBC News

The National Weather Service issued tornado watches and severe thunderstorm warnings for parts of Oklahoma and Texas early Tuesday as a line of severe weather marched from the Southern Plains toward the southern Ohio Valley.

Dangerous lightning, hail up to an inch in diameter and wind gusts of 70 mph were considered most likely in the tornado-watch area, which extended from Hardeman County, Texas, to Osage County, Okla.

About 6:30 a.m. ET, the NWS was monitoring a severe thunderstorm moving at about 55 mph through Oklahoma, issuing warnings for people to take cover as it approached.

Read more from weather.com

Additionally, the weather service said there was the potential for a ?significant, severe weather event? from Louisiana and Arkansas to Mississippi and southwest Tennessee.

Tornadoes, some of them strong, were also possible in Arkansas, northern Louisiana, southeastern Missouri, western Mississippi and southwestern Tennessee, the NWS added.

Weather.com meteorologist Kevin Roth said that ?severe thunderstorms are expected to develop in central Oklahoma ? during the morning and form into a squall line and march toward the middle and lower Mississippi Valley.?

?Tuesday night the squall line is expected to stretch from the mid-Ohio Valley to the central Gulf Coast,? he added.

Roth said that on Wednesday the threat area was expected to include the upper Ohio Valley, Tennessee Valley, Southeast and Mid-Atlantic.

?Damaging wind gusts are the primary threat, but isolated tornadoes and hail are also possible,? he said.

Meanwhile, the same storm was bringing heavy rain to the Midwest and Great Lakes, Roth added.

?Rainfall of 1 to 3 inches is possible from Missouri to Michigan and could cause some flooding,? he said, noting flood watches had been posted from eastern Illinois to southern Michigan.

Source: http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/01/29/16750403-tornadoes-feared-as-severe-storm-tears-through-plains-heads-for-south

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Cultural evolution changes bird song

Public release date: 29-Jan-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Ryan Norris
rnorris@uoguelph.ca
519-824-4120 x56300
University of Guelph

Thanks to cultural evolution, male Savannah sparrows are changing their tune, partly to attract "the ladies."

According to a study of more than 30 years of Savannah sparrows recordings, the birds are singing distinctly different songs today than their ancestors did 30 years ago changes passed along generation to generation, according to a new study by University of Guelph researchers.

Integrative biology professors Ryan Norris and Amy Newman, in collaboration with researchers at Bowdoin College and Williams College in the U.S., analyzed the songs of male Savannah sparrows (Passerculus sandwichiensis) recorded over three decades, and found that the songs had changed distinctly from 1980 to 2011.

"The change is the result of cultural transmission of different song elements through many generations," said Norris.

Norris added that the change in tune resembles changes in word choice and language among humans.

"If you listen to how people used to talk in the 1890s and how we talk today, you would notice major differences, and this is the result of shifts in culture or the popularity of certain forms," he said. "The change in sparrow songs over time has occurred much the same way"

The sparrows, which live on Kent Island, N.B., in the Bay of Fundy, can generally sing only one song type that consists of several parts. Male sparrows learn that song early in their first year and continue to sing the same tune for the rest of their lives.

"Young male sparrows learn their songs from the birds around them," said Norris. "It may be their fathers, or it could be other older male birds that live nearby."

Each male sparrow has his own unique sound, added Newman.

"While the island's sparrows all sing a characteristic 'savannah sparrow song,' with the same verses and sound similar, there are distinct differences between each bird," she said. "Essentially, it is like karaoke versions of popular songs. It is the rise and fall in popular cover versions that has changed over time."

The research team found that, in general, each song has three primary elements. The first identifies the bird as a Savannah sparrow, the second identifies which individual is singing, and the third component is used by females to assess males.

Using sonograms recorded from singing males each breeding season, the researchers determined that, while the introductory notes had stayed generally consistent for the last 30 years, the sparrows had added a series of clicks to the middle of their songs. The birds had also changed the ending trill: once long and high-frequency, it is now shorter and low-frequency.

"We found that the ending trill of the song has become shorter, likely because female sparrows preferred this, because males with shorter trills had higher reproductive success," Norris said.

Kent Island has been home to the Bowdoin Scientific Station since it was donated by J. Sterling Rockefeller in 1932, and the birds have been recorded since the 1980s. Individual birds are also monitored throughout their lifetime.

"We know the identity and history of every single sparrow in the study population" said Norris, who has led the project with Newman since 2009. "To have 30 years of recordings is very rare, and it was definitely surprising to see such drastic changes."

###

Their study appears in the January 2013 issue of Animal Behaviour.

For media questions, contact Communications and Public Affairs: Lori Bona Hunt, 519 824-4120, Ext. 53338, or lhunt@uoguelph.ca; or Kevin Gonsalves, Ext. 56982, or kgonsalves@uoguelph.ca.

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?

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

Public release date: 29-Jan-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Ryan Norris
rnorris@uoguelph.ca
519-824-4120 x56300
University of Guelph

Thanks to cultural evolution, male Savannah sparrows are changing their tune, partly to attract "the ladies."

According to a study of more than 30 years of Savannah sparrows recordings, the birds are singing distinctly different songs today than their ancestors did 30 years ago changes passed along generation to generation, according to a new study by University of Guelph researchers.

Integrative biology professors Ryan Norris and Amy Newman, in collaboration with researchers at Bowdoin College and Williams College in the U.S., analyzed the songs of male Savannah sparrows (Passerculus sandwichiensis) recorded over three decades, and found that the songs had changed distinctly from 1980 to 2011.

"The change is the result of cultural transmission of different song elements through many generations," said Norris.

Norris added that the change in tune resembles changes in word choice and language among humans.

"If you listen to how people used to talk in the 1890s and how we talk today, you would notice major differences, and this is the result of shifts in culture or the popularity of certain forms," he said. "The change in sparrow songs over time has occurred much the same way"

The sparrows, which live on Kent Island, N.B., in the Bay of Fundy, can generally sing only one song type that consists of several parts. Male sparrows learn that song early in their first year and continue to sing the same tune for the rest of their lives.

"Young male sparrows learn their songs from the birds around them," said Norris. "It may be their fathers, or it could be other older male birds that live nearby."

Each male sparrow has his own unique sound, added Newman.

"While the island's sparrows all sing a characteristic 'savannah sparrow song,' with the same verses and sound similar, there are distinct differences between each bird," she said. "Essentially, it is like karaoke versions of popular songs. It is the rise and fall in popular cover versions that has changed over time."

The research team found that, in general, each song has three primary elements. The first identifies the bird as a Savannah sparrow, the second identifies which individual is singing, and the third component is used by females to assess males.

Using sonograms recorded from singing males each breeding season, the researchers determined that, while the introductory notes had stayed generally consistent for the last 30 years, the sparrows had added a series of clicks to the middle of their songs. The birds had also changed the ending trill: once long and high-frequency, it is now shorter and low-frequency.

"We found that the ending trill of the song has become shorter, likely because female sparrows preferred this, because males with shorter trills had higher reproductive success," Norris said.

Kent Island has been home to the Bowdoin Scientific Station since it was donated by J. Sterling Rockefeller in 1932, and the birds have been recorded since the 1980s. Individual birds are also monitored throughout their lifetime.

"We know the identity and history of every single sparrow in the study population" said Norris, who has led the project with Newman since 2009. "To have 30 years of recordings is very rare, and it was definitely surprising to see such drastic changes."

###

Their study appears in the January 2013 issue of Animal Behaviour.

For media questions, contact Communications and Public Affairs: Lori Bona Hunt, 519 824-4120, Ext. 53338, or lhunt@uoguelph.ca; or Kevin Gonsalves, Ext. 56982, or kgonsalves@uoguelph.ca.

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

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

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-01/uog-cec012913.php

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USCCB Blog: Why We Support Catholic Education

Around the country, the Catholic Church is celebrating Catholic Schools Week Jan. 27-Feb. 2. During the week, the USCCB blog will feature entries from people who reflect on how their lives were and are impacted by Catholic education. Today, Fran and Betty Contino share why they invest in Cristo Rey Jesuit High School in Baltimore, Maryland. By Fran and Betty Contino

Fran: As a student of Our Lady of Pompei Parish School in Baltimore City?s Highlandtown community, I found inclusion and protection within the Catholic school. It gave me a sense of security that was enhanced at Calvert Hall College High School, where my life was permanently transformed academically and spiritually by the Christian Brothers. Knowing what I received from my Catholic education prompted me to become a backer of Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, a new Catholic college prep high school educating boys and girls from some of Baltimore City?s most challenged neighborhoods. The school? is part of the Cristo Rey Network, comprised of 25 Catholic high schools across the country that prepare low-income, urban students for success in college through a rigorous program of high-quality academics and real-world work experience. We all need the sense of security that can be rooted in solid elementary and secondary school education. I wanted to help others find the secure comfort I found in Catholic schools.

??????????? Betty: I attended a Catholic elementary school and pretty much sailed through my public ?high school with good grades. I turned out okay, but the benefits of Catholic education became apparent only a few years ago when I became involved with children who had no way out of troubled environments. I saw what happened when they received a quality education in a protected atmosphere where they could focus and not sit tensely waiting for another bad shoe to drop. They found a sense of peace and accomplishment. From working with homeless people for about 15 years I came to realize the best way to assist children was through education, which seems like the only place kids can obtain an almost-level playing field. ??????????? Together:? Our support for Catholic schools also comes from our belief in the power of God?s love. In the Catholic schools we find that God is not only acknowledged by the school but that children are encouraged to include Him in their lives. They learn beyond what the secular world offers? there are moral standards. The Ten Commandments are real, not fiction. This immeasurable benefit can provide a child with hope in times of uncertainty, a hope that lasts. Being surrounded with teachers and administrators who can freely reference the Bible and how it applies to daily life supports a child?s behavioral development. It is no secret that children want rules and boundaries. They need them to feel safe.? ??????????? Catholic education holds out high standards for teachers and students; Catholic education goes way beyond the three R?s. It is transformational with change that begins in kindergarten. Catholic schools set youth on a path to become morally and spiritually strong, to respect others, to be of service and to become the best that they can be academically. They also help them to become role models of responsible and accountable citizens and ultimately, productive and contributing members of their local community and the world at large. This kind of formation occurs best in a Catholic school, especially for youth from disadvantaged and financially strapped communities. Cristo Rey schools help students to cope, strive and compete in the world about them. As we looked for ways to make a difference, contributing to a Catholic school became an obvious choice for us. Fran and Betty Contino are members of the Catholic Community of St. Francis Xavier in Hunt Valley, Maryland. Fran serves on the board of trustees of Baltimore?s Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, and Betty is the leadership chair of Women?s Education Alliance, which provides scholarships to Catholic schools for disadvantaged children in Baltimore City.

Source: http://usccbmedia.blogspot.com/2013/01/why-we-support-catholic-education.html

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8 bodies found in Mexico where band went missing

MONTERREY, Mexico (AP) ? At least eight bodies were found in a well in northern Mexico on Sunday near the site where 20 people went missing late last week, including members of a Colombian-style band, according to a state forensic official.

Gov. Rodrigo Medina told a local television station that four of the bodies had been pulled from the well, and said it could hold as many as 10 cadavers.

Medina said experts were still working to identify the corpses, but noted "we have evidence that indicates that (the bodies) may very well be the members of this band."

The Nuevo Leon State Investigative Agency was still working at the well in a vacant lot in the town of Mina near the northern Mexican city of Monterrey, and the body count could rise, the forensic official said. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the case.

The official could not confirm whether the bodies belonged to 16 members of the band Kombo Kolombia and their crew, who were reported missing early Friday after playing a private show in a bar late Thursday in the neighboring town of Hidalgo north of Monterrey.

Authorities had been searching for two days when they came upon the well Sunday afternoon.

People living near the bar in Hidalgo reported hearing gunshots at about 4 a.m. Friday, followed by the sound of vehicles speeding away, said another source with the state agency. He also spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to be quoted by the news media.

The officials added that gunfire is common in the area and said investigators found spent bullets nearby.

Relatives filed an official report about their missing loved ones on Friday, after losing cell phone contact with them following the Thursday night performance. When family members went to the bar to investigate, they found the band members' vehicles still parked outside.

For three years, Kombo Kolombia has played a Colombian style of music known as vallenato, which is popular in Nuevo Leon state. Most of the group's musicians were from the area, and have held large concerts in addition to bar performances.

Nuevo Leon state officials said one of those missing is a Colombian citizen with Mexican residency.

Members of other musical bands, usually groups that perform "narcocorridos" celebrating the exploits of drug traffickers, have been killed in Mexico in recent years. But Kombo Kolombia did not play that type of music, and its lyrics did not deal with violence or drug trafficking.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/8-bodies-found-mexico-where-band-went-missing-063747954.html

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Top 5 Kids Apps You Don't Want to Miss

Click here to view the gallery: Top Kids Apps This Week

Chris Crowell is a veteran kindergarten teacher and contributing editor to Children's Technology Review, a web-based archive of articles and reviews on apps, technology toys and video games. Download a free issue of CTR here.

[More from Mashable: 40 Digital Media Resources You May Have Missed]

Is it too far out of season for a vampire-themed app? Let's hope not. Click through the gallery to see which apps -- some spooky, some not -- to download for your kids this week.

SEE ALSO: Xbox Marks the Spot, or 'Why Is My Son Always Trying to Kill Me?'

[More from Mashable: Xbox Marks the Spot, or ?Why Is my Son Always Trying to Kill Me??]

Children's Technology Review shared these 5 top apps with us from their comprehensive monthly database of kid-tested reviews. The site covers everything from math and counting to reading and phonics.

Check back next week for more Top Kids Apps from Children's Technology Review.

Image courtesy of Flickr, flickingerbrad

This story originally published on Mashable here.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/top-5-kids-apps-dont-want-miss-172914488.html

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DIY Cr?me Fra?che Adds a Creamy Kick to Sauces, Desserts, and Scrambled Eggs

Cr?me fra?che, a cultured heavy cream, is a staple in French cuisine, and is often used in many sauces since unlike many dairy products it does curdle when heated. It is less sour and thicker than U.S.-style sour cream.

European labelling regulations don't allow any ingredients other than cream and bacterial cultures to be used in authentic cr?me fra?che, but if you're fresh out of bacterial cultures you can add two tablespoons of organic yogurt or buttermilk to one cup of heavy cream and leave it out for 12-24 hours until it reaches the desired consistency. This recipe comes from culinary weblog Blue Kale Road and was used as a topping for a Chocolate Espresso Souffle but cr?me fra?che is also used in chef Gordan Ramsay's famous scrambled egg recipe that we've previously covered.

Don't forget to refrigerate your cr?me fra?che after it is ready?it'll keep up to a month that way.

Chocolate Espresso Souffles with Homemade Creme Fraiche | Blue Kale Road via Punk Domestics

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/s6JuN935-Q0/diy-creme-fraiche-adds-a-creamy-kick-to-sauces-desserts-and-scrambled-eggs

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Video: Casey Anthony: I am only worth $1,100

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

Source: http://video.today.msnbc.msn.com/today/50605202/

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iMore editors' Choice: Scribblenauts, Ghostbusters, Trapit, Trall, and more!

Every week, the editors and writers at iMore carefully select some of our favorite, most useful, most extraordinary apps, accessories, gadgets, and websites. This week's selections include a ton of games, a smart news aggregator, and... did we say a ton of games?

Scribblenauts Remix - Michelle Haag

My daughter actually discovered this game on the iPad, and has played it non-stop ever since. Your goal is to help Maxwell get through each level by inventing objects to pass obstacles and challenges. Your imagination is the only limit in this game, as you come up with new and original ways to solve the puzzles. For example, in one level you might need to cross a river, so you type in the word 'bridge' and one appears for you to place in the right spot. Or maybe you need to get over a large cliff, so you type 'butterfly wings' and use them to soar over, unscathed. Scribblenauts Remix contains 40 levels from the original game plus 10 original levels and the Playground where you can create to your heart's content in a sandbox environment. The game has just been updated for Valentine's Day with all new content, too. Play on multiple devices with iCloud allowing you to seamlessly switch between them, share your scores with your Game Center friends, and so much more. You don't want to miss trying out Scribblenauts, just be warned that you'll be hooked right away!

• $.99 - Download Now

Ghostbusters - Chris Parsons

If you're a fan of the Ghostbusters cartoon from the 80's then you'll want to check out the latest Ghostbusters game in the app store. History hasn't been all that nice to the franchise when it comes to video games but this latest rendition does a lot better than previous iterations out there of offering something for fans. Assemble your Ghostbuster team and take on some ghosts, you'll need to fight your way through numerous levels using an array of weapons and if those aren't sufficient, you'll have to power up and get better ones. Yes, there is a money making scheme here that suggests you get through the game fast by buying 'power cores' but overall it's not a bad game to sit back and play, especially if you're a fan of the cartoon. Now, who you gonna call?

• Free - Download Now

Trapit for iPad - Joseph Keller

Trapit for iPad is news aggregator that learns what you like. Like Siri, Trapit was born out of DARPA?s CALO project, an effort to make an intelligent digital assisstant. Trapit works by asking you for a topic, Apple, for instance, and then asking you to find stories you like in order to teach Trapit what it should pull into that section. The more stories you like, the more Trapit is able to learn about how it should refine what news it shows you. If it shows you a story that isn?t relevant, might be spam, or is from a source you dislike, simple press the dislike button to get rid of it. As a service, Trapit is currently in beta, though the app itself is available for free on the App Store. Be sure to check it out, because it?s definitely worth a look.

• Free - Download Now

Momonga Pinball Adventures - Ally Kazmucha

Every once in a while I find a game with a decent story line and easy game play that's a great time killer. Momonga Pinball Adventures is a super cute game that's a pretty cool spin off of classic pinball.

Momonga is the last squirrel left that wasn't' taken by a gang of owls. Panda trains him to go rescue is tribe. Training and rescuing equals pinball action. You'll have to hit targets, dodge objects, and come out alive in order to save your tribe.

It's an easy enough game for children to play but stimulating enough to keep the big kids in the house entertained as well. If you're looking for a twist on an old classic, definitely check out Momonga Pinball Adventures. It's a universal download for both iPhone and iPad too so you can enjoy on whichever you prefer.

• $1.99 - Download Now

Traal - Simon Sage

Traal is simple, free, and altogether intense stealth game. You control an abstract, nameless character through a dark maze full of treacherous obstacles and monstrous aberrations. Players have to collect scrolls written in an incomprehensible language in order to figure out where they are and where they're going. You have to be careful where you shine your light though, as the inhabitants will chase you down if you shine it on them. The dark music and stark, 8-bit-style graphics create an atmosphere perfect for a few jumps and frights. There's a refreshing absence of ads or in-app purchases here, which makes Traal a cozy, intimate get-together with you and your fear.

• Free - Download now

Your choice?

Now that we've chosen our favorites for the week, we want to hear yours! Did you pick up a killer app, accessory, or game this week? Let us know in the comments below!

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/KxruyjW6VcM/story01.htm

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Genetic landscape of common brain tumors holds key to personalized treatment

Friday, January 25, 2013

Nearly the entire genetic landscape of the most common form of brain tumor can be explained by abnormalities in just five genes, an international team of researchers led by Yale School of Medicine scientists report online in the Jan. 24 edition of the journal Science. Knowledge of the genomic profile of the tumors and their location in the brain make it possible for the first time to develop personalized medical therapies for meningiomas, which currently are only managed surgically.

Meningioma tumors affect about 170,000 patients in the United States. They are usually benign but can turn malignant in about 10 percent of cases. Even non-cancerous tumors can require surgery if they affect the surrounding brain tissue and disrupt neurological functions.

Approximately half of the tumors have already been linked to a mutation or deletion of a gene called neurofibromin 2, or NF2. The origins of the rest of the meningiomas had remained a mystery.

The Yale team conducted genomic analyses of 300 meningiomas and found four new genetic suspects, each of which yields clues to the origins and treatment of the condition. Tumors mutated with each of these genes tend to be located in different areas of the brain, which can indicate how likely they are to become malignant.

"Combining knowledge of these mutations with the location of tumor growth has direct clinical relevance and opens the door for personalized therapies," said Murat Gunel, the Nixdorff-German Professor of Neurosurgery, professor of genetics and of neurobiology, and senior author of the study. Gunel is also a member of Yale Cancer Center's Genetics and Genomics Research Program.

For instance, two of the mutations identified ? SMO and AKT1 ? have been linked to various cancers. SMO mutations had previously been found in basal cell carcinoma and are the target of an already approved drug for that form of skin cancer. Another, KLF4, activates a suite of genes and is known for its role in inducing stem cell formation, even in cells that have fully differentiated into a specific tissue type. Mutations in a TRAF7, a gene not previously associated with cancer, were found in approximately one-fourth of tumors. Meningiomas with these mutations are found in the skull base and are unlikely to become cancerous. In contrast, NF2 mutant tumors that flank the brain's hemispheres are more likely to progress to malignancy, especially in males.

Doctors may be able to use targeted chemotherapy on patients with non-NF2 mutations, especially those with recurrent or invasive meningiomas and those who are surgically at high risk. Individualized chemotherapies could also spare patients irradiation treatment, a risk factor for progression of these generally benign tumors. Gunel said it may also be possible to extend these approaches to more malignant tumors.

###

Yale University: http://www.yale.edu

Thanks to Yale University for this article.

This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.

This press release has been viewed 33 time(s).

Source: http://www.labspaces.net/126464/Genetic_landscape_of_common_brain_tumors_holds_key_to_personalized_treatment

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How Do Airline CEOs Get Around For Business? ? Civil Aviation ...

I know their time is very valuable, and they need to be available, do they fly on their airlines and get delayed like the rest of us or do they charter business-jets? I'm sure for personal reasons they can probably afford to go private

61 replies: All unread, showing first 25:

Our CEO (Parker) is frequently seen flying around for both business and leisure. He has been on a couple of my flights. Both times he was in Y, and once with his family. I am sure he gets upgraded more than the average passenger- but in both cases I have seen him just a regular Y seat.

I remember people posting about seeing Richard Anderson on DL flights. My dad saw Bill Ayer (then the CEO of AS) on an AS flight several years ago, flying coach. My dad only realized who it was after the FAs started chatting with him.

Can they fly priority on other airlines? I'm sure there's some gentleman's agreement.

The management team at an airline will be treated like the management team at any other business. Their time is valuable, and they will take whatever airline gets them to their destination the fastest. I believe Gary Kelly from WN has been seen flying AA out of DFW many time. Business is business. I'm sure the McDonald's CEO eats at Burger King from time to time. On this website there is this huge fascination with brands and companies, that fascination and insane fanboyism just doesn't exist in the real world, because business is business.

If a CEO can?t fly on the airline they run, they have no business running the airline! They need to be a passenger and see what it?s like. If they don?t like it, why would anyone else? Rumor has it the reason why O?Hare is getting jetways to remove all hardstands on the F Concourse is because Smisek got stuck out on the ramp in the middle of winter and disliked it so much there are now jetways there. In the 70s Eddie Carlson at UA would work the flight once on board to talk to employees!

Quoting C767P (Reply 5): If a CEO can?t fly on the airline they run, they have no business running the airline! They need to be a passenger and see what it?s like. If they don?t like it, why would anyone else? Because I work for a specific airline, that means I can't buy a ticket on a competitor, to save myself time and add convenience? I also wait tables on the side for spending cash, does that mean I cannot eat at any other restaurant that competes with the restaurant I work at?

Quoting g500 (Thread starter): do they fly on their airlines and get delayed like the rest of us Back in the late 1980s I was on a Hawaiian Air DC-8 flight from Honolulu to Apia, Western Samoa with a stop in Pago Pago, American Samoa. The president of Hawaiian happened to be on the flight in First Class. The plane suffered mechanical problems for several hours in Pago Pago and the president of Hawaiian was delayed along with the rest of us. He stayed on board in First while the rest of the passengers were ushered into the terminal to wait for the plane to be fixed. When we re-boarded quite a few hours later the Hawaiian president, still sitting on board, looked none too pleased. By the way, any passenger who happened to read the in-flight magazine would have noticed the company president was on board as his face was included in the president's message at the front of the magazine.

Quoting jetmatt777 (Reply 4): I'm sure the McDonald's CEO eats at Burger King from time to time. On this website there is this huge fascination with brands and companies, that ... just doesn't exist in the real world, because business is business. Exactly. Businessmen will always patronize other establishments and companies within their industry. Sometimes, it's convenience. Sometimes, it's sizing up the competition.

Quoting threeifbyair (Reply 2): I remember people posting about seeing Richard Anderson on DL flights He also uses Delta Private Jets as well.

Quoting C767P (Reply 5): If a CEO can?t fly on the airline they run, they have no business running the airline! So the CEO of Southwest is never allowed to go to Asia? No airline serves all routes, let along all routes at the time that the CEO might need to go there. At the end of the day, the mission is to get from A to B. If a CEO's own airline flies A to B and gets to B at the time they need to be there, I'm sure they'd default to using their own airline. But if they don't, which is going to happen pretty often in the real world, you take the flight that makes sense. Quoting C767P (Reply 5): They need to be a passenger and see what it?s like. If they don?t like it, why would anyone else? There's a huge difference between *never* flying your own airline and *always* flying your own airline. Any good CEO will "sample" their own product. That doesn't mean they do it 100% of the time they need to travel. The Boeing corporate jet fleet contains mostly non-Boeing aircraft...this isn't because the management hates Boeing, it's because most of their flying is economically ill suited to Boeing's products. Tom.

John Leahy has been know to fly aboard a B-747 on his way to make a sale for the A-380 if it got him there in the time period he needed.

Quoting threeifbyair (Reply 2): I'm sure the McDonald's CEO eats at Burger King from time to time. agreed, but I have heard reference to any execuitve at Coke ever being sean with a Pepsi being in the dog house with Coke

Quoting bobnwa (Reply 12): agreed, but I have heard reference to any execuitve at Coke ever being sean with a Pepsi being in the dog house with Coke This is correct. A coworker of mine went to play soccer with a bunch of Coke employees and he showed up with Gatorade. They made him go get Powerade before playing. Now he shows up with Gatorade in a Powerade bottle. Coke is one example where you may sample the competition but you better damn well not do it in public!

Executives usually get positive space tickets on any flight. Depending on the airline and executives will fly economy or first class. It has more to do with publicity and union relations to have the executives flying coach. In reality, their time and productivity is extremely important and positive space business class is acceptable. No company outside of aviation that I know of sends executives economy, so to keep the executives happy, you need to treat them well, although sometimes the voracious unions don?t see things the same way. Most international airlines send management employees in business class for international trips. Some will do whatever class is available, but again when you are sending a manager or engineer to a different country to meet with Boeing or Airbus you want them fresh and alert on arrival, so it is best for the company to send them in business class rather than waste productivity having people adjust to jetlag that you get in economy. Airlines always have 50% or more discounted travel on other airlines. Again time is often most important. If management at United needs to go somewhere that they don?t serve or the route can be cumbersome, they could end up on any airline that they have a reciprocal agreement with. Southwest has some of the best positive space and non-revenue travel agreements. In the alliance and marketing world you see United, Delta and American as bitter enemies, but in reality the airlines at the management level work together really well. Flying on the competition is something they are willing to do. When it comes to management, contracts and engineering, the airlines work together a lot. You?ll see their engineers sitting side by side and working together at the various industry conferences. They?ll share maintenance successes and failures and talk about how to improve reliability. The reliability engineers all have each others? phone numbers and they work together. Despite what brand loyalty and marketing people push, the airlines do all work together. They share spare parts to save money and they will all reaccommodate and help each other out when they can. While you?ll rarely see Delta handling United above the wing or vice versa, it is very common to have them sharing maintenance resources and contract to each other.

Quoting nwcoflyer (Reply 1): I am sure he gets upgraded more than the average passenger- but in both cases I have seen him just a regular Y seat. DL will upgrade any employee/family member/retiree/buddy pass if there's space available. CEO on down to most recently hired. Although, I've heard that RA regularly gives his F seat to uniformed service people. DL serves CDG-JFK, but I took AF because I wanted to add a 773 to my list of flown types. I also took what seemed to be the oldest 737 still flying (WN), SFO-SAN. The ZED program is a terrific benefit to OAL employees.

I was asking because my United flight got delayed 3 hours yesterday Now I'm sure United's CEO wants to fly on his own airline and promote his airline. But I just don't see him waiting at some gate for 3 hours.. I'm sure United's employees would rather have him available and pay for a Challenger or Gulfstream to fly him to his destination [Edited 2013-01-25 10:01:27]

Quoting g500 (Reply 16): I was asking because my United flight got delayed 3 hours yesterday Now I'm sure United's CEO wants to fly on his own airline and promote his airline. But I just don't see him waiting at some gate for 3 hours.. I'm sure United's employees would rather have him available and pay for a Challenger or Gulfstream to fly him to his destination Nope, he waits with everyone. However he'll usually have a better idea of the scope of delay, so his rebooking options are much better. It's good perspective to have him adequately fund preventative maintenance ?

Airline CEOs often fly on their competitors all the time. In fact, doing so is often PREFERRED by the executives so that they can actually work/sleep on the flight instead of have the entire trip turn into a gripe session from the employees. There are times when it is smart for the airline's CEO ot fly on his/her own airline, but for the most part, their travel is time and mission sensitive, so they fly on their competitors to be as discreet as possible.

Quoting Roseflyer (Reply 14): In the alliance and marketing world you see United, Delta and American as bitter enemies, but in reality the airlines at the management level work together really well. Flying on the competition is something they are willing to do. When it comes to management, contracts and engineering, the airlines work together a lot. You?ll see their engineers sitting side by side and working together at the various industry conferences. They?ll share maintenance successes and failures and talk about how to improve reliability. The reliability engineers all have each others? phone numbers and they work together. Despite what brand loyalty and marketing people push, the airlines do all work together. They share spare parts to save money and they will all reaccommodate and help each other out when they can. While you?ll rarely see Delta handling United above the wing or vice versa, it is very common to have them sharing maintenance resources and contract to each other. Even ramp agents, moreso at outstations, work with other airlines if they are in a pinch. Towbar gets broken and they need to borrow one, usually more than happy to let them borrow one. Or if we get a charter (or diversion) on an aircraft we are not very familiar with, but another airline is, we'll go ask for some pointers and advice. If their breakroom vending machine has Funyuns and ours doesn't, there's no problem at all to go to their ramp breakroom and buy a bag of Funyuns. People (and really most of it is this website) see this huge rivalry and hate towards other airlines....but on the front line we are all being screwed by the industry, the only difference is the company name. So front line agents usually are also pretty empathetic towards our fellow industry workers, even if they are a "rival" they are by no means an "enemy" at all. (Unless you cut behind me when I am pushing an airplane back, or push an airplane out to block me in on purpose: you'll be on my hit list for a while)

Quoting seatback (Reply 3): Can they fly priority on other airlines? I'm sure there's some gentleman's agreement. Yes, All officers of say AA can fly on any other US carrier. Foreign Im not sure. Herb use to fly AA quite often. There were stories during the AA labor problems that their top mgmt was flying around on UA, unconfirmed though

Quoting jetmatt777 (Reply 19): (Unless you cut behind me when I am pushing an airplane back, or push an airplane out to block me in on purpose: you'll be on my hit list for a while) Or if you work for Virgin America in SFO and want anything from the United guys. Maybe it?s less of a rivalry than it appears, but I?ve heard of UA pilots offloading VX deadheading pilots because they don?t like VX. Of course I?ve also seen an AA pilot who was deadheading on a VX flight personally help unload all the extra oversized carry on items because the gate staff couldn?t handle them. Quoting avek00 (Reply 18): There are times when it is smart for the airline's CEO ot fly on his/her own airline, but for the most part, their travel is time and mission sensitive, so they fly on their competitors to be as discreet as possible. I?m not sure what airline you are working for, but usually executives that I saw flying were traveling between the hubs for various meetings. On United, you?re going to see Smisek flying between SFO, ORD and IAH a lot. No need to fly the competition. I?m not sure what type of mission sensitive work is being done. Also, Smisek usually tries to relate to the employees and I?ve heard he?s quite gracious when you meet him. You?ll hear about the usual union steward berating, but it?s not that unusual to see the executives talking with the crews while flying.

Quoting Roseflyer (Reply 21): I?m not sure what airline you are working for, but usually executives that I saw flying were traveling between the hubs for various meetings. On United, you?re going to see Smisek flying between SFO, ORD and IAH a lot. No need to fly the competition. I?m not sure what type of mission sensitive work is being done. Also, Smisek usually tries to relate to the employees and I?ve heard he?s quite gracious when you meet him. You?ll hear about the usual union steward berating, but it?s not that unusual to see the executives talking with the crews while flying. Smisek himself said he often flies other airlines when traveling for business.

Quoting avek00 (Reply 18): There are times when it is smart for the airline's CEO ot fly on his/her own airline, but for the most part, their travel is time and mission sensitive, so they fly on their competitors to be as discreet as possible. Right, because it's better to broadcast those "sensitive missions" to your competitors by flying on their airplanes... [Edited 2013-01-25 11:46:22]

Quoting Roseflyer (Reply 21): Or if you work for Virgin America in SFO and want anything from the United guys. Maybe it?s less of a rivalry than it appears, but I?ve heard of UA pilots offloading VX deadheading pilots because they don?t like VX. A lot of airlines have a way in deciding who gets a free seat and who does not. Own airline captains 1st, then FOs then FAs then managament and other employees then pilots from other airlines. Could have easily been off loaded because a UA pilot needed the ride instead. Even if he got there after the UA pilot gets the seat. Your story can be true. It certainly does happen like pilots from Go Jet or maybe Republic or some of those other regionals some pilots don't like. As for the "rivarly" between airlines I think that is more of a marketing thing. Sure there are rivals and do business against eachother but at sometimes they do need to work together especially on the front lines at the airport in operations. If they did not help eachother out difficult situations would be even more difficult for everyone.

25 Roseflyer: Smisek says he flies other airlines to get a benchmark on the competition and see what their latest product is like, not to be discreet. I certainly

27 avek00: Broadcasting what, exactly?

28 catiii: I don't know, you said it so you tell us. I read the comment pasted below as you implying these CEO's are on time sensitive and mission sensitive tri

30 EaglePower83: There's been a whole discussion on FlyerTalk about the financial meeting. Apparently SMI/J was asked about how he can be so certain the 787 will draw

31 gigneil: It does not have 10 across seating. NS

33 AADC10: I am sure Smisek also considers UAX and alliance codeshares such as US, LH, and NH as "other airlines." I do not think well known CEOs fly on other c

34 DocLightning: I remember once hearing a CEO of AA (Was it Arpey?) saying that all AA senior management is required to fly a certain number of miles/legs in Y every

35 Roseflyer: True. There have been a lot of Southwest executives flying back and forth to Atlanta from Dallas since the Airtran deal. With no good service on Airt

36 EASTERN747: Top Management usually have agreements with other airlines, and usually it's confirmed F/C, if available. When I was working at DCA in 1970 or so. we

37 gigneil: Its just not true. They do it all the time. Their time is extremely valuable. If I'm the CEO of US Airways, and I need to go to Asia, I'm going to be

38 jet72uk: WW flys BA First. I don't think he eats the food though..........

39 ripcordd: I have seen Richard Branson flying AA ORD-LHR in F. Also the silver can lady(aka male FA) or something close to it was leaking when top managment was

40 incitatus: Not quite sure about this, especially how it works with CEOs. Many companies with revenues in the same league as airlines have travel policies for CE

41 jetmatt777: I'm not referring directly to travel policy, but policy on using a competitor's products.

43 cmf: I know several. IKEA is probably the biggest. For a meeting like that I send them in the day before and they get a nights sleep at a hotel. Not becau

44 displane: Back in the late 90's/early 2000's, UA CEO's would fly company passes, positive space, priority. You can be rest assured that local management were th

45 C767P: When I said a CEO needs to fly on the airline they work for I did not use the words ?exclusive? or ?always.? I personally believe that if the

46 type-rated: I thought all this friendliness went away with deregulation. The way you describe it, that's the way it used to be before deregulation.

47 Flighty: Yes, they do. Okay, but we are talking about what airlines do. You're right -- CEO travel justifies many measures. Yes. Airline CEOs fly positive spa

48 JAAlbert: Anymore, long haul coach is so uncomfortable, I can't imagine an airline seating its management teams in the back of the plane. I am self employed and

50 F9animal: Bill Ayer from Alaska has flown of Frontier a few times. Business is business.

51 jfk777: Herb Kelleher used to fly AA when he had to go from DFW to New York to see his bankers and lawyers.

52 FlyHossD: I've heard from a couple of different and normally reliable sources that some of the senior UCH management sometimes use NetJets. That seems prudent

54 CapEd388: Even then, the rivalry isnt very "bitter". That is something that I have always found kind of cool in the airline industry. You rarely see airlines a

56 avek00: Airline CEOs and senior executives are, as a class, significantly undercompensated relative to executive peers in other industries. This probably inf

57 captainstefan: Heaven forbid you show up to work with any stitch of blue on your clothes.... (speaking from experience). Back on topic, it cracks me up to see every

59 Roseflyer: Haha, the time difference is only part of what causes jet lag. The lack of sleep while flying increases the jet lag. 4-5 hours of decent sleep on a t

60 delta2ual: I was working a DL Shuttle flight back in the 90's and I served Robert Crandall from AA. I remember it vividly because I personally thanked him for fl

61 Flighty: Both points well taken. One is still tempted to take US airline executives over US bank executives. The irony is, you have to be pretty smart to run

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