Eyes-on with Cornell University's laser tag dunebots (video)

Cornell University may be the host of the Cornell Cup competition, but that doesn't mean it can't bring its own robots to join in on the fun. This year, students brought along a few bots, dubbed dunebots, outfitted with all-terrain wheels and equipped with laser tag turrets. The rugged rig features a pair of cameras, a dustproof and water resistant chassis, air intakes capped with filters, and other custom components for suspension and steering. Not only does the team plan on releasing code and documentation for the project, but the hardware was designed with modularity in mind, so others can build their own modified versions.

Taking the robot into battle requires two pilots armed with Xbox 360 controllers: one directing where it travels, and another aiming the turret and firing. Driving the buggy over the web is also possible, though it takes a few seconds for it to react. The group also baked in voice controls, to boot. If you're not watching the car duke it out in person, you can even tune in over the web and watch a live video stream from one of its onboard cams. Its top speeds haven't been firmly nailed down, but the team says the bot was running at approximately 35 percent of its full potential, since it was deemed too fast for conference attendees. Hit the jump to catch us talk with the effort's Computer Science lead Mike Dezube, and to see a dunebot in action.

Gallery: Dunebot

Filed under: Robots, Alt

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/9I6Sbmyh7Wo/

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Here's What The Large Hadron Collider Looks Like Through Google Glass

If Google is worried about Google Glass being too "nerdy", they probably wouldn't be sending people rockin' the Glass into the heart of the most gloriously nerdy thing in the world, the Large Hadron Collider. Fortunately, Google doesn't seem to care (nor should they) if their amazing little experiment gets a few knocks along the way. As a result, we get videos like this one.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/4b1zzk4fVO8/

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TODAY.com: Celebrities

http://www.today.com/id/9409919/TODAY is America's favorite morning show on TV and the Internet. Get recipes and fashion tips, health and entertainment news, parenting, travel, and decorating advice and watch video clips any time from TODAY.com.Copyright 2013 msnbc.comen-ushttp://msnbcmedia1.msn.com/j/msnbc/Sections/TVNews/Today%20show/Miscellaneous/2008/TODAYContribs_Interactive/tdy-logo.vsmall.jpghttp://www.today.com/Mon, 29 Apr 2013 14:37:45 GMTNews60The extensive witness lists in the wrongful civil death trial brought by Michael Jackson's family includes some serious star power ? and his children.
]]>http://todayentertainment.today.com/_news/2013/04/29/17969739-michael-jackson-trial-witness-lists-star-studded-include-his-kids?liteThe extensive witness lists in the wrongful civil death trial brought by Michael Jackson's family includes some serious star power ? and his children.Copyright msnbc.com 2013
]]>Mon, 29 Apr 2013 14:34:30 GMTNewshttp://todayentertainment.today.com/_news/2013/04/29/17969739-michael-jackson-trial-witness-lists-star-studded-include-his-kids?liteAnother girl, and with the same birthday as their 2-year-old, for Ian Ziering and wife Erin.
]]>http://todayentertainment.today.com/_news/2013/04/29/17968237-90210s-ian-ziering-welcomes-second-daughter-with-wife-erin?liteAnother girl, and with the same birthday as their 2-year-old, for Ian Ziering and wife Erin.Copyright msnbc.com 2013
]]>Mon, 29 Apr 2013 11:53:23 GMTNewshttp://todayentertainment.today.com/_news/2013/04/29/17968237-90210s-ian-ziering-welcomes-second-daughter-with-wife-erin?liteDuring a recent visit to 'The Ellen DeGeneres Show,' the actor revealed he and his wife Kyla will soon have another little one in the house.
]]>http://todayentertainment.today.com/_news/2013/04/29/17968230-vince-vaughn-and-wife-kyla-expecting-second-child?liteDuring a recent visit to 'The Ellen DeGeneres Show,' the actor revealed he and his wife Kyla will soon have another little one in the house.Copyright msnbc.com 2013
]]>Mon, 29 Apr 2013 11:45:08 GMTNewshttp://todayentertainment.today.com/_news/2013/04/29/17968230-vince-vaughn-and-wife-kyla-expecting-second-child?liteImpressive! Jane Fonda left her prints in cement alongside her father Henry Fonda's outside the former Grauman's Theatre.
]]>http://todayentertainment.today.com/_news/2013/04/29/17968178-jane-fonda-leaves-her-prints-in-cement-at-chinese-theatre-ceremony?liteImpressive! Jane Fonda left her prints in cement alongside her father Henry Fonda's outside the former Grauman's Theatre.Copyright msnbc.com 2013
]]>Mon, 29 Apr 2013 11:37:49 GMTNewshttp://todayentertainment.today.com/_news/2013/04/29/17968178-jane-fonda-leaves-her-prints-in-cement-at-chinese-theatre-ceremony?liteOn Saturday night, politicians and Hollywood broke bread together at the annual White House Correspondents' Association Dinner, but in speeches given by President Barack Obama and Conan O'Brien, the gloves came off.
]]>http://entertainment.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/04/28/17949026-5-fantastic-moments-from-the-white-house-correspondents-dinner?liteOn Saturday night, politicians and Hollywood broke bread together at the annual White House Correspondents' Association Dinner, but in speeches given by President Barack Obama and Conan O'Brien, the gloves came off.Copyright msnbc.com 2013
]]>Sun, 28 Apr 2013 04:21:26 GMTNewshttp://entertainment.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/04/28/17949026-5-fantastic-moments-from-the-white-house-correspondents-dinner?liteAccording to the NYPD, officers pulled the actor over after they saw him driving erratically, and detected an alcohol odor coming from his vehicle early Saturday.
]]>http://todayentertainment.today.com/_news/2013/04/28/17957780-jeffrey-wright-busted-for-dwi-in-new-york?liteAccording to the NYPD, officers pulled the actor over after they saw him driving erratically, and detected an alcohol odor coming from his vehicle early Saturday.Copyright msnbc.com 2013
]]>Sun, 28 Apr 2013 16:52:03 GMTNewshttp://todayentertainment.today.com/_news/2013/04/28/17957780-jeffrey-wright-busted-for-dwi-in-new-york?liteAmanda Bynes' bizarre behavior has been tabloid fodder for years now, and the former child star has been fanning the flames on her personal Twitter account.
]]>http://todayentertainment.today.com/_news/2013/04/26/17931975-amanda-bynes-shaves-half-of-her-head?liteAmanda Bynes' bizarre behavior has been tabloid fodder for years now, and the former child star has been fanning the flames on her personal Twitter account.Copyright msnbc.com 2013
]]>Fri, 26 Apr 2013 18:44:50 GMTNewshttp://todayentertainment.today.com/_news/2013/04/26/17931975-amanda-bynes-shaves-half-of-her-head?litePeaches Geldof, the daughter of singer and poverty campaigner Bob Geldof, welcomed her second child with husband Thomas Cohen on Wednesday, according to Hello! magazine.
]]>http://todayentertainment.today.com/_news/2013/04/26/17934125-peaches-geldof-names-son-phaedra?litePeaches Geldof, the daughter of singer and poverty campaigner Bob Geldof, welcomed her second child with husband Thomas Cohen on Wednesday, according to Hello! magazine.Copyright msnbc.com 2013
]]>Fri, 26 Apr 2013 22:07:19 GMTNewshttp://todayentertainment.today.com/_news/2013/04/26/17934125-peaches-geldof-names-son-phaedra?litehttp://www.today.com/id/7358550/ns/today-entertainment/Newshttp://www.today.com/id/7358550/ns/today-entertainment/

Source: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/9409918/device/rss/rss.xml

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PTSD research: Distinct gene activity patterns from childhood abuse

May 1, 2013 ? Abuse during childhood is different.

A study of adult civilians with PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) has shown that individuals with a history of childhood abuse have distinct, profound changes in gene activity patterns, compared to adults with PTSD but without a history of child abuse.

A team of researchers from Atlanta and Munich probed blood samples from 169 participants in the Grady Trauma Project, a study of more than 5000 Atlanta residents with high levels of exposure to violence, physical and sexual abuse and with high risk for civilian PTSD.

The results were published Monday, April 29 in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Early Edition.

"These are some of the most robust findings to date showing that different biological pathways may describe different subtypes of a psychiatric disorder, which appear similar at the level of symptoms but may be very different at the level of underlying biology," says Kerry Ressler, MD, PhD, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Emory University School of Medicine and Yerkes National Primate Research Center.

"As these pathways become better understood, we expect that distinctly different biological treatments would be implicated for therapy and recovery from PTSD based on the presence or absence of past child abuse."

Ressler, a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, is co-director of the Grady Trauma Project, along with co-author Bekh Bradley, PhD, assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Emory and director of the Trauma Recovery Program at the Atlanta Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

The first author of the paper is Divya Mehta, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow in Munich. The senior author is Elisabeth Binder, MD, PhD, associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Emory and group leader at the Max-Planck Institute of Psychiatry in Munich, Germany.

Mehta and her colleagues examined changes in the patterns of which genes were turned on and off in blood cells from patients. They also looked at patterns of methylation, a DNA modification on top of the four letters of the genetic code that causes genes to be 'silenced' or made inactive.

Study participants were divided into three groups: people who experienced trauma without developing PTSD, people with PTSD who were exposed to child abuse, and people with PTSD who were not exposed to child abuse.

The researchers were surprised to find that although hundreds of genes had significant changes in activity in the PTSD with and without child abuse groups, there was very little overlap in patterns between these groups. The two groups shared similar symptoms of PTSD, which include intrusive thoughts such as nightmares and flashbacks, avoidance of trauma reminders, and symptoms of hyperarousal and hypervigilance.

The PTSD with child abuse group displayed more changes in genes linked with development of the nervous system and regulation of the immune system, while the PTSD minus child abuse group displayed more changes in genes linked with apoptosis (cell death) and growth rate regulation. In addition, changes in methylation were more frequent in the PTSD with child abuse group. The authors believe that these biological pathways may lead to different mechanisms of PTSD symptom formation within the brain.

The Max Planck/Emory scientists were probing gene activity in blood cells, rather than brain tissue. Similar results have been obtained by researchers studying the influence of child abuse on the brains of people who had committed suicide.

"Traumatic events that happen in childhood are embedded in the cells for a long time," Binder says. "Not only the disease itself, but the individual's life experience is important in the biology of PTSD, and this should be to be reflected in the way we treat these disorders."

This work was supported by the Max-Planck Society, the Behrens-Weise Foundation, the U.S. National Institute of Mental Health (MH071537 and MH085806) and the Burroughs Wellcome Fund.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Emory Health Sciences. The original article was written by Quinn Eastman.

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

---

Journal Reference:

1. D. Mehta, T. Klengel, K. N. Conneely, A. K. Smith, A. Altmann, T. W. Pace, M. Rex-Haffner, A. Loeschner, M. Gonik, K. B. Mercer, B. Bradley, B. Muller-Myhsok, K. J. Ressler, E. B. Binder. Childhood maltreatment is associated with distinct genomic and epigenetic profiles in posttraumatic stress disorder. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2013; DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1217750110

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/living_well/~3/XgoiydzUsBs/130501154442.htm

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Genetic factor predicts success of weight-loss surgery

May 2, 2013 ? More than one-third of adults in the United States are obese, and some of these individuals undergo gastric bypass surgery to shed the extra pounds. A genome-wide association study published by Cell Press May 2nd in The American Journal of Human Genetics reveals that the amount of weight loss after this surgery can be predicted in part by a DNA sequence variation found on chromosome 15. The findings explain why the success of gastric bypass surgery varies so widely and could help clinicians identify those who would benefit the most from this type of surgery.

"Surgery is the most effective therapy for severe obesity, but these procedures are invasive, and not all patients get the same degree of benefit," says senior study author Lee Kaplan of Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School. "If we can identify those patients who are likely to lose more weight after surgery from those who do less well, we could help steer patients towards the therapy that best suits them."

Individuals who undergo gastric bypass surgery lose on average about 35%-40% of their initial weight and keep most of this weight off. But the amount of weight lost by different patients varies by a factor of four, and it is not understood what causes this wide difference in response.

To identify specific genetic factors that might play a role, Kaplan and his team examined the genomes of more than 1,000 individuals undergoing gastric bypass surgery. They found that individuals with two copies of a specific variant on chromosome 15 lost on average about 39% of their body weight, whereas those without a copy of this variant lost less than 30% of their body weight. Moreover, the activity of the gene located closest to this variant also predicted weight loss.

"This is the first instance where a genome-wide search has identified genetic predictors of weight loss after gastric bypass surgery," Kaplan says. "Since the genes identified in this report have not previously been known to be involved with body-weight regulation and obesity, their identification may suggest new approaches that could be used to develop novel therapies for obesity, diabetes, and related metabolic disorders."

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Cell Press, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

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Journal Reference:

1. Ida?J. Hatoum, Danielle?M. Greenawalt, Chris Cotsapas, Mark?J. Daly, Marc?L. Reitman, Lee?M. Kaplan. Weight Loss after Gastric Bypass Is Associated with a Variant at 15q26.1. The American Journal of Human Genetics, 2013; 92 (5): 827 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2013.04.009

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/IH9LVRLWwU4/130502131857.htm

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Loblaw raises dividend, plans $7-billion REIT | Investing | Financial ...

Loblaw Cos. Inc. saw a big boost in first-quarter earnings due to changes in its retirement plan and a resulting gain.

The Canada?s biggest grocery chain earned $171-million, or 60? per share on a fully diluted basis in the first quarter ended March 23, compared with $122-million (43?) in the same period of 2012.

The quarterly profit includes a gain of $51-million, or 13? per share, related to defined benefit plan changes made during the quarter. Loblaw said it will realize annual pre-tax savings of about $14-million related to the retirement plan changes.

The company also hiked its dividend for the second time in six months, from 22? per common share to 24?, a rise of 9.1%.

Revenue was $7.2-billion, up 3.8% from $6.9-billion in 2012 and same-store sales, a key measure of performance in retail, were up 2.8%.

Loblaw shares rose 5.26% to $45.00 in TSX trading at 10:51 a.m. ET Wednesday.

?The first quarter showed continued evidence of momentum in our core business,? Galen Weston, Loblaw?s executive chairman, said in a statement. ?Greater assortment and an improved in-store experience are resonating with customers, translating into same-store sales growth and positive trends in tonnage and market share.

?Despite the increasingly competitive environment, I believe that our improving customer experience and demonstrated ability to create leverage by driving cost savings and efficiencies will enable us to win in the marketplace and deliver value to our shareholders.?

This quarter marks the start of a pivotal year for the grocery retailer, which is in the final phase of a massive IT systems overhaul, and has plans to create a $7-billion real estate investment trust for its properties. The company said Wednesday it expects to file a preliminary prospectus for its real estate investment trust in late May and complete an initial public offering in early to mid-July.

The company has also taken a bruising in the public eye for an association to the Bangladesh factory collapse last week, where some of its low-priced Joe Fresh apparel line was made. Along with British retailer Primark, Loblaw has said it will compensate the families of the victims.

Source: http://business.financialpost.com/2013/05/01/loblaw-raises-dividend-plans-7-billion-reit/

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Peres invites Pope Francis to Israel

May 1 (Reuters) - Post position for Saturday's 139th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs after Wednesday's draw (listed as barrier, HORSE, jockey, trainer) 1. BLACK ONYX, Joe Bravo, Kelly Breen 2. OXBOW, Gary Stevens, D. Wayne Lukas 3. REVOLUTIONARY, Calvin Borel, Todd Pletcher 4. GOLDEN SOUL, Robby Albarado, Dallas Stewart 5. NORMANDY INVASION, Javier Castellano, Chad Brown 6. MYLUTE, Rosie Napravnik, Tom Amoss 7. GIANT FINISH, Jose Espinoza, Tony Dutrow 8. GOLDENCENTS, Kevin Krigger, Doug O'Neill 9. OVERANALYZE, Rafael Bejarano, Todd Pletcher 10. PALACE MALICE, Mike Smith, Todd Pletcher 11. ...

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/peres-invites-pope-francis-israel-122635401.html

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Italy's new premier to push growth agenda in Europe after winning vote

By Roberto Landucci and Steve Scherer

ROME (Reuters) - New Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta won a final confidence vote in his broad coalition government on Tuesday before setting off on a European tour to push his agenda of growth rather than austerity to revive the recession-hit economy.

Even before departure, Letta came under pressure from the partners in his right-left government to re-negotiate Rome's commitment to keeping its budget within European Union rules. It was an early indication of the difficult juggling act he faces at the head of an uneasy coalition.

Letta, who was sworn in on Sunday, easily won a confidence vote in the Senate after a similar victory in the lower house on Monday.

He immediately set off for Berlin to meet Chancellor Angela Merkel, the champion of Europe's increasingly unpopular tight budget policies.

On Wednesday, Letta travels to Paris where he is likely to find an ally in French President Francois Hollande, who is also pushing for a switch of emphasis towards growth rather than austerity. Letta will go to Brussels, where he plans talks with European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso.

The 46-year-old Letta took the helm of an economy, the euro zone's third biggest, in the midst of a severe crisis, with unemployment at 20-year highs and the recession, already matching the longest since World War Two, seen dragging on all year.

In a sign of the intense pressure he will face, four-times Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi threatened to pull his center-right People of Freedom party out of the coalition if it does not abolish an unpopular housing tax.

Berlusconi, who is not in cabinet but is playing a decisive role behind the scenes, added that the government must re-negotiate EU deficit commitments, echoing similar comments made earlier by two of Letta's own ministers.

DISAGREEMENT OVER BUDGET CHANGES

But Foreign Minister Emma Bonino, a former European commissioner, responded that Italy cannot alter its targets, a view repeated by a spokesman for the European Commission in Brussels.

"The targets, the objectives remain those that have been agreed," Commission spokesman Simon O'Connor said.

Speaking in the Senate before the confidence vote, Letta argued that Italy's need to ease austerity during the economic slump was shared by many European countries.

"What is happening in Italy is happening all over Europe," Letta said. "Either there is a common European destiny or each country will eventually decline on its own."

On Tuesday Industry Minister Flavio Zanonato and Regional Affairs Minister Graziano Delrio said Italy would seek to exempt public investments from budget calculations, which would in effect allow increased spending.

Italy's 2013 deficit target now stands at 2.9 percent of gross domestic product target, just a notch below the EU ceiling.

The country's biggest labor unions on Tuesday said they would hold a joint protest on June 22 to push for more job creating policies. The danger from rising social tensions was highlighted on Sunday in a dramatic gun attack on Rome.

An unemployed man opened fire on two police officers in front of the prime minister's office as Letta's government was being sworn in at the presidential palace. He told investigators he had wanted to strike at politicians before being stopped at a police cordon.

To ease the pain of austerity, Letta has proposed freezing a planned increase in sales tax and suspending the housing levy opposed by Berlusconi, although he has not said he would scrap it altogether as the center-right is demanding.

Those two measures alone will cost about 4 billion euros ($5.24 billion) in lost revenue this year, and labour unions are asking that the government set aside another billion euros to fund benefits for idled factory workers. Letta has not given details of how he would raise revenue to fund tax reductions.

($1 = 0.7634 euros)

(With additional reporting by Giuseppe Fonte; writing by Steve Scherer; editing by Barry Moody)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/italy-pm-letta-wins-final-confidence-vote-122020904.html

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