This photo released by NASA shows a view of Mars that was stitched together by images taken by NASA?s Viking Orbiter spacecraft. The space agency is planning to send a spacecraft similar to the Curiosity rover to the red planet in 2020. A NASA-appointed team released a report on Tuesday, July 9, 2013 that described the mission?s science goals. (AP Photo/NASA)
This photo released by NASA shows a view of Mars that was stitched together by images taken by NASA?s Viking Orbiter spacecraft. The space agency is planning to send a spacecraft similar to the Curiosity rover to the red planet in 2020. A NASA-appointed team released a report on Tuesday, July 9, 2013 that described the mission?s science goals. (AP Photo/NASA)
LOS ANGELES (AP) ? Explore an intriguing spot on Mars. Hunt for ancient signs of Martian life. Bag a bunch of rocks and leave them on the surface for a future mission to possibly return.
That's what the next rover to Mars should strive for, a NASA-appointed team said Tuesday.
The scientists released a 154-page report outlining ambitious science goals for a red planet mission that NASA wants to launch in 2020.
While the plan marked the first concrete step toward returning a piece of Mars to Earth, NASA said it's unclear how ? or when ? the cache would be retrieved.
"We're not signing up to a timetable or a commitment for a follow-on mission," said NASA sciences chief John Grunsfeld, adding that it's up to future planners to decide the next steps.
NASA has the ultimate say on what the future rover will accomplish within its $1.5 billion budget, excluding the cost of the launch vehicle.
One thing is for certain: The rover will be modeled after Curiosity, which captivated the world last summer with its daring landing in Gale Crater near the Martian equator.
Despite the successful touchdown, the $2.5 billion mission ran over budget and faced technical problems during development.
To save money, engineers will dust off Curiosity's blueprints and reuse spare parts where possible. There are also plans to recycle the landing technology that delivered the car-size rover to the surface.
The future rover would build on discoveries of past Mars missions. Spirit and Opportunity, launched in 2004, uncovered plenty of geologic evidence of past water. Curiosity found a habitable environment where microbes could thrive and recently began a long road trip toward a mountain.
Scientists want Curiosity's successor to carry high-tech instruments that can peer at rocks on a microscopic level in search of chemical clues that might have been left behind by microbes, if they existed.
Since the Martian surface is a harsh environment with no signs of water, the panel said it didn't make sense to look for current life.
That would be a "foolish investment," said Brown University planetary geologist John Mustard, who headed the NASA-appointed team.
The only time NASA tackled the life question head-on was during the Viking missions of 1976. The twin spacecraft's rudimentary experiments failed to turn up signs of life. Many Mars researchers believe that question can be best answered by examining Martian rocks and dirt under a microscope on Earth.
Women working shifts are at greater risk of miscarriage, menstrual disruption and subfertilityPublic release date: 9-Jul-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Christine Bauquis christine@eshre.eu 32-499-258-046 European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology
London, 9 July 2013: Shift work, which encourages sleep deprivation and patterns of activity
outside the circadian rhythm, has been associated with a greater risk of ill health and loss of
well-being in some (but not all) studies.(1) However, little is known about the effects of shift
work on reproductive health and fertility.
Now, a study reported today at the annual meeting of ESHRE, by Dr Linden Stocker from the
University of Southampton, UK, indicates that working shift patterns is associated with an
increased risk of menstrual disruption and subfertility.
The study is a meta-analysis of all studies on the subject published between 1969 and January
2013. It compares the impact of non-standard working schedules (including night-shift work and
mixed-shifts) with that in women not working shifts. The end-points were early reproductive
outcome parameters, including menstrual dysregulation, female fertility and miscarriage rates.
The study, which included data on 119,345 women, found that those working shifts (alternating
shifts, evenings and nights) had a 33% higher rate of menstrual disruption than those working
regular hours (odds ratio 1.22, statistically significant) and an 80% increased rate of subfertility
(OR 1.80, statistically significant).(2)
Women who worked only nights did not have a statistically increased risk of menstrual
disruption or difficulty conceiving, but they did have an increased rate of miscarriage (OR 1.29),
although this increased risk of miscarriage was not observed in women who worked nights as
part of a shift pattern.
The investigators describe their findings as "novel", but in keeping with other studies (which
found adverse effects in later pregnancy). "If replicated," they said, " our findings have
implications for women attempting to become pregnant, as well as for their employers".
On the implications of the study Dr Stocker said: "Whilst we have demonstrated an association
between shift work and negative early reproductive outcomes, we have not proven causation. In
humans, the long-term effects of altering circadian rhythms are inherently difficult to study. As a
proxy measure, the sleep disruption demonstrated by the shift workers in our study creates
short- and long-term biological disturbances. Shift workers adopt poor sleep hygiene, suffer
sleep deprivation and develop activity levels that are out-of-sync with their body clock.
"However, if our results are confirmed by other studies, there may be implications for
shift workers and their reproductive plans. More friendly shift patterns with less
impact on circadian rhythm could be adopted where practical - although the optimal
shift pattern required to maximise reproductive potential is yet to be established."
In noting that only some reproductive outcomes were affected by shift work, Dr Stocker
reported that the underlying biological disturbances involved in reproductive difficulties "are
complex and not the same across all the disease processes". "Indeed," she said, "it is probable
that completely different causes underlie menstrual dysfunction, miscarriage and subfertility.
This may explain why the effects of different types of shift work are seen in some groups of
women, but not others."
She added that one possible explanation for the overall findings is that the disruption of
circadian rhythm can influence the biological function of "clock genes", which have been shown
to be associated with changes in biological functions.
###
Abstract 193, Tuesday 9 July 17.15 BST
Do working schedules influence early reproductive outcomes - a metaanalysis
Notes
1. Most studies have concentrated on the association between shift work and cardiovascular
risk factors, with an emphasis on circadian rhythm, disturbed activity patterns, reduced social
support, psychological stress, stress, unhealthy behaviour (smoking, diet, alcohol, exercise), and
metabolic changes (cholesterol, blood pressure). Some studies have found a higher association
in shift workers, but results tend to be varied and the studies of inconsistent methodology.
Meta-analysis (as in this study) provides a way of pooling the data and applying a consistent
methodology.
2. Menstrual disruption was defined as a cycle which deviated from the normal 28
days; either a short menstrual cycle (32 days).
Shifts included all women who worked at any time other than a standard day-time schedule.
This could include night shifts, evening shifts, split shifts or rotating shifts.
* When obtaining outside comment, journalists are requested to ensure that their contacts are
aware of the embargo on this release.
For further information on the details of this press release, contact:
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.
Women working shifts are at greater risk of miscarriage, menstrual disruption and subfertilityPublic release date: 9-Jul-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Christine Bauquis christine@eshre.eu 32-499-258-046 European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology
London, 9 July 2013: Shift work, which encourages sleep deprivation and patterns of activity
outside the circadian rhythm, has been associated with a greater risk of ill health and loss of
well-being in some (but not all) studies.(1) However, little is known about the effects of shift
work on reproductive health and fertility.
Now, a study reported today at the annual meeting of ESHRE, by Dr Linden Stocker from the
University of Southampton, UK, indicates that working shift patterns is associated with an
increased risk of menstrual disruption and subfertility.
The study is a meta-analysis of all studies on the subject published between 1969 and January
2013. It compares the impact of non-standard working schedules (including night-shift work and
mixed-shifts) with that in women not working shifts. The end-points were early reproductive
outcome parameters, including menstrual dysregulation, female fertility and miscarriage rates.
The study, which included data on 119,345 women, found that those working shifts (alternating
shifts, evenings and nights) had a 33% higher rate of menstrual disruption than those working
regular hours (odds ratio 1.22, statistically significant) and an 80% increased rate of subfertility
(OR 1.80, statistically significant).(2)
Women who worked only nights did not have a statistically increased risk of menstrual
disruption or difficulty conceiving, but they did have an increased rate of miscarriage (OR 1.29),
although this increased risk of miscarriage was not observed in women who worked nights as
part of a shift pattern.
The investigators describe their findings as "novel", but in keeping with other studies (which
found adverse effects in later pregnancy). "If replicated," they said, " our findings have
implications for women attempting to become pregnant, as well as for their employers".
On the implications of the study Dr Stocker said: "Whilst we have demonstrated an association
between shift work and negative early reproductive outcomes, we have not proven causation. In
humans, the long-term effects of altering circadian rhythms are inherently difficult to study. As a
proxy measure, the sleep disruption demonstrated by the shift workers in our study creates
short- and long-term biological disturbances. Shift workers adopt poor sleep hygiene, suffer
sleep deprivation and develop activity levels that are out-of-sync with their body clock.
"However, if our results are confirmed by other studies, there may be implications for
shift workers and their reproductive plans. More friendly shift patterns with less
impact on circadian rhythm could be adopted where practical - although the optimal
shift pattern required to maximise reproductive potential is yet to be established."
In noting that only some reproductive outcomes were affected by shift work, Dr Stocker
reported that the underlying biological disturbances involved in reproductive difficulties "are
complex and not the same across all the disease processes". "Indeed," she said, "it is probable
that completely different causes underlie menstrual dysfunction, miscarriage and subfertility.
This may explain why the effects of different types of shift work are seen in some groups of
women, but not others."
She added that one possible explanation for the overall findings is that the disruption of
circadian rhythm can influence the biological function of "clock genes", which have been shown
to be associated with changes in biological functions.
###
Abstract 193, Tuesday 9 July 17.15 BST
Do working schedules influence early reproductive outcomes - a metaanalysis
Notes
1. Most studies have concentrated on the association between shift work and cardiovascular
risk factors, with an emphasis on circadian rhythm, disturbed activity patterns, reduced social
support, psychological stress, stress, unhealthy behaviour (smoking, diet, alcohol, exercise), and
metabolic changes (cholesterol, blood pressure). Some studies have found a higher association
in shift workers, but results tend to be varied and the studies of inconsistent methodology.
Meta-analysis (as in this study) provides a way of pooling the data and applying a consistent
methodology.
2. Menstrual disruption was defined as a cycle which deviated from the normal 28
days; either a short menstrual cycle (32 days).
Shifts included all women who worked at any time other than a standard day-time schedule.
This could include night shifts, evening shifts, split shifts or rotating shifts.
* When obtaining outside comment, journalists are requested to ensure that their contacts are
aware of the embargo on this release.
For further information on the details of this press release, contact:
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.
And not only serving it to them, but encouraging them to eat it so that they get entered into a contest to win an iPad as you can see from this poster that was up in a Bethel, Washington elementary school (and kindly, anonymously, punted my way).
This dairy industry funded scheme leads me to ask two questions: 1. Is dessert for breakfast a better plan than no breakfast? 2. Is advertising breakfast dessert to elementary school kids as being something that will improve their grades, give them more energy and make them more friends wise?
Not saying I know the answers, but certainly I have to believe that someone who actually cared about kids' nutrition could have found a non-dessert offering that would have fit the bill.
BTW - this contest/promotion conducted in Washington's Bethel school district - one I've covered before when their district's actual child nutrition staff literally sold fundraising fast food pizzas - clearly the "nutrition" folks over in Bethel's school district are in the ends-justify-the-means camp of selling out health for dollars.
[And in case you're interested, here's this dessert's nutritional breakdown....it's basically a bowl of sugar]
Edward Snowden's decision to miss his flight to Cuba ? and apparently stay in Russia, at least for the moment ? may lead the US to push harder on the Kremlin to turn him over.
By Fred Weir,?Correspondent / June 24, 2013
A passenger checks his phone in front of an Aeroflot passenger plane due to depart to Cuba, parked at a terminal of Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport today. Edward Snowden was booked for the flight, but did not board the plane ? leading to new speculation about his location and plans.
Maxim Shemetov/Reuters
Enlarge
Fleeing National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden pulled a vanishing act in Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport Monday by failing to show up for an Aeroflot flight to Havana that he was booked on ? sending a planeload of frustrated Moscow-based journalists off for an unplanned vacation in Cuba.
Skip to next paragraph Fred Weir
Correspondent
Fred Weir has been the Monitor's Moscow correspondent, covering Russia and the former Soviet Union, since 1998.?
Click Here for your FREE 30 DAYS of The Christian Science Monitor Weekly Digital Edition
Aeroflot, Russia's national airline,?had confirmed Monday that Mr. Snowden was booked to fly to Cuba on a regular flight leaving Monday afternoon. But as the plane's doors closed and he was still a no-show, reporters for major news outlets who'd scrambled to buy tickets for the flight in hopes of talking with the elusive whistleblower tweeted photos of his empty seat and resigned themselves to ?an unwanted twelve-and-a-half hour flight.
Russian news services had reported that Snowden arrived in Moscow Sunday aboard an Aeroflot flight from Hong Kong. An unidentified Aeroflot source told journalists that he and his companion, WikiLeaks official Sarah Harrison, spent the night in the "capsule" hotel Vozdushni Express inside Sheremetyevo's transit area. Reporters saw the ambassador of Ecuador, the country to which Snowden has applied for asylum, arrive and go inside the transit zone. But there have been no independently confirmed sightings of Snowden himself.
Though Snowden himself remains invisible, Ecuador's foreign minister, Ricardo Pati?o Aroca, read out a statement from him ? reported by the Guardian ? in which he compares himself with Bradley Manning, the former US army private currently on trial for handing hundreds of thousands of classified US documents to WikiLeaks.
"Manning has been subjected to cruel and inhuman treatment. The trial of Bradley Manning is taking place now and secret witnesses have been summoned to court and secret documents have been submitted," Snowden is quoted as saying in defense of his decision to seek asylum in Ecuador.
"I think that because of the circumstances it is unlikely that I will have a fair trial or humane treatment before trial, and also I have the risk of life imprisonment or death," he added.
The apparent news that Snowden might still be in Russia could energize efforts by Washington to convince Russia to give him over, despite the fact that Russia and the US have no mutual extradition treaty.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, in several statements to the Russian media, has insisted that President Vladimir Putin has no knowledge of Snowden's whereabouts or interest in his itinerary. "Overall, we have no information about [Snowden]," he told the independent Interfax agency Monday.
Overnight, the US appealed urgently to Russia to see Snowden as an acid test of partnership and the security cooperation Moscow has been hoping to get from the US in advance of the upcoming Sochi Winter Games.
"Given our intensified cooperation after the Boston marathon bombings and our history of working with Russia on law enforcement matters ? including returning numerous high-level criminals back to Russia at the request of the Russian government ? we expect the Russian government to look at all options available to expel Mr. Snowden back to the U.S. to face justice for the crimes with which he is charged," US National Security Council Spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden said in a statement.
Speaking to journalists during a visit to New Delhi Monday, US Secretary of State John Kerry suggested that the episode is likely to damage US relations with both Russia and China if they should prove to have been officially involved in his flight.
"It would be deeply troubling, obviously, if they [Russia and China] had adequate notice, and notwithstanding that, they make the decision willfully to ignore that and not live by the standards of the law," news agencies quoted Mr. Kerry as saying.
"As a result there would be without any question some effect and impact on the relationship and consequences," he said.
Russian experts say it's highly unlikely that Snowden boarded an Aeroflot plane, without a valid US passport, and flew to Moscow without at least the acquiescence of the Kremlin.
"I'm pretty sure this could not have taken place without some level of involvement on the part of Russian and Chinese authorities," says Fyodor Lukyanov, editor of Russia in Global Affairs, a leading Moscow-based foreign policy journal.
"Russia can resist pressure, and that's why he's here in safety. ?But I don't think Russia wants to keep him, even if [the Kremlin] has suggested that it would be open to that. It's one thing to show that we can't be pushed around, and quite another to have this as a permanent headache in our relations with the US," he says.
Alexei Pushkov, the chair of the State Duma's international affairs committee, told journalists Monday that the US should stop posing as the offended party, in light of the recent "red-handed" capture of an alleged CIA agent in downtown Moscow and disclosures by Snowden that the NSA and its British counterpart tried to listen to former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's phone calls during a G-20 summit in London in 2009.
"I think we should be guided by our own understanding of what we should do. We do not see any special restraint on the part of U.S. special services with regards to Russia," Mr. Pushkov told Interfax.
"If Snowden were the only problem upsetting perfect relations between Russia and the US, that would be one thing," says Alexei Makarkin, director of the independent Center for Political Technologies in Moscow.
"But as things stand now, we have different positions on all the key issues of world politics. Russia is extremely disenchanted with the US and given up all hopes of building normal relations with it. So, why would Russia trouble itself over threats that this Snowden case might worsen our ties with Washington?" he adds.
Let's face it; no one takes better pictures of themselves than superheroes getting ready for a poster. But how do they get the perfect set-up every time? Like this.
We've seen famous photos taken as selfies before, but there's something so satisfying about seeing our heroes give in to that most unctuous of vanities. Besides, did you ever doubt that Tony Stark has a Stark Industries Camerabot? snapping away at his good side at all times?
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Public release date: 9-Jul-2013
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