Key to super-sensory hearing? Newly identified hearing organ in bushcrickets' ears may inspire acoustic sensors

ScienceDaily (Nov. 15, 2012) ? The discovery of a previously unidentified hearing organ in the South American bushcrickets' ear could pave the way for technological advancements in bio-inspired acoustic sensors research, including medical imaging and hearing aid development.

Researchers from the University of Bristol and University of Lincoln discovered the missing piece of the jigsaw in the understanding of the process of energy transformation in the 'unconventional' ears of the bushcrickets (or katydids).

Bushcrickets have four tympana (or ear drums) -- two on each foreleg; but until now it has been unknown how the various organs connect in order for the insect to hear. As the tympana (a membrane which vibrates in reaction to sound) does not directly connect with the mechanoreceptors (sensory receptors), it was a mystery how sound was transmitted from air to the mechano-sensory cells.

Sponsored by the Human Frontiers Science Program (HFSP), the research was developed in the lab of Professor Daniel Robert, a Royal Society Fellow at the University of Bristol. Dr Fernando Montealegre-Z, who is now at the University of Lincoln's School of Life Sciences, discovered a newly identified organ while carrying out research into how the bushcricket tubing system in the ear transports sound. The research focussed on the bushcricket Copiphora gorgonensis, a neotropical species from the National Park Gorgona in Colombia, an island in the Pacific. Results suggest that the bushcricket ear operates in a manner analogous to that of mammals. A paper detailing this remarkable new breakthrough is published November 15 in the journal, Science.

Dr Montealegre-Z said: "We discovered a novel structure that constitutes the key element in hearing in these insects, which had not been considered in previous work. The organ is a fluid-filled vesicle, which we have named the 'Auditory Vesicle'. This hearing organ mediates the process of conversion of acoustic energy (sound waves) to mechanical, hydraulic and electrochemical energy. The integration laser Doppler vibrometry and micro-CT scanning allowed us to identify the auditory vesicle and to conclude that the process relies on a tympanal lever system analogous to the mammalian ossicles. This serves to transmit air-borne vibrations to the fluid (the auditory vesicle), and also on the mechanoreceptors. Therefore the bushcricket ear performs the crucial stage of air to liquid impedance conversion and amplification just as in a mammal's ear."

In mammals, hearing relies on three canonical processing stages: an eardrum collecting sound, a middle ear impedance converter and a cochlear frequency analyser. The katydid ear performs these steps in the hearing process, something previously unknown in insects. The discovery of the impedance conversion and amplification mechanisms is a huge step forward in understanding the mechanisms of hearing processes in insects. This level of sophistication, sensitivity and functionality of insect hearing could be transferred into engineered bio-inspired systems. For instance, the ears of some bushcricket species are remarkably sensitive and can detect extreme ultrasonic signals (>130 kHz) at long distances. Such performance and sensitivity would have the potential to inspire engineers in the design and construction of acoustic sensors and actuators.

Dr Montealegre-Z plans to further his research to study the ears of species of the genus Arachnoscelis which use extreme ultrasonics (130 -- 150kHz) in order to find out how bushcrickets are able to hear each other's high pitched sounds from long distances.

He said: "These results were obtained on a single species, C. gorgonensis, which uses moderate ultrasonic frequencies of 23kHz. However, we have measured other species and have discovered a bushcricket species in the rainforests of South America, which emits sounds at 150kHz. Sounds at these frequencies suffer excess attenuation and would not transmit far in a rainforest environment, therefore limiting long-range communication. Yet they manage to listen to one another from far greater distances. We don't know how they do it, but we do think this sensitivity comes, in part, from the Auditory Vesicle. The University of Lincoln has an excellent team able to continue with this research, while also collaborating with partners at other universities. These findings change our views on insect hearing and open the way for designing ultrasensitive bio-inspired sensors."

Professor Daniel Robert is one of four academics at the University of Bristol's School of Biological Sciences who were part of the research team.

He said: "The ears of this bushcricket are teaching us that complex hearing mechanisms can take place in very small ears. As such we are learning how evolution has come up with very small, efficient and sophisticated microphones. We now have to learn how to make one like this."

Dr Montealegre-Z is planning field research to study katydids in their natural environment in Colombia (Natural National Park Gorgona) with colleagues from the universities of Graz in Austria, Bristol and Strathclyde. Funded by a National Geographic grant the study will entail connecting special electrodes to the katydid sensory system, which will then allow the scientists to hear the same sounds as the insects.

Dr James Windmill, from the Centre for Ultrasonic Engineering in the University of Strathclyde's Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, said: "Dr Montealegre's findings will make a valuable contribution to our search for the next generation of ultrasonic engineering technologies. By improving our understanding of insect hearing and sensory systems, we can incorporate new ideas and techniques into a wide range of technologies, including hearing aids, biomedical imaging systems for hospitals, and ultrasonic non-destructive evaluation to assess the structural integrity of buildings and bridges. I look forward to working with Dr Montealegre and colleagues on the next stage of this important research, bringing together bioscience and engineering to create the bio-inspired sensors of the future."

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Story Source:

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

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. Fernando Montealegre-Z, Thorin Jonsson, Kate A. Robson-Brown, Matthew Postles, Daniel Robert. Convergent Evolution Between Insect and Mammalian Audition. Science, 2012 DOI: 10.1126/science.1225271

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Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/strange_science/~3/t5Sz4J4fdFk/121115141538.htm

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China's communists pick country's new leader

Feng Li / Getty Images

China's new leadership seen Thursday -- from left to right: Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, Zhang Dejiang, Yu Zhengsheng, Liu Yunshan, Wang Qishan and Zhang Gaoli -- greet the media at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing Thursday.

By Ed Flanagan, NBC News

BEIJING ? China?s ruling Communist Party on Thursday selected a new seven-person leadership group fronted by Xi Jinping that will lead the world?s second largest economy for at least the next five years.

Xi, the newly selected party secretary, and his deputy, Li Keqiang -- the new members of the all-important Politburo Standing Committee -- take over a nation whose economy has quadrupled under the leadership of outgoing leader, Hu Jintao, but now faces serious environmental, political and social questions in the near future.

For Xi though, this Standing Committee appears better poised to bring about much-needed reforms than that of his predecessor, Hu.

China?s Communist Party of today governs by consensus. Long gone are the days of ?Strong Man? politics where one man ? a Mao Zedong or Deng Xiaoping ? dictates policy for the country.

This political evolution helped produce the stability that has ushered in unprecedented economic growth.

Remarkably this week saw only the second peaceful leadership transition since the communists took power in 1949.

David Gray / Reuters

A customer stands with restaurant workers underneath a painting of Chinese characters that read "Long-lasting Prosperity", as they watch television showing the new leadership of China's ruling Communist Party.

The new leadership committee announced Thursday represents a rare balance of differing political agendas and alliances.

Men like Li Keqiang ? probably the party?s best educated leader ? and Wang Qishan ? a strong voice for the opening up of China?s economy ? are likely to be liberal voices for reform.

Communist Party's Congress grinds on amid widespread indifference in China

Where is China's Vice President? That's the question that can't be answered in Beijing. Even searching for the name of China's Vice President on Chinese social media has been blocked amid increasing rumors about his whereabouts. Xi Jinping has been missing from the public eye for more than week. ITV's Angus Walker reports.??

Meanwhile Zhang Dejiang ? the faithful party stalwart who took over for the deposed Bo Xilai ? and Liu Yunshan ? the long-time czar of the Communist Party?s Propaganda Department ? represent strong conservative voices.

The other two members, Zhang Gaoli and Yu Zhengsheng, both come from postings in Tianjin and Shanghai respectfully and have shown signs of being centrists on issues.

Ironically, it is the new Party Secretary and soon-to-be President, Xi Jinping, who is the greatest mystery ? a veritable political cipher.

While the candidates are scrutinized and skewered by the media in the U.S., China's new leader Xi Jinping remains a man of mystery among his citizens. NBC's Ian Williams reports

Yawns and other expressions of boredom as China's Communist Party Congress begins

But that now seems to be the path to the top position in China: The less known about you politically, the greater the chance of promotion.

There are some questions raised the various appointments that have come out Thursday.

Outgoing President Hu Jintao?s decision to give up his seat on the important Central Military Commission was either a magnanimous demonstration of statesmanship on the part of Hu -- who had to wait two years until his predecessor, Jiang Zemin, gave up the post -- or a resounding defeat as Hu's important political allies did not appear to have made the final seven of the standing committee.

Embassy ballots give Chinese a glimpse of democracy ahead of power transfer

Another intriguing development was the appointment of Wang Qishan to the Communist Party?s Central Commission for Discipline Inspection.

Wang has garnered a reputation as an effective ?fireman? on sensitive issues affecting the party and in recent years has served as a capable counterpart to U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner.

But, at a time when serious economic concerns regarding the stalling of market reforms and the rise again of centrally planned, state-owned enterprises in China have plagued Beijing, it is a curious move to shift Wang, the strongest voice for economic reform in the party.

His shift to the top disciplinary position in the party means Wang will be able to bring about positive economic development by attacking a larger issue plaguing both party and country: corruption.

As China?s economy continues to develop in size and sophistication, the need for better standards of practice economically and politically have slowly started to manifest itself.

There is some optimism now that with a reformer like Wang in place, there will eventually be the political will at the highest levels to bring about a serious reckoning on systemic corruption at both national and local levels across the country.?

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Source: http://behindthewall.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/11/15/15182957-chinas-communists-pick-countrys-new-leader?lite

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How HR's failed in Talent Management

In the beginning, there was the Personnel Department. Its job was to handle the mechanics of hiring and firing ? basically, a clerical operation. Then came Human Resources, which was supposed to transform the department?s role into a dynamic player in finding, developing and keeping top talent. So why hasn?t that transformation taken place? Consultant Scott K. Edinger has some answers.

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In the early 1990s I was a Human Resources Associate in the firm of Coopers & Lybrand (now pricewaterhousecoopers.) I got into HR because I was interested in the elements of improving human performance.

Some veteran HR pros will remember this as a time when we bristled at being referred to as the ?personnel people.? Human resource management was supposed to be something quite different.

The problem: It wasn?t. And still isn?t.

Simply semantics

The change turned out to be more semantics than anything else. HR departments failed to deliver on the promise of organizational transformation efforts ? more often than not, the only real change was the sign on the door.

As further evidence that HR has been more of an appendage to organizations than an integral part of their growth, just look at the proliferation of the job title ?HR business partner.? What other function in an organization needs to label itself a business partner in order to be taken seriously?

Now we see a terminology shift to what is commonly called Talent Management. TM applies much of the hope and message of that HR change of the 1990s, to parse out the transformational elements of what HR was supposed to accomplish.

Four clear objectives

But if Talent Management is to be successful as a discipline, it has to do four things.

Before delving into those four things, it is useful to get a clear understanding of what Talent Management actually is. (This is part of the challenge to begin with. How many times do you have to define, sales, finance, manufacturing, IT, or operations?)

Talent Management, put simply and without buzzwords, is a structure designed to:

• get people in the right positions
• provide them with the development tools to do their jobs well, and
• manage their performance. Done well, this is the job of the line leader ? using the tools and resources the TM process provides them.

Here, then, are the four overarching goals TM must achieve:

1. It must create value for the organization. Not the kind of value that comes from benefits administration but value that helps to grow a business.
   That value has to help line leaders do a better job of proactively identifying the right kinds of people for jobs and making sure they?re in those jobs.
   Effective TM means providing development and growth opportunities as a means to improving job performance. It also requires being an active part of aligning the organization?s strategy with the human performance.
   Too often, Talent Management has devolved to a series of projects in support of an executive mandate rather than a strategic function that helps to grow the business.
2. Speed has to become a priority. I met last week with the division leader of a financial services firm that is going through a major transition and reorganization.
   At her request I also met with the Director of Talent Management, who informed me that the next 18-24 months would consist of focusing on developing a plan for the future and assessing their needs.
   Seriously? Almost two years to create a plan and assess needs? The division leader expressed a sense of urgency in getting results ? and Talent Management is going to be getting their act together over the next couple of years.
   Nothing is ever perfect in business (or in life). An intensive, short-term analysis us likely to be just as effective as a long- drawn-out exhaustive study. TM pros need to seek results, not perfection. Drag your feet too long, and priorities will likely have changed.
   (A quick aside: When I shared the TM director?s time frame with the ?division leader, she was aghast at the chasm of difference in priority and speed.)
3. Integration with the business is a must. The best TM professionals I have worked with are as knowledgeable about the business as other functional leaders?maybe even more so. Unfortunately, they are the exceptions that tend to prove the rule.
   Too often Talent Management professionals are steeped in theory and don?t have a clear view of the day-to-day operations of the business. Elaborate reporting structures of shared services with dotted line relationships don?t seem to provide the same value as business unit integration with a clear line of sight to the organization?s objectives.
4. Focus on results and output, not input. Processes are important, as are procedures and guidelines. But what matters most: outcomes and results.
   Too frequently, Talent Management is put in a position of administering the process versus actively contributing to the value or results of that process.
   I was just involved in a succession planning process where the VP of HR and Talent Management (they combine the title in his organization) was no more than a clearinghouse for assembling the information that functional leaders had created.
   Instead of actively contributing with insights based on observed behavior or offering developmental opportunities, he became the administrator of the process.
   As a result, his contribution to the results achieved in the succession planning engagement was minimal ? because his focus was on completion of tasks and inputs versus adding insight to the process.

I?ve formulated these four characteristics after working with some of the best HR and Talent Management professionals in the country.? They are the avatars of what TM can be.
Sadly, I have encountered them far less frequently than those TM people lacking these traits.
Talent Management can be a catalyst for great change in organizations and contribute to the success of many a company if it takes into account these four principles. Unfortunately, I haven?t seen that happen too often.

Scott K. Edinger, founder of Edinger Consulting Group is a consultant, author, speaker and executive coach who has worked with such organizations as AT&T, Harvard Business Publishing,?Bank of America,?Lenovo, Gannett and The?Los Angeles Times. Scott can be reached at scott@edingergroup.com or you can connect with Scott on Twitter @ScottKEdinger.

Source: http://www.hrmorning.com/how-hrs-failed-in-talent-management/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=how-hrs-failed-in-talent-management

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NASA sees sun emit a mid-level flare

ScienceDaily (Nov. 13, 2012) ? On Nov. 13, 2012, the sun emitted a mid-level solar flare, peaking at 9:04 p.m. EST.

Solar flares are powerful bursts of radiation. Harmful radiation from a flare cannot pass through Earth's atmosphere to physically affect humans on the ground, however -- when intense enough -- they can disturb the atmosphere in the layer where Global Positioning System (GPS) and communications signals travel. This disrupts the radio signals for as long as the flare is ongoing, anywhere from minutes to hours.

This flare is classified as an M6 flare. M-class flares are the weakest flares that can still cause some space weather effects near Earth. They can cause brief radio blackouts at the poles. This M-class flare caused a radio blackout categorized according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association's Space Weather Scales as R2 -- or "moderate" -- on a scale of R1 to R5. It has since subsided.

Increased numbers of flares are quite common at the moment, since the sun's normal 11-year activity cycle is ramping up toward solar maximum, which is expected in 2013. Humans have tracked this solar cycle continuously since it was discovered in 1843, and it is normal for there to be many flares a day during the sun's peak activity.

The flare was not associated with a coronal mass ejection (CME), another solar phenomenon that can send solar particles into space and can reach Earth one to three days later.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center.

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

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/space_time/astronomy/~3/bjYAKvzwHg8/121113151258.htm

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Night & Day Studios Forgoes Funding, Partners With ScrollMotion To Become One Of The Largest Independent Kids? App Makers On The Market

Kids educational and entertainment app maker Night & Day Studios is taking an unconventional path to growth. The startup is announcing today, not a round of venture funding, but rather a partnership with enterprise mobile software company ScrollMotion. The deal brings Night & Day Studios many of the things that an outside round would have otherwise provided: access to more engineers, a way to speed the time to market for their apps, and the ability to expand its company further. The startup also secured an undisclosed investment from entrepreneur and investor Steve Chapman, who joins Night & Day Studios as CFO.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/OU78hgmAM_4/

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Suspect indicted in 1979 death of Etan Patz

NEW YORK (AP) ? The lawyer for the suspect in the infamous 1979 disappearance of a 6-year-old New York City boy says his client has been indicted on charges of murder and kidnapping.

Attorney Harvey Fishbein says 51-year-old Pedro Hernandez is being charged in the disappearance of Etan Patz (AY'-tahn PAYTS'). Hernandez, of Maple Shade, N.J., was arrested this year and investigators say he confessed.

Etan's disappearance led to an intensive search and spawned a movement to publicize cases of missing children. His photo was among the first put on milk cartons, and his case turned May 25 into National Missing Children's Day.

Fishbein has said Hernandez is mentally ill and has a history of hallucinations.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/lawyer-suspect-indicted-1979-death-nyc-boy-175611946.html

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Ripe for Retirement | Union of Concerned Scientists

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Energy Efficiency, Wind Power and Existing Gas Plants Could Replace Obsolete Plants and Provide Affordable, Reliable Electricity

BALTIMORE (November 13, 2012) ? As much as 18 percent of the country?s coal generating capacity should be considered for closure because the electricity it produces will be more expensive than?energy from lower cost natural gas or wind power, according to a new independent analysis released today by the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS). The peer-reviewed study, based on publicly available data on the U.S. coal fleet, used an economic test to evaluate whether every coal generator could compete ? after being upgraded with modern pollution controls ? with available cleaner, lower-cost energy resources.

The report, "Ripe for Retirement: The Case for Closing America?s Costliest Coal Plants," found that as many as 353 coal generators, located in 31 states, may no longer be economically viable after they are upgraded with modern pollution controls.? The power these generators produce would cost more than electricity produced by natural gas power plants and, in many cases, wind power. Collectively, these ripe-for-retirement generators produce approximately 6 percent of the nation?s power and represent 59 gigawatts (GW) of power generation capacity.??

?Our analysis shows that switching to cleaner energy sources and investing in energy efficiency often makes more economic sense than spending billions to extend the life of obsolete coal plants,? said Steve Frenkel, report co-author and director of UCS?s Midwest office. ?Regulators should require utility companies to carefully consider whether ratepayers would be better off by retiring old coal plants and boosting electricity generation from natural gas and renewable energy sources like wind. Spending billions to upgrade old coal plants may simply be throwing good money after bad.?

Ripe for Retirement ranks the states and utilities with the most coal-fired power capacity that should be considered for closure. Georgia tops the state list, followed by Alabama, Tennessee, Florida, Michigan, South Carolina, Wisconsin, Indiana, Mississippi and Virginia. Southern Company, one of the nation?s largest private utilities, owns the most coal-fired capacity ready for retirement, followed by government-owned Tennessee Valley Authority. Duke Energy, American Electric Power and FirstEnergy, though high on the list, have fewer economically vulnerable generators, in part, because they each have already announced they are closing several coal generators.

Plants that are candidates for retirement are typically older, less efficient, underutilized, and more polluting than the rest of the nation?s coal fleet. These generators average 45 years in age, well beyond the 30-year expected life span for a typical coal generator. These plants are less efficient, operating only at 47 percent of capacity, compared with 64 percent for the total U.S. coal fleet. In addition, 70 percent of these generators lack adequate equipment to control the emissions of at least three of the four harmful pollutants examined in the analysis (sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, mercury, and soot).

?With appropriate planning, the vast majority of these coal generators could be closed and replaced with cleaner, more affordable resources while maintaining reliability,? said Jeff Deyette, a UCS energy analyst and report co-author. "Every region in the country has the potential to more than replace retiring coal generation by ramping up underutilized natural gas plants, increasing renewable energy through existing state policies, and reducing demand through current energy efficiency programs.?

Existing state-level clean energy policies that require greater use of renewable energy and energy efficiency are spurring major increases in wind, solar, geothermal, and bioenergy facilities and driving down power demand. From 2012 through 2020, renewable energy policies are projected to spur the installation of 55 GW of new renewable energy capacity. In addition, energy efficiency policies in place in 27 states are projected to reduce national electricity use 5.7 percent by 2020.

?This is an historic opportunity to accelerate the transition to a clean energy economy.? Decisions we will make in the next three to five years can improve public health, reduce global warming, and create a more resilient energy system,? said Frenkel.

Shuttering the 59 GW of coal-fired generators the study identified along with 41 GW already slated for closure would reduce the electric power sector?s annual carbon dioxide emissions up to 16.4 percent, or 410 million tons, depending on what resource replaces coal. Besides emitting pollutants associated with asthma, neurological damage, heart attacks and cancer, coal-fired power plants are the nation?s largest single source of heat-trapping carbon dioxide emissions, the primary cause of climate change.

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The Union of Concerned Scientists is the leading U.S. science-based nonprofit organization working for a healthy environment and a safer world. Founded in 1969, UCS is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and also has offices in Berkeley, Chicago and Washington, D.C.

Source: http://www.ucsusa.org/news/press_release/ripe-for-retirement-0349.html

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