LANL REPORTS ON SOLAR PANEL-WINDOW

FROM:  LOS ALAMOS NATIONAL LABORATORY 

Right:  This schematic shows how the quantum dots are embedded in the plastic matrix and capture sunlight to improve solar panel efficiency.


Shiny quantum dots brighten future of solar cells
Photovoltaic solar-panel windows could be next for your house

LOS ALAMOS, N.M., April 14, 2014—A house window that doubles as a solar panel could be on the horizon, thanks to recent quantum-dot work by Los Alamos National Laboratory researchers in collaboration with scientists from University of Milano-Bicocca (UNIMIB), Italy. Their project demonstrates that superior light-emitting properties of quantum dots can be applied in solar energy by helping more efficiently harvest sunlight.

“The key accomplishment is the demonstration of large-area luminescent solar concentrators that use a new generation of specially engineered quantum dots,” said lead researcher Victor Klimov of the Center for Advanced Solar Photophysics (CASP) at Los Alamos.

Quantum dots are ultra-small bits of semiconductor matter that can be synthesized with nearly atomic precision via modern methods of colloidal chemistry.  Their emission color can be tuned by simply varying their dimensions. Color tunability is combined with high emission efficiencies approaching 100 percent. These properties have recently become the basis of a new technology – quantum dot displays – employed, for example, in the newest generation of the Kindle Fire ™ e-reader.

Light-harvesting antennas

A luminescent solar concentrator (LSC) is a photon management device, representing a slab of transparent material that contains highly efficient emitters such as dye molecules or quantum dots. Sunlight absorbed in the slab is re-radiated at longer wavelengths and guided towards the slab edge equipped with a solar cell.

Klimov explained, “The LSC serves as a light-harvesting antenna which concentrates solar radiation collected from a large area onto a much smaller solar cell, and this increases its power output.”

“LSCs are especially attractive because in addition to gains in efficiency, they can enable new interesting concepts such as photovoltaic windows that can transform house facades into large-area energy generation units,” said Sergio Brovelli, who worked at Los Alamos until 2012 and is now a faculty member at UNIMIB.

Because of highly efficient, color-tunable emission and solution processability, quantum dots are attractive materials for use in inexpensive, large-area LSCs.   One challenge, however, is an overlap between emission and absorption bands in the dots, which leads to significant light losses due to the dots re-absorbing some of the light they produce.

“Giant” but still tiny, engineered dots

To overcome this problem the Los Alamos and UNIMIB researchers have developed LSCs based on quantum dots with artificially induced large separation between emission and absorption bands (called a large Stokes shift).

These “Stokes-shift” engineered quantum dots represent cadmium selenide/cadmium sulfide (CdSe/CdS) structures in which light absorption is dominated by an ultra-thick outer shell of CdS, while emission occurs from the inner core of a narrower-gap CdSe. The separation of light-absorption and light-emission functions between the two different parts of the nanostructure results in a large spectral shift of emission with respect to absorption, which greatly reduces losses to re-absorption.

To implement this concept, Los Alamos researchers created a series of thick-shell (so-called “giant”) CdSe/CdS quantum dots, which were incorporated by their Italian partners into large slabs (sized in tens of centimeters) of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA). While being large by quantum dot standards, the active particles are still tiny - only about hundred angstroms across. For comparison, a human hair is about 500,000 angstroms wide.

“A key to the success of this project was the use of a modified industrial method of cell-casting, we developed at UNIMIB Materials Science Department” said Francesco Meinardi, professor of Physics at UNIMIB.

Spectroscopic measurements indicated virtually no losses to re-absorption on distances of tens of centimeters. Further, tests using simulated solar radiation demonstrated high photon harvesting efficiencies of approximately 10% per absorbed photon achievable in nearly transparent samples, perfectly suited for utilization as photovoltaic windows.

Despite their high transparency, the fabricated structures showed significant enhancement of solar flux with the concentration factor of more than four. These exciting results indicate that “Stokes-shift-engineered” quantum dots represent a promising materials platform. It may enable the creation of solution processable large-area LSCs with independently tunable emission and absorption spectra.
Publication: A research paper, “Large-area luminescent solar concentrators based on ‘Stokes-shift-engineered’ nanocrystals in a mass-polymerized PMMA matrix,” is published online this week in Nature Photonics.

Funding: The Center for Advanced Solar Photophyscis (CASP) is an Energy Frontier Research Center funded by the Office of Science of the US Department of Energy.

The work of the UNIMIB team was conducted within the UNIMIB Department of Materials Science and funded by Fondazione Cariplo (2012-0844) and the European Community’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013; grant agreement no. 324603).

OWNER TAX RETURN FRANCHISE AND HEALTH PROVIDER BUSINESS PLEADS GUILTY TO TAX, HEALTH CARE FRAUD, MONEY LAUNDERING

FROM:  U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT 

Thursday, April 10, 2014

Owner of Tax Return Preparation Franchise and Health Provider Business Pleads Guilty to Tax Fraud, Healthcare Fraud and Money Laundering

Claude Arthur Verbal II, formerly of Raleigh, N.C., and now of Miami, pleaded guilty to tax fraud, healthcare fraud and money laundering in two separate cases in federal court, announced Assistant Attorney General Kathryn Keneally of the Justice Department's Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Ripley Rand for the Middle District of North Carolina.  Verbal pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States, one count of aiding and assisting the preparation of false tax returns, one count of healthcare fraud and one count of money laundering.  The plea was accepted late yesterday by U.S. District Judge Catherine Eagles in Greensboro, N.C., and sentencing was set for Aug. 11, 2014.  Verbal faces up to 28 years in federal prison and $850,000 in fines, and has agreed to pay restitution to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and Medicaid.

The Tax Case

According to court documents, Verbal was the owner of Nothing But Taxes (NBT), a tax return preparation franchise with 10 branches throughout the state of North Carolina that operated from 2005 to at least 2012.  Verbal personally prepared false tax returns for clients of NBT and taught and encouraged his employees to do so as well.  Verbal and NBT employees frequently offered clients a dramatically larger tax refund if the clients agreed to make a cash payment to the person who prepared their return.  These cash payments were over and above the flat return preparation fee that NBT charged every client, whether or not their return was falsified.

According to court documents, from 2005 to 2007, Verbal personally prepared dozens of false tax returns on a computer at NBT’s location on Fayetteville Street in Durham, N.C.  One such return was a 2006 tax return for an NBT client that falsely reported the client had a Schedule C business and a dependent, which Verbal knowingly prepared and electronically filed with the IRS.  

According to court documents, the most common types of falsifications at NBT were false dependents, false Schedule C businesses, false tip income, false Earned Income Tax Credits (EITC) and false education credits.  Verbal himself falsified returns using these items and taught his managers and line employees how to do so as well.  Verbal and many of his employees facilitated the purchase and sale of false dependents at NBT by purchasing the names, dates of birth and social security numbers of individuals from the community for use as false dependents on other NBT clients’ tax returns.

According to court documents, in November 2010, one of Verbal’s employees informed a U.S. Probation Officer of the fraudulent practices at NBT’s location on Fayetteville Street.  The probation officer informed Verbal of this fraud and he falsely denied knowledge of it.  Afterward, Verbal took steps to keep the profitable Fayetteville Street location open and to continue operating as usual, but to also further distance himself from the fraudulent practices.  In order to do this, Verbal transferred the electronic filing privileges for that NBT branch to a nominee.  Verbal and others jointly persuaded, a relative of Verbal who allowed Verbal to use their name to apply for new electronic filing privileges for the Fayetteville Street location.  In exchange, Verbal and his wife paid the relative $10,000, and the relative had no role in operating NBT, no professional tax experience and no knowledge of the fraud that was occurring at NBT.

Later, in 2012, the IRS shut down electronic filing privileges at all 10 NBT branches due to persistent fraud.  Verbal re-applied for electronic filing privileges twice for all NBT locations, first in the name of the relative and, when that attempt failed, in the name of another relative who had no knowledge of NBT’s business.

Related Tax Cases

According to court documents, in a series of related cases in the Middle District of North Carolina, multiple other individuals employed by NBT – including branch managers, return preparers and client recruiters – have also pleaded guilty to charges involving federal tax fraud, fraud, and identity theft crimes.

According to court documents, in a related case, Rakecia Brame pleaded guilty to wire fraud, aggravated identity theft and aiding and assisting the preparation of false tax returns.  Brame, a former social worker with the Alamance County Department Social Services (DSS), admitted to selling the identities of DSS clients to NBT return preparers for use as false dependents on tax returns.

According to court documents, in another related case, Tasha Smith, a former NBT employee who later left and opened her own fraudulent tax return preparation businesses, pleaded guilty on April 8, 2014, to conspiracy to defraud the United States.

“The tax fraud committed by Claude Verbal and the other Nothing But Taxes defendants is an affront to honest, hard-working taxpayers,” said Assistant Attorney General Kathryn Keneally of the department’s Tax Division.  “The Justice Department will prosecute and seek just punishment against those who prepare fraudulent tax returns.”

“Today, Mr. Verbal admitted to owning a tax preparation business that blatantly ignored the tax laws by preparing false tax returns and misusing his electronic filing privileges,” said Chief of IRS-Criminal Investigation Richard Weber.  “Dishonest return preparers use a variety of methods to cheat the government, including falsifying information on the tax returns to generate larger refunds for their clients.  Criminal Investigation will continue to ensure that all tax practitioners, tax preparers and others who practice in the tax law profession adhere to professional standards and follow the law.”

The Healthcare Fraud Case

According to court documents, Verbal was the owner and operator of Infinite Wellness Concepts (IWC), a Medicaid behavioral health provider with locations in Burlington, Durham and Greensboro, N.C.  IWC was contracted to provide group therapy, intensive in-home services, enhanced mental health and substance abuse services.  Court documents state that Verbal acquired at least one million dollars in fraudulently obtained funds from the Medicaid program.  The fraudulent activities included:  
·          Changing diagnosis codes so that codes with higher reimbursement rates could be billed;
·          Falsely inflating the number of clients treated during group therapy;
·          Billing for services not rendered and submitting false treatment notes in support of the services not rendered using forged signatures from counselors and therapists,
·          Unqualified personnel conducting therapy; and
·          Creating fraudulent clinical assessments and creating clinical assessments prepared and signed by unqualified preparers.
According to court documents, Verbal used the proceeds of the tax and healthcare fraud schemes to make extensive purchases of luxury cars, homes and jewelry.  The money laundering charge to which Verbal pleaded guilty relates to the purchase of a $52,000 diamond ring with the proceeds of healthcare fraud.

In the course of the health care fraud investigation, law enforcement authorities seized $765, 917 from bank accounts controlled by Verbal, a 2011 Toyota Camry and four pieces of diamond jewelry, including a 7-carat diamond ring.  The United States initiated a civil forfeiture action alleging the properties constituted proceeds traceable to the health care fraud and on Sept. 19, 2013, Judge Eagles entered an order forfeiting the property to the government.

“Mr. Verbal’s fraudulent schemes victimized taxpayers in multiple ways, damaging Medicaid, the patients who rely on it, and the taxpayers who support it,” said U.S. Attorney Rand.  “Stopping these fraudulent activities is a priority of the Department of Justice, and we are committed both to bringing the fraudsters to justice and returning the ill-gotten gains to the victimized agencies.”

“The improper billing of the N.C. state community mental health program by unscrupulous providers will not be tolerated,” said Derrick Jackson, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General in Atlanta.  “This costs taxpayers millions of dollars each year and drains the Medicaid program of much needed resources.”

The tax case against Verbal was investigated by agents of IRS - Criminal Investigation, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank Chut and Trial Attorney Jonathan Marx of the Tax Division.  The healthcare fraud case against Verbal was investigated by agents of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigations, the North Carolina Department of Justice’s Medicaid Investigations Division and IRS – Criminal Investigation, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Hamilton.

RAGWITEK APPROVED BY FDA FOR SHORT RAGWEED POLLEN ALLERGIES

FDA NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: April 17, 2014

FDA approves Ragwitek for short ragweed pollen allergies 

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Ragwitek, the first allergen extract administered under the tongue (sublingually) to treat short ragweed pollen induced allergic rhinitis (hay fever), with or without conjunctivitis (eye inflammation), in adults 18 years through 65 years of age.

 

Ragwitek contains an extract from short ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia) pollen. It is a tablet that is taken once daily by placing it sublingually, where it rapidly dissolves. Treatment with Ragwitek is started 12 weeks before the start of ragweed pollen season and continued throughout the season. The first dose is taken in a health care professional’s office where the patient is to be observed for at least 30 minutes for potential adverse reactions. After the first dose, patients can take Ragwitek at home.

 

“The approval of Ragwitek offers millions of adults living with ragweed pollen allergies in the United States an alternative to allergy shots to help manage their disease,” said Karen Midthun, M.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research. 

 

Individuals with allergic rhinitis with or without conjunctivitis may experience a runny nose, repetitive sneezing, nasal itching, nasal congestion, and itchy and watery eyes. Short ragweed pollen is one of the most common seasonal allergens and is prevalent during the late summer and early fall months in most of the United States. Short ragweed pollen induced allergies are generally managed by avoiding the allergen, medications to relieve symptoms, or with allergy shots. 

 

The safety and effectiveness of Ragwitek was evaluated in studies conducted in the United States and internationally. Safety was assessed in approximately 1,700 adults. The most commonly reported adverse reactions by patients treated with Ragwitek were itching in the mouth and ears and throat irritation. Of the 1,700 adults, about 760 were evaluated to determine effectiveness. Some patients received Ragwitek; others received an inactive substitute (placebo). The patients reported their symptoms and additional medications needed to get through the allergy season. During treatment for one ragweed pollen season, patients who received Ragwitek experienced approximately a 26 percent reduction in symptoms and the need for medications compared to those who received a placebo. 

 

The Prescribing Information includes a boxed warning to inform that severe allergic reactions, some of which can be life-threatening, can occur. Ragwitek also has a Medication Guide for distribution to the patient.

 

Ragwitek is manufactured for Merck, Sharp & Dohme Corp., (a subsidiary of Merck and Co., Inc., Whitehouse Station, N.J.) by Catalent Pharma Solutions Limited, United Kingdom.

For more information:

• Allergenics     

The FDA, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, protects the public health by assuring the safety, effectiveness, and security of human and veterinary drugs, vaccines and other biological products for human use, and medical devices. The agency also is responsible for the safety and security of our nation's food supply, cosmetics, dietary supplements, products that give off electronic radiation, and for regulating tobacco products.

AMERICAN POWER GANG LEADERS CONVICTED IN RACKETEERING CONSPIRACY

FROM:  U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT

Thursday, April 17, 2014

Armenian Power Gang Leaders Convicted for Their Role in Racketeering Conspiracy

Two leaders of the Armenian Power gang were found guilty today by a federal jury in Los Angeles for their participation in a racketeering conspiracy that included extortion, bank fraud targeting elderly bank customers and a sophisticated credit and debit card skimming scheme that stole account numbers and   personal identification numbers (PINs) from thousands of people who used their cards at 99 Cents Only Stores throughout Southern California.

Armenian Power leaders Mher “Capone” Darbinyan and Arman “Horse” Sharopetrosian were each found guilty for their roles in a racketeering conspiracy, and an associate of the gang, Rafael Parsadanyan, was found guilty for his role in the 99 Cents Only Stores skimming scheme.

Acting Assistant Attorney General David O’Neil of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney André Birotte Jr. of the Central District of California and Assistant Director in Charge Bill L. Lewis of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office made the announcement following a four-week jury trial before United States District Judge R. Gary Klausner of the Central District of California.

Darbinyan, 38, of Valencia, was found guilty of 57 criminal counts, including racketeering conspiracy, extortion conspiracy, extortion, bank fraud, access device fraud conspiracy, aggravated identity theft and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.   According to the evidence presented at trial, Darbinyan was a powerful leader of Armenian Power who operated a sophisticated bank fraud scheme that used middlemen and runners to deposit and cash hundreds of thousands of dollars in fraudulent checks drawn on the accounts of elderly customers and jewelry businesses.   Darbinyan also organized and operated a sophisticated debit card skimming operation targeting customers of 99 Cents Only Stores.   This expansive scheme involved installation of skimmers in stores that were used to steal customers’ debit card numbers and PINs.   The scheme targeted stores throughout Southern California and involved the bank accounts of thousands of customers of the discount store.   Separately, Darbinyan conspired to extort and extorted funds from a member of the Armenian community using threats of violence.   He also possessed, on two separate occasions, firearms and ammunition after having previously been convicted of felony grand theft for his role in a 2004 debit card fraud scheme.

Sharopetrosian, 35, was convicted of three counts: racketeering conspiracy, extortion conspiracy and extortion.   The evidence at trial showed that while Sharopetrosian was incarcerated in Avenal State Prison in 2009, he directed the extortion of a member of the Armenian community.   Sharopetrosian worked together with Darbinyan and others to carry out the extortion over a period of six months, at one point even arranging the kidnapping of the victim in order to hasten the extortion payments.   Sharopetrosian, at different times, threatened to kill and kidnap the victim to coerce the victim into paying him over $100,000.

Parsadanyan, 29, of Los Angeles, was convicted of 14 counts of bank fraud for his role in the 99 Cents Only Store scheme.    The evidence at trial showed that Parsadanyan assisted Darbinyan by, among other things, collecting and storing proceeds of the fraud scheme, including delivering approximately $34,000 in criminal proceeds to a co-schemer.

Darbinyan is scheduled to be sentenced on July 21, 2014.   Sharopetrosian is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept.15, 2014.   Parsadanyan is scheduled to be sentenced on July 14, 2014.

Darbinyan, Sharopetrosian and Parsadanyan were among 90 individuals charged in 2011 in two indictments targeting Armenian Power.   One indictment accused 29 defendants, including Darbinyan and Sharopetrosian, of participating in the Armenian Power racketeering conspiracy that involved a host of illegal activities such as sophisticated bank fraud schemes, identity theft, debit card skimming and manufacturing counterfeit checks.   Some defendants in the case were charged with participating in a variety of violent crimes, such as kidnapping, extortion and firearms offenses.

According to court documents, the Armenian Power street gang formed in the East Hollywood area of Los Angeles in the 1980s.   The gang’s membership consisted primarily of individuals of Armenian descent, as well as of other countries within the former Soviet bloc.   Armenian Power has more than 250 documented members, as well as hundreds of associates.   According to court documents, Armenian Power members and associates regularly carry out violent criminal acts, including murders, attempted murders, kidnappings, robberies, extortions and witness intimidation to enrich its members and associates and preserve and enhance the power of the criminal enterprise.

Out of the 90 defendants charged in the two indictments, 85 have now been convicted.   Two of the defendants are still pending trial, two defendants are fugitives and prosecutors dismissed charges against one defendant.   The charges contained in the indictments are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The case was investigated by the Eurasian Organized Crime Task Force, which is composed of the FBI, the Glendale Police Department, the Los Angeles Police Department, the Burbank Police Department, the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department, IRS – Criminal Investigation, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Secret Service.   The Huntington Beach Police Department and the Beverly Hills Police Department provided assistance.

The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Andrew Creighton of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys E. Martin Estrada and Elizabeth Yang of the Central District of California.

SECRETARY OF STATE KERRY'S OP-ED ON THE VATICAN AND HUMAN SLAVERY

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT 

Working With the Vatican Against Modern Slavery

Op-Ed

John Kerry

Secretary of State

The Boston Globe

April 20, 2014

---

Last month, I traveled to Rome with President Obama, where I was honored to meet His Holiness Pope Francis. As an altar boy six decades ago, I never imagined that I would find myself crossing the threshold of the Vatican to see the Bishop of Rome.

My wife, Teresa, and I took our own pilgrimage three years ago at Easter to Assisi, and traveled to Porziuncala to see the chapel which St. Francis restored out of the rubble, one of his own special ways of acting upon the prophecy visited upon him to “repair my house.” Two years later, Teresa and I sat in Mass at Georgetown as our priest shared the moving story of the moment Pope Francis decided to take Francis for his name as the Holy Father – after the Cardinal from Brazil shared his caution not to “forget the poor.”

Today, all the world knows that this was more than a symbolic statement by Pope Francis, but rather the start of a mission that is now an example to the world.

Today, as the first Catholic Secretary of State in 33 years, I find special joy and pride in the way that the United States can partner with the Holy See to help meet some of our greatest global challenges.

Among those challenges, we find perhaps no greater threat to human dignity, no greater assault on basic freedom, than the evil of human trafficking — what we call modern-day slavery and what Pope Francis himself denounced as “a crime against humanity.”
Whether it comes in the form of a young girl trapped in a brothel, a woman enslaved as a domestic worker, a boy forced to sell himself on the street, or a man abused on a fishing boat, the victims of this crime have been robbed of the right to lead the lives they choose for themselves.

For years, it has been apparent that this crime affects every country in the world. As many as 27 million people are victims, and the United States is the first to acknowledge that no government anywhere is doing enough.

But as we dive deeper, we begin to see that modern slavery, like so many other 21st century challenges, doesn’t exist in a vacuum. It’s interconnected with so many of our other foreign-policy concerns, from environmental sustainability to advancing the lives of women and girls to combating transnational organized crime. Wherever we find poverty and lack of opportunity — wherever the rule of law is weak, where corruption is most ingrained, and where populations can’t count on the protection of government and law enforcement — we find not just vulnerability to trafficking, but zones of impunity where traffickers can more easily prey on their victims.
A major zone of impunity is beyond the border and jurisdiction of any single country. Research shows us that people laboring on the high seas are subject to brutal abuse and enslavement. This fact cannot be separated from our other concerns about the ocean: if we want to secure safe and free trade routes, bolster global food security, or curb environmental degradation, we ignore the oceans at our peril.

Trafficking sits at the intersection of all these issues.

Do we think that a ship’s captain who beats and murders his crew will respect his fishing quota? Do we believe he’ll respect laws against smuggling drugs, weapons, and people? Do we think he’s helping conserve the environment for future generations? The answers are self-evident, and so is the need to address this problem head-on.

We are starting to make progress. I’ve instructed the Trafficking in Persons Office at the State Department to zero in on the way modern slavery entangles with economic and environmental concerns. This is one powerful example of how we are engaging with faith communities to solve a range of global issues of mutual concern, in partnership with the new Office of Faith-Based Community Initiatives at the State Department, led by Dr. Shaun Casey, whom I recruited from Wesley Seminary.

A key partner in these efforts will be the Apostolate of the Sea, a Catholic organization with a world-wide network of clergy and lay religious serving workers in the fishing fleet and their families. Working together, we feel confident we can improve the way we uncover modern slavery, identify its victims, get them out of harm’s way, and bring their abusers to justice.
As Christians the world over celebrate Easter, this is a fitting place to fix our gaze. Christ found his earliest followers off the shore of the Sea of Galilee. He brought them off their fishing boats to become his apostles, to spread his message of love and compassion. Particularly at Easter, this is a message that can guide people of all faiths. When we embrace our common humanity and stand up for the dignity of all people, we realize the vision of a world that is more caring and more just — a world free from slavery.

NSF REPORTS DROUGHT, FIRE IN AMAZON LEADS TO MORE DEAD TREES

Photo:  Amazon Forest.  Credit:  Wikimedia.  

FROM:  NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION 

Drought and fire in the Amazon lead to sharp increases in forest tree mortality

Deforestation and fragmentation of forests help create tinderbox conditions

Ongoing deforestation and fragmentation of forests in the Amazon help create tinderbox conditions for wildfires, contributing to rapid and widespread forest loss during drought years, according to a team of researchers.

Their findings show that forests in the Amazon could reach a "tipping point" when severe droughts coupled with forest fires lead to large-scale loss of trees, making recovery more difficult, said Jennifer Balch, a geographer at Penn State University.

"We documented one of the highest tree mortality rates witnessed in Amazon forests," Balch said. "Over the course of our experiment, 60 percent of the trees died with combined drought and repeated fire.

"Our results suggest that a perfect firestorm, caused by drought conditions and previous fire disturbance, crossed a threshold in forest resistance."

The researchers conclude in today's issue of the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) that "efforts to end deforestation in the Amazon must be accompanied by programs and policies that reduce the accidental spread of land management fires into neighboring forests--and effectively control forest fires when started."

Balch noted that climate change is expected to warm the air in the Amazon region by several degrees and substantially reduce regional precipitation, making understanding the interactions between droughts and fires even more important.

"However, before any prediction of Amazon climate warming occurs, our study demonstrates that drought and fire are already driving forest dieback," she said.

The eight-year study is the largest and longest-running fire experiment in tropical forests. The researchers burned 50-hectare forest plots in the Southeastern Amazon, a region prone to the effects of climate change.

"If drought and wildfires happen in the same time-frame, there are far-reaching consequences for the health of Amazon forests," said Henry Gholz, a program director in the National Science Foundation Division of Environmental Biology, which funded the research. "When climate change becomes part of the mix, questions for these forests loom yet larger."

The plots were burned every year, every three years, or not at all. The timeframe for the study included 2007, a year of severe drought.

By comparing the tree deaths for the plots each year, the researchers could assess the effect of drought on fire intensity and tree deaths.

"Drought causes more intense and widespread fires," said lead PNAS paper author Paulo Brando of the Instituto de Pesquisa Ambiental da Amazônia, Carnegie Institution for Science, and Woods Hole Research Center.

"Four times more adult trees were killed by fire during a drought year, which means that there was also more carbon dioxide released to the atmosphere, more tree species loss and a greater likelihood of grasses invading the forest."

The researchers found that fragmented forests are more susceptible to the effects of drought and fire, and that drought leads to an increase in fuel such as leaves and branches.

The findings are key, in part, because most climate change models have not included the effects of fires on Amazon forests.

"Basically, none of the models used to evaluate future Amazon forest health includes fire, so most of these predictions underestimate the amount of tree death and overestimate overall forest health," said Michael Coe, a scientist at the Woods Hole Research Center.

Fire as a forest management tool can contribute to an increase in severe fires because the resulting thinner canopy leads to drier forest conditions.

This lack of humidity does not dampen fires but does encourage airflow between fields and forests. Fragmented forests also have more edge space, which is susceptible to both fire and invasive grasses, another potential fuel.

"These forests are tough and can take a lot, but if drought reaches a certain level, big trees begin to die," said Daniel Nepstad of the Earth Innovation Institute, who also co-led the project. "We now know that severe drought makes fires more intense, creating a second tree mortality threshold."

The results are important because large portions of the Amazon forest already experience droughts and are susceptible to fire--they are broken into smaller blocks by agriculture and are close to human settlements, the predominant source of fire in the Amazon.

The researchers analyzed NASA satellite data to provide regional context for results from the experimental burns.

"In 2007, fires in Southeast Amazonia burned 10 times more forest than in an average climate year -- an area equivalent to a million soccer fields," said scientist Douglas Morton of NASA.

"These smaller forest fragments have more edges than large blocks of forest, which expose them to the hotter, drier conditions in the surrounding landscape and make them more vulnerable to escaped fires," said researcher Marcia Macedo of the Woods Hole Research Center.

By 2011, about eight percent of Southeast Amazonia's forests were less than 328 feet from an agricultural or pasture clearing. This lattice-like network of degraded forest edges is now very susceptible to future fires.

The research was also funded by the Packard Foundation, NASA and the Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry.

-NSF-

GOVERNMENT, LOWE'S SETTLE HOME RENOVATIONS LEAD POLLUTION CASE

FROM:  U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT 

Thursday, April 17, 2014

Corporate-Wide Settlement with Lowe’s Protects Public from Lead Pollution During Home Renovations

Lowe’s Home Centers, one of the nation’s largest home improvement retailers, has agreed to implement a comprehensive, corporate-wide compliance program at its more than 1,700 stores nationwide to ensure its contractors minimize lead dust from home renovation activities, as required by the federal Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) Rule, the Department of Justice and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced.  The company will also pay a $500,000 civil penalty, which is the largest ever for violations of the RRP Rule.

The settlement stems from violations, discovered by EPA inspectors, of the RRP Rule’s recordkeeping and work practice standards at private homes that had been renovated by Lowe’s contractors.  EPA enforces the RRP and other lead rules to protect children and others who are vulnerable to exposure to lead dust that can cause lead poisoning.

“Today’s settlement requires Lowe’s to institute a robust, nationwide program at its more than 1,700 stores nationwide to ensure that the contractors it hires to perform renovation projects, like window and carpet installation, are properly certified and adhere to practices that help prevent lead contamination in customers’ homes,” said Robert G. Dreher, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division.  “This action, the first of its kind to address lead safe work practices on a system-wide basis, will help prevent children’s exposure to lead in communities across the nation by raising home improvement contractors’ awareness of EPA’s lead safety regulations and contributing to a culture of compliance.”

“Today’s settlement sends a clear message to all contractors and the firms they hire: Get lead certified and comply with the law to protect children from exposure to dangerous lead dust,” said Cynthia Giles, Assistant Administrator for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance.  “Lowe’s is taking responsibility for the actions of the firms it hires, and EPA expects other contractors to do the same.”

“Protecting our most valuable assets, our children, is something that I will always do,” said Stephen R. Wigginton, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois.  “This settlement will ensure that not only children in southern Illinois, but children throughout the United States will be better protected from the known hazards associated with lead exposure.  I commend Lowe’s for taking responsibility and entering into this agreement.”

EPA discovered the violations through a review of records from completed renovations performed by contractors hired by the following Lowe’s stores: Alton, Ill.; Kent and Trotwood, Ohio; Bedford, N.H.; Southington, Conn.; South Burlington, Vt.; Rochester, N.Y.; Savannah and Lebanon, Tenn.; Boise, Idaho Falls and Nampa, Idaho; and Muldoon, Alaska.

The government complaint alleged that Lowe’s failed to provide documentation showing that its contractors had been certified by EPA, had been properly trained, had used lead-safe work practices, or had correctly used EPA-approved lead test kits at renovation sites.   Additionally, EPA’s investigation found that Lowe’s contractors had failed to ensure that work areas had been properly contained and cleaned during renovations at three homes.  EPA’s investigation was prompted by tips and complaints submitted by the public.

In addition to the civil penalty, Lowe’s must implement a comprehensive compliance program to ensure that the contractors it hires to perform work for its customers comply with the RRP Rule during renovations of any child-occupied facilities, such as day-care centers and schools, and any housing that was built before 1978.  For these projects, Lowe’s must contract with only EPA-certified renovators, ensure they maintain certification, and ensure they use lead safe work practices checklists during renovations.  In addition, Lowe’s must suspend anyone that is not operating in compliance with the rule, investigate all reports of potential noncompliance and ensure that any violations are corrected.

The RRP Rule, which implements the federal Toxic Substances Control Act, is intended to ensure that owners and occupants of housing built before 1978, as well as any child-occupied facilities, receive information on lead-based paint hazards before renovations begin, and that individuals performing such renovations are properly trained and certified by EPA and follow specific work practices to reduce the potential for lead-based paint exposure.  Home improvement companies such as Lowe’s that contract with renovators to perform renovation work must ensure that those contractors comply with all of the requirements of the RRP Rule.

Lead-based paint was banned in 1978 but still remains in many homes and apartments across the country.  Lead dust hazards can occur when lead paint deteriorates or is disrupted during home renovation and remodeling activities.   Lead exposure can cause a range of health problems, from behavioral disorders and learning disabilities to seizures and death, putting young children at the greatest risk because their nervous systems are still developing.

In February 2014, EPA announced enforcement actions that require 35 home renovation contractors and training providers to take additional steps to protect communities by minimizing harmful lead dust from home renovation activities, as required by the RRP Rule.  Those settlements generated a total of $274,000 in civil penalties.

Renovators that are certified under EPA’s RRP Rule are encouraged to display EPA’s “Lead-Safe” logo on worker’s uniforms, signs, websites and other material, as appropriate.   Consumers can protect themselves by looking for the logo before hiring a home renovator.

Lowe’s operates over 1,700 stores throughout the U.S., with over 120 additional stores located in Canada and Mexico.   Lowe’s Home Centers, LLC, formerly known as Lowe’s Home Centers Inc. and Lowe’s HIW Inc., is headquartered in Mooresville, N.C.

The consent decree was lodged in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois.  Notice of the lodging of the consent decree will appear in the Federal Register allowing for a 30-day public comment period before the consent decree can be entered by the court as final judgment.

CDC REPORTS ON WAYS TO REDUCE HEALTH DISPARITIES AMONG DIVERSE POPULATIONS

FROM:  CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION 

CDC Reports on Effective Strategies for Reducing Health Disparities

Public health interventions close health equity gaps among diverse U.S. populations

Evidence-based interventions at the local and national levels provide promising strategies for reducing racial and ethnic health disparities related to HIV infection rates, immunization coverage, motor vehicle injuries and deaths, and smoking, according to a new report by the CDC’s Office of Minority Health and Health Equity.

The report,published today as an MMWR Supplement, describes CDC-led programs addressing some of the health disparities previously highlighted in the CDC Health Disparities and Inequalities Reports, CHDIR, 2011 and 2013. The CHDIR reports highlight differences in mortality and disease risk for multiple conditions related to behaviors, access to health care, and social determinants of health – the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, age, and work.
“Reducing and eliminating health disparities is central to achieving the highest level of health for all people,” said CDC Director Tom Frieden, M.D., M.P.H.  “We can close the gap when it comes to health disparities if we monitor the problem effectively and ensure that there is equal access to all proven interventions.”

Examples of the programs and health disparities addressed:
The Vaccines for Children (VFC) Program, managed by CDC, provides vaccines at no cost to eligible children who might otherwise not be vaccinated because of inability to pay. After the introduction of the VFC Program, racial/ethnic disparities in childhood immunization coverage do not exist for measles-mumps-rubella and poliovirus vaccines.

Many Men, Many Voices (3MV) is an evidence-based HIV/STD prevention intervention developed by and for black men who have sex with men (MSM) that can lead to decreased rates of HIV infection and increased access to preventive services and treatment among MSM of color. It uses small group education and interaction to increase knowledge and change attitudes and behaviors related to HIV/STD risk among black MSM.  In a randomized clinical trial, 3MV reduced participants’ high-risk sexual activity and increased rates of HIV testing. The program has been implemented in 37 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico and has been adapted to serve other MSM of color.

Four American Indian/Alaska Native tribal communities implemented tribal motor vehicle injury prevention programs, using evidence-based road safety interventions to reduce motor vehicle-related injuries and deaths. Each tribal community showed increased use of seat belts and child safety seats, increased enforcement of alcohol-impaired driving laws, or decreased motor vehicle crashes involving injuries or deaths. The effective use of communication tools –billboards, radio and television media campaigns, and school and community education programs– contributed to the success of this public health program.
“These interventions demonstrate progress toward health equity. They show the elimination of health disparities as an achievable goal and encourage further implementation of evidence-based initiatives and interventions addressing health disparities and inequities,” said Leandris C. Liburd, Ph.D., M.P.H., M.A., CDC’s associate director for Minority Health and Health Equity.

The release of this supplement coincides with 2014 National Minority Health Month, which raises awareness about the health disparities that continue to affect racial and ethnic minorities across the United States.

TELEMARKETER PERMANENTLY BANNED FROM TELEMARKETING

FROM:  FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION 

Marketer of Robocalling Services Banned from Telemarketing

The head of an operation that enabled telemarketers to make illegal robocalls, call phone numbers on the National Do Not Call Registry, and mask Caller ID information, is permanently banned from telemarketing and robocalling under a settlement with the federal government.

In November 2011, on the Federal Trade Commission’s behalf, the Department of Justice filed a complaint alleging that Joseph Turpel sold services to telemarketers who were violating the FTC's Telemarketing Sales Rule.  The complaint alleged that Turpel knew, or consciously avoided knowing, that clients used his services while calling numbers on the National Do Not Call Registry, transmitting inaccurate caller ID information, and making illegal prerecorded telemarketing solicitations (robocalls).

According to the complaint, Turpel’s clients offered credit card services, home security systems, and grant procurement programs. He allegedly gave clients the means to hide their identity by transmitting inaccurate caller names, such as “SERVICE MESSAGE” or “SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT,” on caller ID displays.

In addition to banning Turpel from telemarketing and robocalling, the settlement order imposes a $395,000 civil penalty that is suspended based on his inability to pay. The full penalty will become due immediately if Turpel is found to have misrepresented his financial condition.

The Commission vote authorizing DOJ staff to file the proposed  stipulated final order was 4-0. The final order was entered by the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California on April 15, 2014.

The Federal Trade Commission works for consumers to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices and to provide information to help spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint in English or Spanish, visit the FTC’s online Complaint Assistant or call 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357). The FTC enters complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to more than 2,000 civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad. The FTC’s website provides free information on a variety of consumer topics. Like the FTC on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and subscribe to press releases for the latest FTC news and resources.

PRESIDENT OBAMA'S WEEKLY ADDRESS FOR APRIL 19, 2014

Right:  Midshipmen Matt Aiken and Cody Peterson, with Coach Ken Niumatalolo, present President Barack Obama with a Naval Academy jumbo paperweight ring during the Commander in Chief's Trophy presentation ceremony for the U.S. Naval Academy football team in the Rose Garden of the White House, April 18, 2014. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza).

FROM:  THE WHITE HOUSE 

April 19, 2014

Weekly Address: President Obama Offers Easter and Passover Greetings

WASHINGTON, DC – In this week’s address, the President offered his warmest greetings as millions of Americans celebrate Easter this Sunday and recounted the Passover Seder he hosted at the White House earlier this week, joining Jewish families around the world in their celebration. The President looks forward to taking part with his family in the hope and joy of the Easter season and reminds all Americans, no matter their faith, of the common thread that binds us.

Remarks of President Barack Obama
Weekly Address
The White House
April 19, 2014

Hi, everybody.  For millions of Americans, this time of year holds great meaning.

Earlier this week, we hosted a Passover Seder at the White House, and joined Jewish families around the world in their retellings of the story of the Exodus and the victory of faith over oppression.

And this Sunday, Michelle, Malia, Sasha, and I will join our fellow Christians around the world in celebrating the Resurrection of Christ, the salvation he offered the world, and the hope that comes with the Easter season.

These holy days have their roots in miracles that took place long ago.  And yet, they still inspire us, guide us, and strengthen us today.  They remind us of our responsibilities to God and, as God’s children, our responsibilities to one another.

For me, and for countless other Christians, Holy Week and Easter are times for reflection and renewal.  We remember the grace of an awesome God, who loves us so deeply that He gave us his only Son, so that we might live through Him.  We recall all that Jesus endured for us – the scorn of the crowds, the agony of the cross – all so that we might be forgiven our sins and granted everlasting life.  And we recommit ourselves to following His example, to love and serve one another, particularly “the least of these” among us, just as He loves every one of us.

The common thread of humanity that connects us all – not just Christians and Jews, but Muslims and Hindus and Sikhs – is our shared commitment to love our neighbors as we love ourselves.  To remember, I am my brother’s keeper. I am my sister’s keeper.  Whatever your faith, believer or nonbeliever, there’s no better time to rededicate ourselves to that universal mission.

For me, Easter is a story of hope – a belief in a better day to come, just around the bend.

So to all Christians who are celebrating, from my family to yours, Happy Easter.  And to every American, have a joyful weekend.

Thanks, God bless you, and may God bless this country we love.

Liftoff of SpaceX-3 (+playlist)

500 YEARS TO EARTH: PLANET FOUND IN THE 'HABITABLE ZONE'

FROM:  NASA 

Kepler-186f resides in the Kepler-186 system about 500 light-years from Earth in the constellation Cygnus. The system is also home to four inner planets, seen lined up in orbit around a host star that is half the size and mass of the sun.
Image Credit: NASA Ames-SETI Institute-JPL-Caltech

Using NASA's Kepler Space Telescope, astronomers have discovered the first Earth-size planet orbiting a star in the "habitable zone" -- the range of distance from a star where liquid water might pool on the surface of an orbiting planet. The discovery of Kepler-186f confirms that planets the size of Earth exist in the habitable zone of stars other than our sun.

While planets have previously been found in the habitable zone, they are all at least 40 percent larger in size than Earth and understanding their makeup is challenging. Kepler-186f is more reminiscent of Earth.

"The discovery of Kepler-186f is a significant step toward finding worlds like our planet Earth," said Paul Hertz, NASA's Astrophysics Division director at the agency's headquarters in Washington. "Future NASA missions, like the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite and the James Webb Space Telescope, will discover the nearest rocky exoplanets and determine their composition and atmospheric conditions, continuing humankind's quest to find truly Earth-like worlds."
Although the size of Kepler-186f is known, its mass and composition are not. Previous research, however, suggests that a planet the size of Kepler-186f is likely to be rocky.

"We know of just one planet where life exists -- Earth. When we search for life outside our solar system we focus on finding planets with characteristics that mimic that of Earth," said Elisa Quintana, research scientist at the SETI Institute at NASA's Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, Calif., and lead author of the paper published today in the journal Science. "Finding a habitable zone planet comparable to Earth in size is a major step forward."

Kepler-186f resides in the Kepler-186 system, about 500 light-years from Earth in the constellation Cygnus. The system is also home to four companion planets, which orbit a star half the size and mass of our sun. The star is classified as an M dwarf, or red dwarf, a class of stars that makes up 70 percent of the stars in the Milky Way galaxy.

"M dwarfs are the most numerous stars," said Quintana. "The first signs of other life in the galaxy may well come from planets orbiting an M dwarf."
Kepler-186f orbits its star once every 130-days and receives one-third the energy from its star that Earth gets from the sun, placing it nearer the outer edge of the habitable zone. On the surface of Kepler-186f, the brightness of its star at high noon is only as bright as our sun appears to us about an hour before sunset.
"Being in the habitable zone does not mean we know this planet is habitable. The temperature on the planet is strongly dependent on what kind of atmosphere the planet has," said Thomas Barclay, research scientist at the Bay Area Environmental Research Institute at Ames, and co-author of the paper. "Kepler-186f can be thought of as an Earth-cousin rather than an Earth-twin. It has many properties that resemble Earth."

The four companion planets, Kepler-186b, Kepler-186c, Kepler-186d, and Kepler-186e, whiz around their sun every four, seven, 13, and 22 days, respectively, making them too hot for life as we know it. These four inner planets all measure less than 1.5 times the size of Earth.

The next steps in the search for distant life include looking for true Earth-twins -- Earth-size planets orbiting within the habitable zone of a sun-like star -- and measuring the their chemical compositions. The Kepler Space Telescope, which simultaneously and continuously measured the brightness of more than 150,000 stars, is NASA's first mission capable of detecting Earth-size planets around stars like our sun.

Ames is responsible for Kepler's ground system development, mission operations, and science data analysis. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., managed Kepler mission development. Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. in Boulder, Colo., developed the Kepler flight system and supports mission operations with the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics at the University of Colorado in Boulder. The Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore archives, hosts and distributes Kepler science data. Kepler is NASA's 10th Discovery Mission and was funded by the agency's Science Mission Directorate.

U.S. MARINES, GEORGIAN SOLDIERS PARTICIPATE IN "OPERATION CYCLONE" IN AFGHANISTAN

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT 

U.S. Marines and Georgian soldiers board a CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter as they prepare to participate in an air assault mission during Operation Cyclone near Passau village in Afghanistan's Helmand province, April 12, 2014. The Marines are assigned to Georgian Liaison Team 11, and the Georgian soldiers are assigned to Bravo Company, 31st Georgian Light Infantry Battalion. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Dustin D. March.

A U.S. Marine Corps CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter prepares to land in a field to extract U.S. Marines and Georgian soldiers during Operation Cyclone in Passau village in Afghanistan's Helmand province, April 11, 2014. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Darien J. Bjornda.

CDC SAYS EFFORTS TO REDUCE FOODBORNE INFECTIONS HAVE MIXED RESULTS

FROM:  CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION 

CDC data show limited progress in reducing foodborne infections in 2013
National report card on food safety indicates more can be done
The nation’s food safety grades are out and the results are mixed.  CDC’s annual report card shows that foodborne infections continue to be an important public health problem in the United States.

The rate of salmonella infections decreased by about nine percent in 2013 compared with the previous three years, bringing it to the rate last observed in the 2006-2008 baseline period. But campylobacter infections, often linked to dairy products and chicken, have risen 13 percent since 2006-2008. Vibrio infections, often linked to eating raw shellfish, were at the highest level observed since active tracking began in 1996; however, rates of infections caused by Vibrio vulnificus, the most severe species, have remained steady. Rates of the other foodborne infections tracked have not changed since the period between 2006 and2008.
“CDC data are essential to gauge how we’re doing in our fight against foodborne illness,” said Robert Tauxe, M.D., M.P.H, deputy director of CDC’s Division of Foodborne, Waterborne and Environmental Diseases. “This year’s data show some recent progress in reducing salmonella rates, and also highlight that our work to reduce the burden of foodborne illness is far from over. To keep salmonella on the decline, we need to work with the food industry and our federal, state and local partners to implement strong actions to control known risks and to detect foodborne germs lurking in unsuspected foods.”

The data for the report card come from the Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet), a group of experts from CDC, ten state health departments, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In 2013, FoodNet logged just over 19,000 infections, 4,200 hospitalizations, and 80 deaths from the nine germs it tracks. Young children were the most affected group for seven of the nine germs that FoodNet tracks.

New standards for cut-up poultry parts and plans to modernize poultry inspection are already in the works to increase the safety of chicken.  Regulations designed to help prevent food safety problems have been proposed for many sectors of the food industry, including produce farms, food facilities, food importers, food transporters, and third-party auditors/certification bodies.

"Steps are underway to address many of the concerns raised in this report, such as our Salmonella Action PlanExternal Web Site Icon and other plans to modernize food inspection,” said Assistant Administrator for FSIS’ Office of Public Health Science David Goldman, M.D., M.P.H.. “As these actions are being implemented, we are beginning to see progress, and I am confident we will see further improvement over time.”

“The latest information from FoodNet highlights the importance of continuing preventive measures from the farm to the consumer,” said Stephen Ostroff, M.D., the FDA’s acting chief scientist. “We are making significant progress in implementing the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act, having issued seven proposed rules addressing the safety of produce, imported foods, and human and animal food production and transportation. Full implementation of these rules will help prevent these types of infections.”

In addition to new regulations, everyone can help prevent food poisoning. The food industry can require safer ingredients and can implement preventative controls while restaurants and consumers should follow safe practices in the kitchen. These include cooking meat to proper temperatures, washing produce, preparing meat and fresh produce on different surfaces. Consumers should know there are risks to consuming unpasteurized milk, soft cheeses made with unpasteurized milk, and raw oysters, especially for certain populations at risk for foodborne illness.

About FoodNet  

FoodNet collects information to track rates and determine trends in laboratory-confirmed illnesses caused by nine pathogens transmitted commonly by food: campylobacter, cryptosporidium, cyclospora, listeria, salmonella, Shiga toxin-producing O157 and non-O157E. coli, shigella, vibrio, and yersinia. Annual data are compared with data from the previous three years (2010-2012) and with data from 2006-2008 to measure progress. Since 2010, FoodNet has been tracking the increasing use of culture‐independent diagnostic tests instead of culture by clinical laboratories for diagnosis of some bacterial enteric infection. Replacement of culture challenges the ability to identify cases, monitor trends, detect outbreaks, and characterize pathogens. FoodNet is a network of experts from CDC, ten state health departments, the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, and the FDA.  FoodNet surveillance covers 48 million people, encompassing about 15 percent of the American population. FoodNet sites are located in Connecticut, Georgia, Maryland, Minnesota, New Mexico, Oregon, and Tennessee, and selected counties in California, Colorado, and New York.
###

SEC CHARGES OPERATORS OF ALLEGED PYRAMID SCHEME TARGETING DOMINICAN AND BRAZILIAN IMMIGRANTS

FROM:  U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION 

The Securities and Exchange Commission announced that on Tuesday it filed charges against the Massachusetts-based operators of a large pyramid scheme that mainly targeted Dominican and Brazilian immigrants in the U.S.  The charges were filed under seal, in connection with the Commission’s request for an immediate asset freeze.  That asset freeze, which the U.S. District Court in Boston ordered on Wednesday, secured millions of dollars of funds and prevented the potential dissipation of investor assets.  After the SEC staff implemented the asset freeze, at the SEC’s request the court lifted the seal today, permitting public announcement of the SEC’s charges.

The SEC alleges that TelexFree, Inc. and TelexFree, LLC claim to run a multilevel marketing company that sells telephone service based on “voice over Internet” (VoIP) technology but actually are operating an elaborate pyramid scheme.  In addition to charging the company, the SEC charged several TelexFree officers and promoters, and named several entities related to TelexFree as relief defendants based on their receipt of investor funds.

According to the SEC’s complaint, the defendants sold securities in the form of TelexFree “memberships” that promised annual returns of 200 percent or more for those who promoted TelexFree by recruiting new members and placing TelexFree advertisements on free Internet ad sites.  The SEC complaint alleges that TelexFree’s VoIP sales revenues of approximately $1.3 million from August 2012 through March 2014 are barely one percent of the more than $1.1 billion needed to cover its promised payments to its promoters.  As a result, in classic pyramid scheme fashion, TelexFree is paying earlier investors, not with revenue from selling its VoIP product but with money received from newer investors.

“This is one of several pyramid-scheme cases that the SEC has filed recently where parties claim that investors can earn profits by recruiting other members or investors instead of doing any real work,” said Paul G. Levenson, director of the SEC’s Boston Regional Office.  “Even after the SEC and other regulators have alleged that such programs are a fraud, the promoters of TelexFree continued selling the false promise of easy money.”

According to the SEC’s complaint, the defendants have continued enrolling new investors but recently changed TelexFree’s method of compensating promoters, requiring them to actually sell the VoIP product to qualify for payments that TelexFree had previously promised to pay them.  The complaint also alleges that since December 2013, TelexFree has transferred $30 million or more of investor funds from TelexFree operating accounts to accounts controlled by TelexFree affiliates or the individual defendants.

In addition to the TelexFree firms, the complaint charges TelexFree co-owner James Merrill, of Ashland, Mass., TelexFree co-owner and treasurer Carlos Wanzeler, of Northborough, Mass., TelexFree CFO Joseph H. Craft, of Boonville, Ind., and TelexFree’s international sales director, Steve Labriola, of Northbridge, Mass.  The SEC also charged four individuals who were promoters of TelexFree’s program:  Sanderley Rodrigues de Vasconcelos, formerly of Revere, Mass., now of Davenport, Fla., Santiago De La Rosa, of Lynn, Mass., Randy N. Crosby, of Alpharetta, Ga., and Faith R. Sloan of Chicago.  The SEC’s complaint alleges that TelexFree, Inc., TelexFree, LLC, Merrill, Wanzeler, Craft, Labriola, Rodrigues de Vasconcelos, De La Rosa, Crosby, and Sloan violated the registration and antifraud provisions of U.S. securities laws and the SEC’s antifraud rule. The SEC also charged three entities related to TelexFree as relief defendants based on their receipt of investor funds.

The SEC’s investigation was conducted by Scott R. Stanley, James M. Fay, Mark Albers, John McCann, Frank Huntington, and Kevin Kelcourse, all of the SEC’s Boston Regional Office.

BOOSTING COMPUTER PROCESSING POWER

FROM:  NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION 

Shaving nanoseconds from racing processors

University of Wisconsin researcher finds hidden efficiencies in computer architecture

The computer is one of the most complex machines ever devised and most of us only ever interact with its simplest features. For each keystroke and web-click, thousands of instructions must be communicated in diverse machine languages and millions of calculations computed.

Mark Hill knows more about the inner workings of computer hardware than most. As Amdahl Professor of Computer Science at the University of Wisconsin, he studies the way computers transform 0s and 1s into social networks or eBay purchases, following the chain reaction from personal computer to processor to network hub to cloud and back again.

The layered intricacy of computers is intentionally hidden from those who use--and even those who design, build and program--computers. Machine languages, compilers and network protocols handle much of the messy interactions between various levels within and among computers.

"Our computers are very complicated and it's our job to hide most of this complexity most of the time because if you had to face it all of the time, then you couldn't get done what you want to get done, whether it was solving a problem or providing entertainment," Hill said.

During the last four decades of the 20th century, as computers grew faster and faster, it was advantageous to keep this complexity hidden. However, in the past decade, the linear speed-up in processing power that we'd grown used to (often referred to as "Moore's law") has started to level off. It is no longer possible to double computer processing power every two years just by making transistors smaller and packing more of them on a chip.

In response, researchers like Hill and his peers in industry are reexamining the hidden layers of computing architecture and the interfaces between them in order to wring out more processing power for the same cost.

Ready, set...compute

One of the main ways that Hill and others do this is by analyzing the performance of computer tasks. Like a coach with a stopwatch, Hill times how long it takes an ordinary processor to, say, analyze a query from Facebook or perform a web search. He's not only interested in the overall speed of the action, but how long each step in the process takes.

Through careful analysis, Hill uncovers inefficiencies, sometimes major ones, in the workflows by which computers operate. Recently, he investigated inefficiencies in the way that computers implement virtual memory and determined that these operations can waste up to 50 percent of a computer's execution cycles. (Virtual memory is a memory management technique that maps memory addresses used by a program, called virtual addresses, to physical addresses in computer memory, in part, so that every program can seem to run as if is alone on a computer.)

The inefficiencies he found were due to the way computers had evolved over time. Memory had grown a million times bigger since the 1980s, but the way it was used had barely changed at all. A legacy method called paging, that was created when memory was far smaller, was preventing processors from achieving their peak potential.

Hill designed a solution that uses paging selectively, adopting a simpler address translation method for key parts of important applications. This reduced the problem, bringing cache misses down to less than 1 percent. In the age of the nanosecond, fixing such inefficiencies pays dividends. For instance, with such a fix in place, Facebook could buy far fewer computers to do the same workload, saving millions.

"A small change to the operating system and hardware can bring big benefits," he said.

Hill and his colleagues reported the results of their research in the International Symposium on Computer Architecture in June 2013.

Computer companies like Google and Intel are among the richest in the world, with billions in their coffers. So why, one might ask, should university researchers, supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF), have to solve problems with existing hardware?

"Companies can't do this kind of research by themselves, especially the cross-cutting work that goes across many corporations," said Hill. "For those working in the field, if you can cross layers and optimize, I think there's a lot of opportunity to make computer systems better. This creates value in the U.S. for both the economy and all of us who use computers."

"The National Science Foundation is committed to supporting research that makes today's computers more productive in terms of performance, energy-efficiency and helping solve problems arising from the entire spectrum of application domains, while also studying the technologies that will form the basis for tomorrow's computers," said Hong Jiang, a program director in the Computer Information Science and Engineering directorate at NSF.

"In the process of expanding the limits of computation, it's extremely important to find both near-term and long-term solutions to improve performance, power efficiency and resiliency. Professor Mark Hill's pioneering research in computer memory systems is an excellent example of such efforts."

The "divide and conquer" approach to computer architecture design, which kept the various computing layers separate, helped accelerate the industry, while minimizing errors and confusion in an era when faster speeds seemed inevitable. But Hill believes it may be time to break through the layers and create a more integrated framework for computation.

"In the last decade, hardware improvements have slowed tremendously and it remains to be seen what's going to happen," Hill said. "I think we're going to wring out a lot of inefficiencies and still get gains. They're not going to be like the large ones that you've seen before, but I hope that they're sufficient that we can still enable new creations, which is really what this is about."

Most recently, Hill has been exploring how graphic processing units (GPUs), which have become common in personal and cloud computing, can process big memory tasks more efficiently.

Writing for the proceedings of the International Symposium on High-Performance Computer Architecture, Hill, along with Jason Power and David Wood (also from the University of Wisconsin), showed that it is possible to design virtual memory protocols that are easier to program without slowing down overall performance significantly. This opens the door to the use of GPU-accelerated systems that can compute faster than those with only traditional computer processing units.

Accelerating during a slow-down

Improvements to virtual memory and GPU performance are a few examples of places where cross-layer thinking has improved computer hardware performance, but they are also emblematic of a wholesale transformation in the way researchers are thinking about computer architecture in the early 21st century.

Hill led the creation of a white paper, authored by dozens of top U.S. computer scientists, that outlined some of the paradigm-shifts facing computing.

"The 21st century is going to be different from the 20th century in several ways," Hill explained. "In the 20th century, we focused on a generic computer. That's not appropriate anymore. You definitely have to consider where that computer sits. Is it in a piece of smart dust? Is it in your cellphone, or in your laptop or in the cloud? There are different constraints."

Among the other key findings of the report: a shift in focus from the single computer to the network or datacenter; the growing importance of communications in today's workflows, especially relating to Big Data; the growth of energy consumption as a first-order concern in chip and computer design; and the emergence of new, unpredictable technologies that could prove disruptive.

These disruptive technologies are still decades away, however. In the meantime, it's up to computer scientists to rethink what can be done to optimize existing hardware and software. For Hill, this effort is akin to detective work, where the speed of a process serves as a clue to what's happening underneath the cover of a laptop.

"It's all about problem solving," Hill said. "People focus on the end of it, which is like finishing he puzzle, but really it's the creative part of defining what the puzzle is. Then it's the satisfaction that you have created something new, something that has never existed before. It may be a small thing that's not well known to everybody, but you know it's new and I just find great satisfaction in that."

--

NSF has been crucial in supporting Mark D. Hill's research throughout his career. For more than 26 years, he has been the the recipient of 19 NSF grants, which supported not only Hill and his collaborators, but also three dozen PhD students from his group, who themselves have trained more than a 100 scientists. Hear his distinguished lecture at NSF from December 2013.

-- Aaron Dubrow, NSF (512) 820-5785 adubrow@nsf.gov
Investigators
Mark Hill
David Wood
James Larus
Gurindar Sohi
Michael Swift
Related Institutions/Organizations
University of Wisconsin-Madison

DEFENSE COOPERATION DISCUSSED AT PENTAGON BY U.S., SOUTH KOREA AND JAPAN

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT 

U.S., Japan, South Korea Meet on Defense Cooperation

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, April 18, 2014 – The United States, Japan and the South Korea held what officials called “a productive, substantial meeting” at the Pentagon to promote trilateral defense cooperation.

The two days of meetings, which wrapped up today, grew out of the trilateral summit hosted by President Barack Obama in The Hague on March 25.
In a joint statement summarizing the meeting, officials said the three nations reaffirmed that they will not accept North Korea as a nuclear-armed state and that they agreed to coordinate closely to deter North Korean provocations.
The three countries also reaffirmed the necessity for a coordinated response and close cooperation with the international community with respect to the threat to international security posed by the North Korea's nuclear, ballistic missile, and proliferation programs, the statement said.

In addition, the three countries shared the understanding of the importance of cooperating on nontraditional security issues such as humanitarian assistance and disaster relief and counterpiracy, and discussed additional ways to cooperate in these areas.

Mark Lippert, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel’s chief of staff; Yoo Jeh-seung, deputy minister for policy in South Korea’s Defense Ministry; and Hideshi Tokuchi, director-general of the Japanese Defense Ministry's Defense Policy Bureau, headed the delegations for the meetings.

U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT CONTRACTS FOR APRIL 18, 2014

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT 

CONTRACTS

DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY

Delta Industries, East Granby, Conn., has been awarded a maximum $37,177,882 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for turbine exhaust engine cases. This is a competitive acquisition, and one offer was received. This is a two-year base contract. Location of performance is Connecticut with a May 31, 2016 performance completion date. Using service is Air Force. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2014 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., (SPRTA1-14-D-0009).

Golden State Medical Supply,* Camarillo, Calif., has been awarded a maximum $22,512,293 modification (P00054) exercising the fifth option period on a one-year base contract (SPM2D0-09-D-0001) with seven one-year option periods for various pharmaceutical supplies. This is a firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. Location of performance is California with an April 20, 2015 performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2014 warstopper funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pa.

ARMY

Lockheed Martin Corp., Orlando, Fla., was awarded a $24,449,293 cost-plus-fixed-fee, sole-source contract to install a vehicle and dismounted exploitation radar (VADER) system and an aerial precision geolocation kit on a King Air 350ER aircraft. Fiscal 2013 research, development, testing and evaluation funds in the amount of $5,700,639 were obligated at the time of the award. Estimated completion date is March 18, 2015. One bid was solicited and one received. Work will be performed in Hagerstown and Linthicum Heights Md.; Greenville, Texas; and Fayetteville N.C. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is the contracting activity (W58RGZ-14-C-0040).
RSP Architects, Minneapolis, Minn., was awarded a $9,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for architect and engineer services for the design, construction of various Air Force Reserve projects. Funding and work location will be determined with each order. Estimated completion date is April 18, 2019. Bids were solicited via the Internet with 32 received. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville, Ky., is the contracting activity (W912QR-14-D-0008).

NAVY

General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems, Orlando, Fla., is being awarded a $9,248,770 modification to previously awarded contract (N00174-08-D-0021) for the procurement of the improved mechanical remote fuze disassembly kit (I-MRFDK ) production units, training, system maintenance and spare and depot level repair parts. The I-MRFDK is a portable ordnance inerting and disassembly system operated by explosive ordnance disposal technicians to safely inert fuzes used with projectiles, bombs, and other explosive ordnance. Work will be performed in Orlando, Fla., and is expected to be completed by September 2015. Contract funds will not be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Indian Head Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technology Division, Indian Head, Md., is the contracting activity.

3 Phoenix Inc., Chantilly, Va., is being awarded a $7,263,632 modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-13-C-6264) to procure two TB-29A Inverted Passive Electrical Network (iPEN) Towed Array production representative units, associated spares and test equipment. iPEN leverages technology developed under Small Business Innovation Research Topic N04-138, “Real-time Data Fusion and Visualization Interface for Environmental Research Data.” iPEN telemetry acts as a data fusion point for the integration of towed array handling system sensor data. This technology is expected to provide significant improvement in reliability and operational availability of TB-29A towed arrays. Work will be performed in Wake Forest, N.C. (50 percent); Houston, Texas (25 percent); Hanover, Md. (15 percent); and Chantilly, Va. (10 percent), and is expected to be completed by August 2015. Fiscal 2011 and 2012 shipbuilding and conversion, Navy contract funds in the amount of $7,263,632 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.

AIR FORCE

Rand and Jones Enterprises, Co., Inc., Buffalo, N.Y., has been awarded an $8,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for a Simplified Acquisition of Base Engineering Requirements contract for completion of minor, non-complex construction projects requiring minimum design. Typical projects involve a number of general construction disciplines including, but not limited to, plumbing, masonry, electrical, mechanical, architectural, painting, HVAC, and abatement. Work will be performed at Rome, Newport, and Stockbridge, N.Y., and is expected to be completed April 18, 2019. The ordering period concludes five years after the effective date of the contract. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition. The solicitation was conducted through Federal Business Opportunities, and two offers were received. Funding varies based on individual requirements but is primarily operations and maintenance, research and development, or Defense Finance and Accounting Service. Current fiscal year funding will be provided on individual orders. Air Force Research Laboratory Specialized Acquisition and Operational Contracting Branch, Rome N.Y., is the contracting activity (FA8751-14-D-0004).

TRICARE

Express Scripts Inc., St. Louis, Mo., is being awarded a $33,800,000 requirements-type contract with fixed unit prices, to provide pharmacy benefit management services to the Department of Defense TRICARE pharmacy program. The total cumulative face value of the contract, including the one year base period and seven one-year option periods, if exercised, for pharmacy benefit management services, and options for contract phase-out, is estimated at $5,364,684,318. The TRICARE Pharmacy Benefits Program offers pharmacy services through direct care pharmacy services at Military Treatment Facilities; retail network pharmacies; authorized retail non-network pharmacies; or delivery through the TRICARE Home Delivery/Mail Order Pharmacy. Retail pharmacy services are available in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. The contractor will perform pharmacy benefits management functions, including the following: perform claims adjudication, administer a retail pharmacy network, operate mail order pharmacy, provide clinical services for specialty pharmaceuticals, process direct member reimbursements for claims filled at retail network and non-network pharmacies, perform clinical reviews, and provide beneficiary and pharmacy support services. The contractor will also perform as a fiscal intermediary on behalf of DoD to pay for all authorized pharmaceuticals and supplies dispensed for eligible beneficiaries at retail pharmacies and transmit all claim information to the Pharmacy Data Transaction Service, the DoD designated data warehouse. This contract was competitively procured using the Best Value Tradeoff Source Selection process, with two offers received. Fiscal 2014 DoD operations and maintenance funding in the amount of $33,800,000 is being obligated at award. The Defense Health Agency, Aurora, Colo., is the contracting activity (HT9402-14-D-0002).

*Small Business

READOUT: VP BIDEN'S CALL WITH SLOVAKIA PRIME MINISTER ROBERT FICO

FROM:  THE WHITE HOUSE 

Readout of the Vice President’s Call with Prime Minister Robert Fico of Slovakia

Vice President Biden spoke today with Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico.  The Vice President and Prime Minister discussed the situation in eastern Ukraine.  The Vice President underscored the United States’ support for a diplomatic resolution to the crisis in Ukraine, contingent on Russia’s disavowal and cessation of destabilizing actions within Ukraine.  The two leaders agreed that if Russia further escalated the situation in Ukraine, it would face mounting consequences for its actions.   The Vice President thanked the Prime Minister for Slovakia’s commitment to bolstering energy security within Europe, including by supporting the reverse flow of natural gas to Ukraine.

VIEW OF THE GRAND CANYON FROM THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION

FROM:  NASA 

The Grand Canyon in northern Arizona is a favorite for astronauts shooting photos from the International Space Station, as well as one of the best-known tourist attractions in the world. The steep walls of the Colorado River canyon and its many side canyons make an intricate landscape that contrasts with the dark green, forested plateau to the north and south. The Colorado River has done all the erosional work of carving away cubic kilometers of rock in a geologically short period of time. Visible as a darker line snaking along the bottom of the canyon, the river lies at an altitude of 715 meters (2,345 feet), thousands of meters below the North and South Rims. Temperatures are furnace-like on the river banks in the summer. But Grand Canyon Village, the classic outlook point for visitors, enjoys a milder climate at an altitude of 2,100 meters (6,890 feet). The Grand Canyon has become a geologic icon—a place where you can almost sense the invisible tectonic forces within the Earth. The North and South Rims are part of the Kaibab Plateau, a gentle tectonic swell in the landscape. The uplift of the plateau had two pronounced effects on the landscape that show up in this image. First, in drier parts of the world, forests usually indicate higher places; higher altitudes are cooler and wetter, conditions that allow trees to grow. The other geologic lesson on view is the canyon itself. Geologists now know that a river can cut a canyon only if the Earth surface rises vertically. If such uplift is not rapid, a river can maintain its course by eroding huge quantities of rock and forming a canyon. This astronaut photograph (ISS039-E-5258) was taken on March 25, 2014 by the Expedition 39 crew, with a Nikon D3S digital camera using a 180 millimeter lens, and is provided by the ISS Crew Earth Observations Facility and the Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, Johnson Space Center. It has been cropped and enhanced to improve contrast, and lens artifacts have been removed.  Image Credit: NASA Caption: M. Justin Wilkinson, Jacobs at NASA-JSC.